Wales 17-13 Samoa
58,907 turned out to watch Wales beat Samoa at the Millennium Stadium
Also In The News
|
The FTSE 100 managed to stay out of the red to end Thursday at 5,276. |  |
Friday, 13, Nov 2009 08:29
By Tom Powell.
Wales were unconvincing as they picked up a narrow 17-13 win against a well-drilled Samoa outfit.
The hosts were comfortable until a Samoan try midway through the second half set pulses racing but Warren Gatland's men held on to win.
Kitted out in an unfamiliar yellow strip the Welsh attack lack fluidity and ruthlessness as they failed to breakdown a stubborn Samoa defence.
In response the visitors were organised and ferocious in defence but rarely looked like scoring other than from Fa'atonu Fili's boot or a Welsh error.
The home side were comfortable but unconvincing in the first half with just Leigh Halfpenny's try to show from 40 minutes of dominance.
Two Dan Biggar penalties were cancelled out by two from Fili to make it 11-6 at the break.
Seilala Mapusua's interception try gave Samoa hope but it was never enough and the hosts hung on.
Wales were first on the scoreboard with Biggar slotting a straightforward penalty after full-back Lolo Lui was penalised for using his hands at the ruck.
The penalty followed a flowing Welsh move that saw Sam Warburton felled metres short of the Samoan line.
The visitors were back on level terms seconds later with Fa'atonu Fili levelling through a three-pointer of his own.
In did not take long for the Welsh to cross for the evening's first score. Halfpenny latching onto a Biggar cross-kick and touching down in the corner.
Biggar stretched the lead to 11-3 when Ofisa Treviranis held on under pressure ten metres from his own line as Wales took complete control of proceedings.
The visitors were offering little in attack but making their presence known in defence. Gethin Jenkins in particular feeling the full force of a Henry Tuilagi tackle midway through the first half.
In a matter of moments the Welsh twice scithed through the Samoan backline only to twice throw possession away. Warburton the first culprit and Halfpenny the second.
Fili could have cut the deficit to five following a rare Samoan attack.
Andy Powell penalised for entering a ruck at the side and giving the fly-half the opportunity to kick from 40 metres out but his attempt was off target.
He made amends from closer in moments later, this time Huw Bennett the player adjudged to have been interfering at the breakdown.
Into the second half and Wales were again quick out of the blocks. Halfpenny landing a penalty from halfway as Samoa were penalised at the breakdown.
The visitors came within touching distance of the Welsh whitewash for the first time in the match but a scrambling Ryan Jones averted the danger.
After a brief forray into the Welsh half the visitors were back defending moments later and Tom Shanklin felt the full force of Pacific Islanders, he was replaced by Jonathan Davies after picking up a knock.
The lead was stretched to 17-6 on 50 minutes as Henry Tuilagi went over the top of a ruck, the number eight was given a ten minute rest in the sin bin for his crime.
Biggar slotted his third penalty of the night and further staked his claim for a permanent place at fly-half.
That lead should have been further stretched from the kick off but for another handling error from Hook.
Jamie Roberts released the full-back up the left wing but he knocked on instead of feeding Tom James for a simple run in.
The visitors were thrown a lifeline with 20 minutes to play.
Biggar's long pass was plucked out of the air by London Irish centre Mapusua who juggled the ball but recovered and ran in from his own 22. Fili's conversion made it 17-13.
From nowhere Samoa were in with a shout with eight minutes to go and should have reduced the deficit to a p0oint. Gavin Williams' kick off target letting the hosts off the hook.
The last five minutes were nervy for Wales as they held out a rejuvenated Samoa fifteen who sensed a shock was on the cards.
But it wasn't to be as Wales held on to a narrow victory.