Let Battle Commence

Seems like it's ages since the last one, but the Rugby World Cup opening game has finally rolled round.

Opening Ceremony
Fans of all allegencies turned up for the opening ceremony and first game of the tournament. The French were, of course, in the majority, but I saw lots of English, a few Irish, a significant number of Argentines and the odd Aussie & Kiwi wandering about outside the ground. All getting on famously, and the French riot police in attendance had little to do except strut around in their body armour looking menacing, as only the Gendarmes know how.

The French seemed very keen to dress up, and I caught this bloke [left] wearing a chicken on his head and still grinning madly!! (The French team's emblem is a Cockerel, but I'm not convinced it should have been blue and furry).

Once inside, the atmosphere was building as the minutes ticked by. The opening do was a bit pants, to be honest - lots of tumblers cavorting around in brightly coloured suits, but I think the analogy was lost on most people, it certainly was on me.

I was glad the exuberant flag-waver above wasn't sitting directly in front of me, or I wouldn't have got many pictures!

The Game
France vs Argentina was always going to be an entertaining show, and how it turned out to be! Not the result the French would have liked, but most of the English supporters I could see seemed to be shouting for Argentina!

[The Pumas win their lineout]

The French just didn't live up to the promise of recent games. Cedric Heymans kept dropping stuff and suffered from wayward kicking. The rest of the team didn't seem to be able to intercept or pass very well. On the Pumas' side, Juan Martin Hernandez [right] had a great game, his first playing at Fly Half. He ran all over the place and kicked accurately. His Fullback Ignacio Corleta seemed to chase every high ball, and scored the only try of the game.

At the set pieces, the Argentine pack seemed to be doing well in the scrum - perhaps their lineouts weren't as good as they could have been, but they certainly didn't get pushed about too much. The French were certainly surprised to go in at the break on the wrong end of a 17-6 scoreline. I can only imagine the Gallic ranting of M. Laporte in the dressing room at half time.

The dressing-down must have had some effect, as I thought the French were going to score just after the break. They were camped in Argentine territory, about 5m from the line, for over a dozen phases of play. But the Argies put up some immense defence, and eventually only gave away 3 points for an infringement.

David Skrela [left] had a shocking game, and never really looked comfortable. He missed a straightforward penalty on 55 minutes, and didn't link well with Pierre Mignoni at Scrum Half. Skrela limped off in the last quarter, to be replaced by Freddie Michalak who didn't fare much better, missing a morale-boosting penalty on 70 minutes. Mignoni was subbed for Elissalde with 8 minutes left. Too little too late.

One player who did make an immediate impact as a replacement was the scary figure of Sebastien "Sea bass" Chabal, who stole a lineout almost as soon as he stepped on the field. He didn't get it all his own way, as the Argentines weren't afraid to go after him with the ball:

[Sea Bass Chabal gets attention of the Argentine defence]

France kept plugging away in the last minutes of the game, with amazing defence from their opponents. Argentina thought they had cleared but France got the ball back and managed to kick a final penalty, but still went in at the end down by 12-17.

All in all, a fantastic game, tremendous atmosphere and a great way to kick off the 2007 tournament. Bring on the next games!

Welsh Dream Turns To Nightmare

Six Nations Game 9 - France vs Wales (32-21)

Stephen Jones [left] tried for an early drop goal in the first minute, but were given the opportunity of a penalty went wide too. Gough stole French lineout then France stole one back.

Then Mignoni passed a cracker to Vincent Clerc who made it to withing 5m of the Welsh line. The French won the subsequent lineout, and got a penalty too, as a Welshman took out a lifter. David Skrela took the three points and a French lead.

After another Welsh lineout and maul, Alix Popham [right] snuck over for a try and Jones punted the conversion to make it 3-7 to Wales. Then the Welsh stole another French lineout, James Hook took a great pass and offloaded to Tom Shanklin who scored right under the posts. Another 3 points from Jones' boot and the French were down by 3-14. A bit of déjà vue with the Scotland/Italy game!

