Moriarty: I feared red was the end for me
ROSS MORIARTY admits a World Cup red card would have been the end of hisWales career.
But after escaping with a yellow in the quarter-final against France, before popping up with the match-winning try, the back-row is relishing a showdown with South Africa.
Moriarty went from zero to hero last Sunday when he was sin-binned for a high tackle on Gael Fickou 90 seconds after coming on, and was lucky not to be dismissed.
The 25-year-old returned to the field and his 74th-minute effort helpedWales to a onepoint victory.
Now only the Springboks stand between the Dragons and a first final appearance.
“To come on and get the yellow card was disappointing,” said Moriarty. “I was thinking, ‘Please don’t be a red’.
“In my head it was a case of, ‘If he gives me a red card this is the end of me’. But I never intended to put the team at risk, it was just a mistimed tackle.
“To be able to put the ball down at the end was a very good feeling.” Moriarty is likely to start at No8 against
South Africa in Yokohama on
Sunday after
Josh Navidi, below, was ruled out of the rest of theWorld Cup with a hamstring injury.
Wales have won their past four meetings with the Springboks, but Rassie Erasmus’s side are a formidable beast boasting some of the game’s biggest forwards.
Moriarty, who was sent off in Argentina in June 2018 for a choke-hold on Pumas ace Nicolas Sanchez, cannot wait for the battle.
He said: “South Africa are renowned for being a physical team.They’ve got some very good backs, so we know what we’re going to have to do to keep them at bay.
“This is a game I look forward to. I know what their forwards thrive on – being physical – and that’s what I thrive on as well.
“Some players go hiding when it gets tough, but I get better in those situations.
“To be involved in a game like this is why I started playing.”
Wales centre Jonathan Davies will aim to prove his fitness today after missing out last Sunday
with a knee injury.