The third Rugby World Cup quarter-final has come to an end, with Wales emerging victorious over a valiant French side by just the slimmest of margins, coming from behind to win 20 points to 19.
There was plenty of controversy throughout the match. A 49th-minute red card to French second-rower Sebastien Vahaamahina, who elbowed a Welsh player in a maul, saw them reduced to 14 players for the remainder of the match.
The French fought on bravely for the remaining 31 minutes, but they surrendered their 19-13 lead after Ross Moriarty scored in the 74th minute off the back of a strip from Owen Watkin that seemingly went forward, but was not called after a review from the TMO.
Here’s five talking points from the game.
Bring in Hawk-Eye?
Let’s start with the obvious, that being the decision of the TMO to stick with the referee’s on-field call of try when adjudicating on the 73rd minute try to Welsh back-rower Ross Moriarty.
France fed the scrum on their 5m line and were dominated by a massive Welsh push. They still managed to salvage possession, but a strip by replacement halfback Owen Watkin saw the Welsh back in possession close to the line. Justin Tipuric found himself with the ball and got within inches of the line, before Moriarty picked it up and barged over.
The play was then sent to the TMO to check if Watkin’s strip had travelled forward before Tipuric caught the ball.
After several replays the decision was made to stick with the on-field call of try as the ball had not travelled obviously forward.
It was a controversial call and the French will certainly not be happy with it, but ultimately it was probably the correct call as it was extremely difficult to tell from any camera angle exactly which direction the ball had travelled.
If it did go forward it was only marginal – this is something that only technology like Hawk-Eye would be able to accurately rule on.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
France lose Ntamack for second half
The French were extremely brave in defeat. Not only did they have just 14 men for the final 31 minutes of the game, but their first-choice flyhalf Romain Ntamack failed to return for the second half after copping a heavy knock late in the first stanza.
Ntamack, an inside centre for his club Toulouse in the French Top 14, has made the French No.10 jersey his own this year during the Six Nations and now the World Cup. His absence really disrupted France’s attack, as they failed to score another once he was off the field – nor did they really threaten to either.
The 20-year-old looked extremely disappointed on the sideline with ice strapped to his upper leg. Fortunately, he looks to have a bright future in the game and will have plenty of chances to make amends in the years to come.
France should have gone for a field goal
It’s certainly very easy to point fingers with the benefit of hindsight. But France had several chances in the second half to slot a sneaky field goal and chose not to.
This would have seen them out to 22 points – ultimately two points ahead of what was Wales’ final score.
It’s hard to know how the game would have panned out had France taken a shot. The momentum may have completely changed, leading to a vastly different outcome to the one we saw.
But with replacement flyhalf Camille Lopez sitting nice and deep in the pocket, well within field-goal range, it’s hard not to think that they should have just taken the shot.
Red Card proves costly for France
What a foolish piece of play this was from the big Frenchman Sebastien Vahaamahina – not only did he grab Welsh No.6 Aaron Wainwright by the neck in plain sight of the referee, but he also blatantly elbowed him in the jaw straight after.
In this day and age when there are a million cameras and a TMO intent on interfering with everything, it’s absolutely unfathomable that anyone would think they could possibly get away with something like this.
Vahaamahina left the officials with little alternative but to send him from the field with 31 minutes to play.
The French were very brave from this point on, and only would up losing by a point. But the game would have been completely different if they’d had their full complement of players for the entirety of the match.
It was a costly brain snap from the big fella, so much so that it cost France a place in the semi-finals.
(Photo by David Ramos – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
Wales looks bereft of ideas in attack
Not to take the gloss off the Welsh victory – they fought hard ultimately deserved their win. But key playmakers Gareth Davies, Dan Biggar and Liam Williams were nowhere to be found when their side needed points.
Wales’ first try in the 11th minute came completely against the run of play, when back-rower Aaron Wainwright pounced on a loose ball next to the ruck and scampered 30m to score under the posts.
Their second try came after from a scrum win against the feed, with Ross Moriarty barging over to score from close range.
That might have got them past a French side with 14 men for 31 minutes – frankly many would have expected Wales to really turn it on after Vahaamahina received his red card.
But the remaining heavyweights New Zealand, England and South Africa will certainly not be worried by what the Welsh dished up in attack tonight.
Wales will need to improve dramatically if they are to mount a serious challenge in this World Cup.
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
There is certainly great inconsistency in the way the game is refereed - sometimes they take an age looking at replays, sometimes less, sometimes none - and that is incredibly frustrating for fans. But there is also great inconsistency among us fans about what we want from the ref. At the weekend Barnes backed himself to make a number of key decisions without looking at the replay, and many people were applauding him for it, even though he arguably got some wrong. But in the WB-Wales game, many people here were absolutely furious that Poite didn't look at the replay at all for the Davies intercept try - even though it was clear he was onside and the ref had made the right call. Peyper took the middle ground - he made his call then had a look at the replay but decided not to spend ages looking at all angles. Again many people are unhappy with that. They can't win. Yes use of the TMO is inconsistent, but as a group we are just as bad - the only consistent thing is "I expect the ref to use TMO as little as possible to come to the decision that favours my team"
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
What were the other critical calls that went against the French? All the ones I noticed were the other way. I understand what you mean about the strip decision - at the time I thought it was forwards (just) and I was expecting Peyper to overturn it, so I understand the French would have felt aggrieved. But let's remember that just before that the Welsh were battering away at the French line, about 2 metres out - most likely outcome a Welsh win - when the ref incorrectly awarded a French scrum after Lewis dropped the ball backwards. That one doesn't go to review because it's not a try, but it's just as critical a decision. (The Welsh demolished the subsequent French scrum, leading to the turnover, so I like to think that of the try hadn't been given they would have just done the sane thing again. )
Malotru
Roar Rookie
Perhaps GR, but it seemed to me that all the critical calls went against France. Particularly the strip in the last couple of minutes. Scrum to France, most likely outcome a French win, rather important decision perhaps deserving of a little more consideration?