David Skrela took another three points penalty after a Welsh infringement at the ruck, and France had doubled their points. A messy up and under left Wales offside, Skrela kicked for territory for an attacking lineout on the Welsh 22. They won ball initially, but the Welsh turned them over quickly.

For a few minutes, it was all France in attack, but the red defence held firm. Left, right, they kept switching the ruck. Ref Tony Spreadbury had his work cut out to keep them all under control; eventually France were caught holding on. But they lost the lineout throwing in not straight.

France got a scrum and penalty on half way, and they proceeded to jink up the pitch, Christophe Dominici finally going over the line, his 23rd in a French jersey. A simple conversion for Skrela made the score finely poised at 13-14.

Wales gave away a silly penalty taking a man out in the air at a lineout, and the French forwards then went driving for a bit before switching to the backs for a run. Jannick Jauzion [right] found a hole, the Welsh were scrambling in defence for a couple of minutes before Lionel Nallet scored. Skrela's boot did the job and the Welsh were down by 20-14.

With five minutes to go before half time, Shane Williams was smashed in a tackle by David Marty. Skrela had the chance for another three points which just floated over. Bad news for Wales, now 23-14 down.

Les Bleus were on a roll, running the length of the field. Dwayne Peel had to scramble the tackle. The French lineout wasn't straight, which was bit of a get out for Wales as it was 5m out from their line. They must have been relieved to go in for half time.

After the break, Wales secured some ball, but the French soon snaffled it back. Then it was back to Wales; Shane Williams, James Hook and Tom Shanklin nearly getting it over the line, but being ushered into touch at the last minute. The French were lucky to win their lineout.

Then a huge hack back towards the Welsh line was saved by Dwayne Peel [left] with French players hard on his heels. Somehow he managed to clear with a kick. Wales infringed again at the lineout, and Skrela took the points yet again, making it a 12 point lead.

Soon after, France gave away a penalty but Stephen Jones' kick went wide. The French turned over possession from the restart, then Popham made a massive, crunching tackle on Raphael Ibañez. The French were all over the Welsh defence, deep in the Welsh 22. Then a red hand in the ruck gave Skrela another chance at goal. Sweetly struck, it went over once more and Wales were trailing 29-14.

It looked like the French had made another breakaway, but "Spreaders" had spotted a knock-on, so it was a Welsh scrum. Soon after, France gave away another penalty, this time James Hook stepped up to take it. But it floated wide too.

After a French scrum, Pierre Mignoni spotted a hole behind the Welsh defence, with a lovely kick for touch. The Welsh lineout was solid, but Les Bleus got the ball again, only to be done for hanging on in a tackle.

Wales almost gave away another intercept, and were lucky to get away with a scrum, which the French then bossed. Shane Williams [left] were caught offside, but Skrela's kick at goal missed.

Wales won a lineout, but Martin Williams knocked on, a rare mistake from him in this match. Mike Phillips [right] came on instead of Peel, but France took a run upfield. The next Welsh scrum was a mess, not fault of Philips', it was the forwards making a hash.

The Welsh put together some reasonable passages of play, but were unable to get across the half way line very quickly. Eventaully, with five minutes to go, Jamie Robinson broke loose to score under the posts, with Jones adding the points. Than left the "BRAWN" boys trailing by just 8 points, 29-21.

The French forwards went driving from a lineout win, and crept closer to the Welsh line. They were turned over but then got a chance again with a lineout at 10m. Then another chance with a penalty at 79 minutes. Lionel Beauxis took the kick and sealed the game at 32-21. Skrela was Man of the Match.

Or read my ten word review.

Cracker At Croke Park

Six Nations Game 6 - Ireland vs France (17-20)

History was made today when Rugby was played for the very first time at Croke Park, the fantastic stadium owned by the GAA. Looks like there was a superb atmosphere in the place, and I'm not sure I've ever heard the anthems sung with as much passion!

Two missing links for Ireland today were captain Brian O'Driscoll and Scrum Half Peter Stringer [left], both missing the game through injury.

