Shane Williams helps Wales hand over 17 – 10 defeat: 2011 Rugby World Cup updates
Wales national Rugby Union team has earned a hard-fought 17 – 10 victory over Samoa during their 2011 Rugby World Cup’s (RWC) Pool D encounter. This was Wales’ first victory in this year’s tournament, as they follow up after their impressive opening RWC performance against the defending champions, South Africa, with a well executed win over the pacific islanders.
Wales and Samoa went head-to-head at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton on Sunday, September 18. Samoa was all set to repeat history and complete a hat-trick of beating Wales and stripping them of a second round place in the Rugby World Cup. This was before Shane Williams scored his try to help his team keep their second round hopes alive.
Wales and Samoa are World Cup rivals in the true sense, with their historic rivalry going back to the 1991 RWC. Samoa has twice shattered Wales RWC campaigns as they have denied the European squad from reaching the second round of the global tournament in 1991 and 1999.
Both teams started the match strongly and the squads pressed forward for early ball possession. However, Wales were successful in getting a hold of the pill early and started to gain territory.
Wales won their first penalty of the game during the 11th minute after Samoan flanker, Maurie Fa'asavalu, hit a high tackle on Wales’ fullback James Hook. Hook took the penalty and successfully placed the ball between the posts to put their first points on the scoreboard.
Wales continue to retain ball possession and the Samoan’s ball handling errors aided them in their pursuit of points. However, Wales’ crossing over error earned the Samoan’s their first penalty of the game, on which their fullback Paul Williams successfully capitalised to draw the score at 3 – all in the 19th minute of the game.
Even after scoring, the Samoan players found it very hard to control the proceedings of the game as Wales continue to dominate. Wales again took the lead in the game courtesy of their fullback Hook’s impressive 26th minute penalty.
In the remaining passage of the first-half, both teams enjoyed ball and territory possessions for brief moments. This back and forth was lively but did not reflect any points on the board. During the first minute of extra time of the first-half, Samoan prop Anthony Perenise scored the first try of the match to take the scorecard reading 8 – 6. Williams followed with a conversion to leave Wales trailing by four points at the end of the first-half.
With bad memories of past World Cups popping up in the fans minds, Wales started the second half strongly and with a sense of urgency. Their fly half Rhys Priestland took charge in the 42nd minute and claimed a successful penalty to reduce their deficit to just a point. His 65th minute penalty put the Wales in lead as the scorecard read 12 – 10, favouring Wales.
Five minute later, Wales left winger Shane Williams scored Wales first try of the game, which took the scorecard reading 17 – 10. In the last quarter of the game, Wales put forth an exceptional display of rugby skills as they hold back the Samoan onslaught from scoring to register their first win of the tournament.
Samoan earned a losing bonus point, which helped them to retain their second position in Pool D.
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