| Time |
Score |
|
| |
|
Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of Wales v Uruguay!
Warren Gatland's men will be wanting to silence their new doubters who've erupted since the double injury blow to Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny, while they'll also be looking to build some valuable momentum going into vital fixtures with England and Australia.
The New Zealander clearly has set his eyes on next week's crunch match against England as he's named an understrength team by leaving out several star names today such as George North, Jamie Roberts and Gethin Jenkins.
Follow ESPN's reporter at the game, Tristan Barclay (@tjbbarclay), as he'll be covering things we can't see on the TV and more!
|
| 1 |
0 - 3 |
Wales start and it isn't long before Uruguay are awarded the first penalty kick of game. Berechesi to take, and he adds three more points to his international total of 104.
|
| 2 |
|
The first Wales lineout, and they erupt from the maul deep in their half before being awarded their first penalty kick of the afternoon.
|
| 4 |
|
Uruguay given another penalty as Wales fail to release the ball on the deck. 56 metres out and Uruguay's No.10 misses the uprights.
|
| 6 |
|
Wales scrum and the men in red emerge and make their first real dart towards the Uruguayan white line. However, it's not long before the Teros kick the ball back into Welsh territory. Wales struggling to make an imposing start on their underdogs.
|
| 7 |
|
Uruguay have started brightly and Wales have been known to be on the wrong end of World Cup upset before, and after yesterday's historic shock between Japan and South Africa, have we another upset on the cards?
|
| 8 |
0 - 6 |
Another Uruguayan kick which Felipe Berechesi slices between the two posts. 6 points to the South Americans and Wales need to wake up and smell the coffee here or they could have an uphill mountain to climb.
|
| 10 |
|
Uruguay are looking very organised and not rolling over despite what everyone predicted beforehand. We now have Uruguay scrum.
|
| 11 |
|
The Welsh forwards finally make a dive into Uruguayan territory to give themselves some breathing space and get their engine running. Gareth Davies offloads as Wales continue to search for that break through.
|
| 13 |
|
Rhys Priestland kicks the ball out and Wales have a lineout as deep in the Uruguayan half as they've been so far.
They boulder there way 10 or so yards further forward and the Welsh are now very close to crossing the white line,
|
| 14 |
5 - 6 |
TRY! Samson Lee, who hasn't played since March, bundles the ball over the line after Luke Charteris rises high to collect the ball. Uruguay aren't physically strong enough to keep the Wales pack out, and Lee guides it home.
|
| 15 |
7 - 6 |
Rhys Priestland converts and Wales finally take the lead, probably a little later than most people expected...
|
| 17 |
|
|
| 18 |
12 - 6 |
TRY! Wales finally take control on their home turf and a little chip from Priestland is collected by Corey Allen who slides past Rodrigo Silva and co to plant the ball under the two sticks.
|
| 19 |
14 - 6 |
Priestland converts and Wales are looking dominate now after their first hiccup or so during the first 10.
|
| 22 |
|
The Welsh line still isn't looking too solid against their minnow opponents.
Despite Uruguay not having scored a try, or even coming within touching distance, they're still putting up a genuine fight and Wales are spending as much time in their half as they are in their opponents.
|
| 23 |
14 - 9 |
A high tackle from Jake Ball gives away another penalty which Berechesi converts.
|
| 24 |
|
Priestland's kicks to the corner and Uruguay's No.9 navigates the first Welsh tackle before being brought down by red reinforcements. Wales not too far away from another try here.
|
| 25 |
|
A bit of restbite for the Teros as the threat of the a looming Welsh try have been nullified as they collect possession and kick up field.
|
| 26 |
|
Scott Williams knocks on and surrenders the Welsh chance to push further into the Uruguayan defence and the men in blue feed the scrum.
|
| 29 |
21 - 9 |
Wales feed the scrum but the Uruguayan's emerge victorious with the ball. However, they make no ground and are immediately brought back to the deck. Another Wales lineout now, too.
