Post-match: Welsh captain Sam Warburton is
delighted at his side's first semi-final berth since the '87 Cup.
The side walk around the stadium and thank their supporters as Tom
Jones' Delilah rings around the ground.
Irish captain and RWC legend Brian O'Driscoll exits the World Cup
stage at 32-years of age. "We got outplayed in the second half.
Very disappointed to be going home," he said.
80min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - Wales celebrate!
They're the first team into the semi-finals as Ireland miss out
progressing to their first-ever RWC semi.
76min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - Ireland have emptied
their bench as they throw everything they have at it. They look
lost for ideas, throwing the ball around but getting not far. Wales
secure the penalty after holding out and that's nearly that.
72min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - Joubert says Ireland
coming into the ruck off their feet and that's a penalty.
Priestland kicks and would you believe it, off the post
again!
70min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - Skies opening up.
D'Arcy pops the ball to Phillips who would have been through but
loses control.
68min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - Chant goes up as
Ireland enter the Welsh' 22 and attack. Ball flicked brilliantly
from O'Brien to O'Driscoll, but of all people he loses the ball
within sight of the line.
64min: Ireland 10 Wales 22 - TRY! Priestland goes
across field and finds Jonathan Davies who just ghosts past Healey!
Too easy and that could be game over with the conversion.
61min: Ireland 10 Wales 15 - Ireland being forced
into some aimless kicking. Welsh defence too good. Mistakes coming
into their game as Earls returns the kick but looses the
pill.
57min: Ireland 10 Wales 15 - Wales put the
pressure on Ireland in the scrum, Joubert resets a few times but
spots an Irish hand on the ground. Priestland kicks for three. and
it's off the upright! Loose and the Irish force in-goal.
54min: Ireland 10 Wales 15 - Horrible pass sends
Best racing back to clean up in his own 22 and the clearing kick
puts them under more pressure.
51min: Ireland 10 Wales 15 - TRY! Mike Phillips
has done the damage in the corner. TMO earning his money as it goes
upstairs again, but no problem. Spots the space down the blindside
off the ruck and scores. Halfpenny can't convert.
48min: Ireland 10 Wales 10 - Halfpenny's been
brilliant today for Wales, goes for a dart and makes the metres.
Few players staggering around now including Ireland's Bowe.
45min: Ireland 10 Wales 10 - TRY! Ireland 5m out
and they're hot on attack. Advantage Ireland. Bowe puts Earls into
space with the classic bounce pass. Earls slides in but touch and
go with his boot and the sideline. TMO says yes!
42min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - It's bomb's away, as
the wind swirling around the Wellington Regional Stadium.
40min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - Ireland have the ball,
final attack, and Bowe and O'Driscoll once more look dangerous. No
joy for them yet as the Welsh hold firm. Ref blows for a scrum but
no time and it's oranges.
38min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - Priestland puts Wales
on the attack, but Jones is penalised for hanging on. Ireland
clear.
35min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - Plenty of kicking back
and forth in the last few minutes. Welsh defence and line speed has
been excellent. O'Gara kicks for the corner again but it's gone
touch-in-goal.
31min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - Bowe, Carney and
Kearney combine and set the Irish backline alight. Very promising
from the Irish, before the ball is kicked out and Wales have it
back.
27min: Ireland 3 Wales 10 - Ireland! Ireland!
Chant is ringing around the stadium, fantastic support as they've
had all tournament so far. Ireland penalised on the halfway
mark and Halfpenny has a go and over!
23min: Ireland 3 Wales 7 - O'Gara has another go
for the corner and gets this one right, Welsh lineout. Phillips
goes busting through. Then turned over and O'Driscoll breaks and
feeds to Carney! Brilliant, just stopped and penalty. Ireland
taking the points right in front this time.
20min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - O'Gara tries to put the
kick into the Welsh corner but overcooks it and it'll be a scrum
back on the halfway for Wales.
17min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - Ireland have blown it,
knock-on and another chance goes begging.
16min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - O'Brien is held
up!
15min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - Possession swings both
ways, as Ireland get their hands back on the ball and Darcy busts
through and goes dancing through with the step and makes good
metres. Irish penalty and they've decided to kick it to the corner
again.
10min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - Ireland spend several
minutes on the attack, metres from the line, but can't bust through
and they'll be regretting the decision to pass over the penalty
kick now, as the Welsh defence holds and they turn the ball over
and clear.
7min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - More penalties for
Ireland, they have the confidence, choosing to kick the ball out
when the three points was on offer.
6min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - Wales infringe, giving
Ireland the chance to get out of their own half. It's been kept in
the forwards which looks to be a brutal battle already.
Penalty.
2min: Ireland 0 Wales 7 - Wales having the
early possession, Ireland squandering their chance. Wales busting
it up with the forwards.
TRY! And as I write that, Wales spread the ball
out wide where the little Shane Williams dots down in the corner.
Craig Joubert checks with the TMO who says no problem.
Pre-match: Too hard to pick this match, but the
Welsh have had the wood over the Irish recently. Both teams had an
excellent run through their respective Pools, with Wales narrowly
missing out on a historic upset over the Boks in their opening
group encounter.
It's windy, both teams out on the field now and going through
their respective national anthems. Ireland performing the Call of
Ireland.
Conditions in Wellington, well it's blustery and the rain is coming
and going, so very northern hemisphere-like conditions for these
two teams.|
Ireland and Wales will get RWC 2011's quarter-final action underway
tonight, so stay with tvnz.co.nz as we keep you -up-to-date
with all the game's action.
Ireland: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Brian
O'Driscoll (captain), 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Keith Earls, 10-Ronan
O'Gara, 9-Conor Murray, 8-Jamie Heaslip, 7-Sean O'Brien, 6-Stephen
Ferris, 5-Paul O'Connell, 4-Donncha O'Callaghan, 3-Mike Ross,
2-Rory Best, 1-Cian Healy.
Reserves: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Tom Court, 18-Donnacha Ryan, 19-Denis
Leamy, 20-Eoin Reddan, 21-Jonathan Sexton, 22-Andrew Trimble.
Wales: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-George North,
13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Shane Williams, 10-Rhys
Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips, 8-Toby Faletau, 7-Sam Warburton
(captain), 6-Dan Lydiate, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 4-Luke Charteris,
3-Adam Jones, 2-Huw Bennett, 1-Gethin Jenkins.
Reserves: 16-Lloyd Burns, 17-Paul James, 18-Bradley Davies, 19-Ryan
Jones, 20-Lloyd Williams, 21-James Hook, 22-Scott Williams.