Germán
Roar Rookie
Each passing minute of this game made me get angrier at the Pumas performance.
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
You make some good points. I just worry that it would give the pretty boys the wrong message - they might think that dotting it down in down in the corner is somehow just as valuable as the big men putting in some actual hard graft in Fat Man Alley to score a proper try under the posts
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
He did have a poor game generally, but if he was biased in favour of the Welsh he was being very clever about hiding it by giving a number of incorrect calls against them.
Kane
Roar Guru
When do they ever tour? Other than 3 weeks in June? Our Super Rugby Teams are used to living away from home for a month, they go to Argentina and SA sometimes stop in Australia on the way back. The SA teams are certainly used to touring. Look at the Six Nations, the longest flight is 3 hours. They're often home the next day. I guess the same thing happens in the Premiership, Pro14 (now have SA teams), and Heinekin Cup. Living out of hotels for weeks on end isn't easy.
Puff
Guest
When the French bring their A game they certainly look the goods and in control of their destiny. Sebastiens, callous disagreeable behavior in front of the worlds media was undisciplined stupidity. The issue I struggle with; the French were on a winner with Wales looking towards the heavens of inspiration. Wales never found a way to win; the French discovered a way to lose. In my opinion the French would have been a worthy adversary for SA unfortunately that’s not how I see Wales.
Lara
Guest
At least Gatland was honest. This Welsh performance has been brewing for sometime. The lack of imagination must be a worry for Gatland. After so much time at the helm , Gatland’s reputation as a good coach is wearing thin. Is the 6Ns overhyped. Wales n Ireland are past n current 6N champions, yet they don’t perform at RWC time. Maybe the format at RWC doesn’t suit or is it the home ground advantage in 6N that gets them across the line.
SandBox
Roar Guru
Was wondering why they didn’t go for a field goal also. Then again, we are talking about the French
soapit
Roar Guru
Give them 30 secs to pack or free kick against whoever isn't ready
soapit
Roar Guru
Patchell has to get a run if they want to create anything
Freddo
Roar Rookie
https://laws.worldrugby.org/?law=11 rule 11, paragraph 6 rule 11, para 5b does not apply, as the ball went from the Welsh halfback’s hand, not the French rule 11, para 7 might also have applied – if the forward was considered an intentional movement from the welsh rip. If so, should be a disallowed try and a penalty to France I think that ref did not do a good job
Freddo
Roar Rookie
Gatland said the better team lost the late Welsh try shouldnt have been allowed French goalkicks were too casual, to many casual misses, hit the post - they will learn for 2023 i do like the way they kick for territory - they werent perfect on the night, but so much better than the Wobblies i do like the way France plays overall. good luck Wales versus a pretty together Boks with Marx & Faf & others in form
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
They all know it, but it’s rarely part of the calculation when teams are trying to score a try. I.e. get the try however you can, worry about the kick after. Some of the luckiest tries or least impressive in the sense of teamwork are more likely to lead to a try under the post - eg intercepts, badly missed tackles by the defence. There’s no real logic to make tries nearer the posts worth more on average - its just one of those things that rugby has never thought about changing out of habit , eg like allowing three point penalty kicks for technical penalties in scrums from 40-50 metres out, which is really dumb, though many rugby diehards will disagree. I’d say American football figured this out over 100 years ago when they made it 6 points for a touchdown and one for the “conversion” and having the conversion from in front of goal.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Ntamack looks really very good. France did lose the plot without him. When they lost him, they seemed to go into damage control... it really affected their play, but watching him, he really did look good. The Card was warranted. Stupid play. I read somewhere, that if the strip goes forward, it isn't a knock on? Can someone confirm that? I can't think that is right? Wales look bereft of ideas in attack. They have for a long time I think... Against Australia last year, they won a horribly sad game with little enterprising attack. Again, this year against Aus, it wasn't a heap better. They need to look at the 10/12 channel I think. I can't see them troubling the Saffas.
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
I'm not buying this "Wales got all the calls" nonsense. The non-existent knock on call against Liam Williams on the Welsh 22, the blatant French crossing that was missed, the really weird penalty when he called Welsh advantage then changed his mind...
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
You make it sound like kicking is a roll of the dice. It's part of the game, everyone knows a try under the posts is worth more than one in the corner.
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
You really thought the ref was favoring the Welsh? There were s few occasions they got dudded, and I can't think of anything that went in their favour before the strip call for the try. (The red card doesn't count, that was pretty clear cut).
GibbonRib
Roar Rookie
That French red is about as clear as it gets, nobody can complain about that.