TRY! Second try for Corey Allen. No clever play or anything fancy. Easy pass from Scott Williams before Allen darted for the white line. Priestland converts, again.
|
| 31 |
|
The Welsh are making much more ground now with their surging forward runs as the Teros look less capable of keeping the men in red at bay like they showed they could in the first 10 minutes.
Luke Charteris' rampage and eventual thumping tackle dealt by the Uruguayan line makes even TV viewers flinch.
|
| 33 |
|
Wales given a penalty as Uruguay fail to bind the scrum and Priestland finds the corner again with his boot.
|
| 34 |
|
Wales are just five yards away from another try and Gatland's men are battering away at their Uruguayan opponents who are fading fast.
|
| 35 |
|
Liam Williams is forced off for Wales with a dead leg, and Matthew Morgan replaces him at full back.
|
| 36 |
|
The Uruguayan resistance really is failing to pieces as Tipuric darts towards the try line. The men in red keep going and surely it's just a matter of time before they run riot.
|
| 38 |
|
Baldwin darts for the try line, but the ref had blown his whistle for a Uruguay penalty.
|
| 39 |
|
There we have it. After an uneventful end to the first 40, the Welsh re-enter the dressing room in full control.
The first-half saw the Teros start the stronger side coming straight out the blocks, but the Welsh's know-how and just greater talent overawed their South American opponents towards the end and you can only really see one winner from here on. Bereschi has kicked a few nice penalties for Uruguay, but in terms of gaining a try,
|
| 40 |
|
TRY! Hat trick for Corey Allen. Tipuric offloads initially, taking the Uruguayan defender out the game before Allen guides home an easy try and Wales are in full control. Anyone have Allen in their Fantasy Team?
There we have it. After an uneventful end to the first 40, the Welsh re-enter the dressing room in full control.
The first-half saw the Teros start the stronger side coming straight out the blocks, but the Welsh's know-how and just greater talent overawed their South American opponents towards the end and you can only really see one winner from here on. Bereschi has kicked a few nice penalties for Uruguay, but in terms of gaining a try, they have even come close.
|
| 40+1 |
26 - 9 |
Allen - try
|
| 40+2 |
28 - 9 |
Priestland - conversion
|
| 40+3 |
|
Tristan Barclay (@tjbbarclay), ESPN's man on the ground at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, had this to say:
"Wales are where they should be, in front, but it would be hard to say they've cruised through the opening half against minnows Uruguay. Perhaps inspired by the heroics of Japan against South Africa on Saturday, the South Americans took the lead through a couple of Felipe Berchesi penalties. That had more than a few Welsh fans sucking their teeth, but order was restored soon after thanks to a Samson Lee try. From there, Wales have put over a further three, with more sure to come as the Uruguayans tire.
The real worry, however, is fullback Liam Williams, who was taken off shortly after the half-hour mark with what looked like a dead-leg. He was replaced by Matt Morgan, and Wales could be down to their third-choice fullback for the crucial clash with England next weekend."
|
| |
|
Wales have been in full control with the ball in hand - 8-3 up on offloads and 5-0 up on clean breaks. They taken 58% possession, too. Can Gatland's men carry this success on in the first half? You'd expect so, especially as Uruguay tire, which seemed to begin already towards the end of that first 40 minutes.
|
| 40 |
|
Both teams are back out and we're under way again.
|
| 41 |
|
Priestland tries his little chip towards the goal posts, which paid dividends in the form of an eventual try during the first half, but Uruguay pick the ball up.
|
| 42 |
|
Tipuric offloads but it's a bad pass as Warburton can't make it. The ball fumbles on the deck momentarily before the referee eventually awards a Uruguayan penalty, which is kicked off for a lineout.
|
| 43 |
|
Scrum now at half-way which is fed by Wales. Gatland's men emerge victorious but the referee blows up for a Wales penalty. Priestland aims for corner yet again but this time it's caught by Uruguay's Rodrigo Silva.
|
| 45 |
|
Priestland's electric forward run is cut short as the ball's knocked from his grasp by Hallam Amos.
