COOL KYLE’S SPARKS
WALES are on red alert today to avoid the red card nightmare that befell them the last time they faced France in aworld Cup knockout match.
Wales went down to defeat eight years ago in the semi-final in New Zealand after Sam Warburton’s dismissal and, with the clampdown on high tackling at Japan 2019, they are desperate to avoid a repeat. But the desire to stay low places them in a tricky position as they attempt to shut down midfield danger man Virimi Vakatawa.
“He’s a big boy and with those big boys you have to look to gang tackle them so they can’t get the offload away. If those boys do get offloads away and get in right behind you they are tough to stop,” saidwales centre Hadleigh Parkes.
“I guess we just have to be careful.we maybe have to go in a bit lower.that area of the game is certainly being scrutinised quite a lot at the moment.”
Fiji-bornvakatawa was outstanding in the key pool victory over Argentina. France
HISTORY repeated itself as ruthless England stormed into the semi-finals of the Rugbyworld Cup – with a helping hand from Australia. Twelve years after beating the Wallabies to reach the last four in France, England did so again to set up a semi-final with New Zealand.
Remarkably, just as on that day in Marseille, the catalyst for victory was an act of Aussie sledging that backfired.
In 2007 twowallaby forwards patted hooker Mark Regan on the head after an England scrum was penalised – prompting the immortal riposte: “Hang on babs.you’ve got another 75 minutes to go yet.”
Yesterday it was Kyle Sinckler getting the head-pat treatment, this time from Aussie hooker Tolu Latu, after conceding a free-kick with an early scrum shove.a dozen years on and the outcome was just the same. England got mad, then they got even.
There was a time not so long ago when Sinckler would have got riled, and certainly would have had something to say to Latu.
Instead, like Regan before him, he let his rugby do his talking – first with England’s crucial third try, then by winning a turnover on his own line to protect the victory.
“That’s something I’ve really tried to own… my discipline and just being cool in the moment,” said the Harlequins prop. “That comes with experience.”
Later Eddie Jones would dub Sinckler a “runaway rhino”. Team-mate Joe Marler preferred a “young runaway bull”. Either way Australia got the gist.
They had been swept away after their strong start, dominated by Sinckler and ‘Kamikaze Kids’ Tom Curry and Sam Underhill in the most emphatic fashion. Jonny May wing Yoann Huget said: “His game is something special.”
Wales have won seven out of their last eight games against the French but Parkes said: “Everyone knows what’s on the line.we either fly to Tokyo or we are flying back towales on Monday.”