The French forwards hard a early driving maul and the subsequent move made Ireland infringe - David Skrela took the 3 points. Then the French disrupted an Irish lineout and won a scrum against the head, making by far the best start to the game. Another 3 points followed quickly, but by 13-odd minutes in, Ireland woke up, the French came in from the side at a ruck and Ronon O'Gara popped the ball over Ireland's first 3 points.

Ireland's comeback didn't last long when Geordan Murphy's mis-tackle let Franch Captain Raphael Ibañez [right] in for a great try, Skrela adding the two points, leaving Ireland 10 points down.

Ireland then won a solid lineout close to the French 10m line, but the passes in midfield were a mess, and even the following Irish scrum could not make any ground.

A couple of minutes later, the Irish had an attacking lineout at 5m and went for a catch and drive, but the midfield passing caused the French to give away another penalty in their half and O'Gara punted 3 points.

The French forwards seemed to have the upper hand, wheeling the odd scrum and certainly giving as good as they got. But after 30 mins, Ireland had a 22m lineout in French territory. Several phases later and a couple of dummies from Ronan O'Gara, a great back pass from flanker David Wallace [left] and O'Gara was over the line to rapturous applause. The conversion went wide, but Ireland were back within 2 points of France.

Rory Best was penalised for slowing the ball down at a ruck, but Skrela missed the posts and the score remained 11-13. France won a scrum an Imanol Harinordoquy [right] made a big break - France looked sure to score but Geordan Murphy's defence close to the line saved the try. Skrela missed another penalty just before half time, and Ireland were lucky to go back to the changing rooms trailing by just 2 points.

Ireland made a brighter start to the second half, taking control of the ball. Sebastian Chabal was penalised twice in quick succession and Ireland won an attacking lineout in the French half but they weren't able to get very far. Ref Steve Walsh was rather quick with his whistle at one point when France had knocked on, and Geordan Murphy [left] thought he was in for a try, but play was deemed to have stopped. Queue lots of jeering from the stands!

Ireland had a go at the French from a turnover ball, and looked dangerous for a few phases, but they ultimately knocked on and France won it back. Denis Hickey made a great break in midfield, but he could not reach the hands of his receiver. The teams played ping-pong with a bit of kicking until Mignoni lost the ball in touch - all of a sudden, Ireland had a lineout in the French 10m line but didn't take advantage of it.

The Irish began to pile the pressure on with several attacking phases, forcing France into making errors. Harinordoquy came in from the side at 55 minutes, and O'Gara duely punished the French by kicking Ireland into a slender 1-point lead.

With just over 10 minutes to go, there was a spate of substitutions, but Ireland looked like they were gaining the upper hand. A fumble from Harinordoquy led to an Irish attacking lineout - a few phases later and France had turned it over.

An Irish scrum was nearly wheeled a bit later, but Ulsterman Isaac Boss [right, now without chinstrap beard] did well to kick for touch. The French lineout was won, but the ball changed hands several times in the next few minutes, with both sides desperate to put more points on the board.

Replacement back Andrew Trimble [left] made a good break too, the last Irish hand knocked on and the opportunity was lost.

The Irish scrum wobbled a bit and Boss was penalised for not feeding a steady scrum, giving France a chance at a drop goal - Bauxis hit the post and Hickey' clearance went straight back to French hands. Ibanez was substituted but then Ireland won a penalty. The last ten minutes were agony - even for an English supporter!

The Irish forwards mauled their hearts out and made a good few yards before the French brought it down. Penalty Ireland. Cue O'Gara's kick, on the French 10m line. Croke Park was silent until it sailed over the posts. Cue hysteria! Beautiful strike.

Danger hit immediately after when Franced rushed into the Irish half and Vincent Clerc [right] took the ball over the line. With the conversion good, Ireland had let the game slip away as Mignoni punted it into the stands.

What a cracking game - so nearly Ireland's up til one minute from the end.

Or read my Ten Word Review.