Ireland v Wales
Rugby World Cup
6.00am (Irish time) Saturday 8th October 2011

Ireland:
Kearney, Bowe, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Earls, O'Gara, Murray, Healy, Best, Ross, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip.
Replacements:
Cronin, Court, Ryan, Leamy, Reddan, Sexton, Trimble.

Wales:
Halfpenny, North, J Davies, Roberts, Shane Williams, Priestland, Phillips, Jenkins, Bennett, Adam Jones, Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Lydiate, Warburton, Faletau.
Replacements:
Burns, James, B Davies, R Jones, L Williams, Hook, Scott Williams.

It’s a windy day in Wellington and it’s raining too.  Will it work in Ireland’s favour?  They’re used to this weather, aren’t they?  Will the younger Welsh side have an edge over the more experienced Irish?  The Welsh are confident and when they’re confident, they’re at the most dangerous.

It’s 6am, the national anthems play.  6.01 the game starts.  Would you believe it, in the 2nd minute, Wales get a try (Williams) and Priestland converts it.  Ireland 0-7 Wales. It’s a bad start.

The game continues, Welsh side, Irish side, scrum, touchline.  On the 23rd minute, Wales penalised for engaging early in the scrum. O'Gara kicks into the opposite corner, keeping it low into the wind, an excellent touch.  O'Driscoll turns the ball over and releases Kearney, who makes up about 30 metres. He's brought down within sight of the line, offloads to a pair of Welsh hands, but Ireland have the penalty in front of the posts as Wales pile in from the side.

24th minute. O’Gara puts it over the bar.  Ireland 3-7 Wales

It’s a strong wind and theres an exchange of kicks from both sides.  The ball is slow and superb tussling at the breakdown by Warburton wins Wales a penalty for holding on to the ball about a metre inside the halfway line.

28th min PENALTY for Wales (Halfpenny) Beautifully clean contact from Halfpenny, and the ball makes it easily!  Good kick.  Wales back to their seven-point lead. Ireland 3-10 Wales.

The game continues.  Windy, wet.  It’s a fast game and your heart is in your mouth.  Nearly half time.  One last effort by Ireland.  O'Driscoll releases Tommy Bowe, who can make up another few metres. Ireland are looking good. But Wales's pins down Heaslip, the ball is buried under a mountain of bodies, and after a while referee Craig Joubert decides he's had enough, and blows the whistle for half-time. An energetic, captivating half of rugby ends with Wales in the lead.  Ireland 3-10 Wales at half time. Brilliant rugby but only 1 try.  Ireland was dragged into slightly looser play than they’re used to.

2nd half.   Luke Charteris is unable to continue for Wales, so Bradley Davies has replaced him.  Ireland kick, holding Wales back into their own corner. Ireland turn it over, switch the ball right. Ferris switches it to Bowe.  Ireland work it back to the left, quickly, and Kearney is just a few feet from surging over the line. Ireland have a penalty, but they don’t take it.

44th min TRY for Ireland (Earls + O'Gara conversion) Earls with the surge.  The try is given! Ireland looked to have killed their own momentum after Murray's pass went wild. But it was Ferris with the smart take and lay-off, and Earls bursting from deep just about managed to scrape over the line.  Ireland has done it.  They have brought this terrific game to another level. O'Gara with a superb conversion from the left touchline.  It’s evens.  Ireland 10-10 Wales

51st min. try for Wales.  Phillips flew through the air, evading D'Arcy's tackle and sticking the ball down right in the corner!  Phillips's feet were about a metre in the air when he dived over the line, and Wales have taken back the lead.  Priestland's kick from the left touchline leaks just right.  Ireland 10-15 Wales

58th Min. Scrum for Ireland, scrum for Wales.  Scrum collapses.  Penalty for Wales.  Priestland hits the post.  The ball bounced cleant and Sexton jumps on it.

Lineout, another lineout, kick from behind Irish line.  Earls, who's recovered from a nasty clash of heads he suffered a minute ago, lays the ball off for Reddan, who fumbles.  Ireland can’t turn the game around.

64th min TRY for Wales (Davies + Priestland conversion). Davies has support.  Ireland stand off him, expecting him to spin the ball wide.  Instead, Davies sees a tiny gap and goes himself. O'Driscoll can't get to him; Kearney makes a grab, but comes away only with a couple of threads from Davies's jersey.  Priestland's get the conversion.  Wales are almost there.  Are Wales in the last four? 
Ireland 10-22 Wales. Oh dear!

From now until the 80th minute, the ball goes up and down the pitch, but Ireland can’t do anything to turn it around

FULL TIME: Ireland 10-22 Wales

Wales are through.  Ireland goes home.  The Ireland that so effectively dampened Australia in the early phase was sadly missing tonight. Wales were simply too strong in defence, too fast with the ball. Ireland tried to give Wales the heavy treatment, but Wales succeeded in playing the game their own way.

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