Subs incoming for Wales.
|
| 47 |
|
TRY! ...OR NOT?! The TMO proves Tipuric dropped the ball as he dives over the line, just after escaping the maul deep which was based deep in the Uruguayan area.
|
| 49 |
33 - 9 |
TRY! Wales make no mistake of it this time as Hallam Amos drives and then dives home.
He deserves that try after his important involvement in their others. This should give him a lot of confidence.
|
| 50 |
35 - 9 |
|
| 52 |
|
Uruguay make their first movement of the half as their strong running pushes the Welsh line back towards their own line. They'll be looking to build on this and create some momentum as they finally escaping the depths of their area.
However, penalty is given to Wales and it's not long before Gatland's men power back to half way.
|
| 53 |
|
Uruguay's No.7 Matias Beer greets the ball and impressively pushes six or seven yards through of bombardment of Welsh tackles. Uruguay aren't completely rolling over here,
|
| 54 |
|
This is bad news for Wales. As if they didn't have enough injury worries, Allen has come off limping and is replaced by Lloyd Williams.
|
| 56 |
|
Morgan and Amos combine for Wales, a quick pass and a boot up field advances the Wales line by 20 yards. Uruguay in danger of conceding another try and have to rely on a big kick for five seconds of rest before Cuthbert navigates through tackles and guides his side firmly back into opposition area.
|
| 58 |
40 - 9 |
Another Wales lineout, they've won 20 so far.
|
| 59 |
|
TRY! Gareth Davies, in his first Test start for Wales, secures his first try, too. He gathered the ball from the resulting lineout maul and snuck round to cross the line. Another confidence booster for Wales, and this'll no doubt bolster the scrum halfs claims to make it his position for good.
|
| 61 |
|
|
| 62 |
|
Scott Williams breaks the opposition line, passes out side to Cuthbert, but he can't control the ball.
Uruguay gain another scrum in their own half.
|
| 63 |
|
Some poor Uruguayan handling very nearly leads to another Wales try.
The Teros fumbled the ball well into the Wales half and Gareth Davies receives, sidestep pasts an incoming wasit-high tackle before sprinting 20 yards and offloading to Lloyd Williams for the try.
However, the initial pass to Davies from Amos was seen as forward and it was disallowed.
|
| 65 |
|
Uruguay are awarded a lineout at the half way, which they botch, and Wales easily take possession.
|
| 67 |
|
The Mexican wave has appeared in the stands...
|
| 68 |
|
Some stop-and-start rugby from both sides as Wales look for yet another try. However, Uruguay's No.7 makes an impressive quick sprint relieving the pressure on his side but his lack of pace catches up as Wales take him down along the right flank. Great individual effort.
|
| 70 |
45 - 9 |
Wales finally make that breakthrough - again - as Wales' star of the warm ups Justin Tipuric claims his first of the World Cup as the Welsh forward pack overawe the Uruguayan line.
A lineout and rolling maul enables the Ospreys Flanker to ground the ball - will points make a difference in this year's pool of death?
|
| 71 |
47 - 9 |
Priestland - conversion
|
| 72 |
|
|
| 74 |
|
Scrum on the half way, fed by Uruguay. The control possession for a matter of moments before being pushed back and once again loosing the ball to Wales.
|
| 77 |
|
Wales dictating the play but failing to really make it count after a series of scrum on the half way.
Gatland's men are clearly in full control and while they have absentees and injuries, they should've probably made more of it here.
|
| 78 |
|
TRY! Another lineout, another rolling maul and another drive towards the Uruguayan back line.
In similar style to Tipuric's try, Davies scores his second after erupting from a procession of bodies with the ball. A solid and necessary performance from the scrum half. Wales have crossed the half century mark.
|
| 79 |
52 - 9 |
Davies - try
|
| 80 |
|
|
| 80+1 |
54 - 9 |
IT'S OVER!
A comfortable win for Wales but they now have more wounded to add to their already extensive injury list.
After a shaky start for Gatland's men, it took a brief spell for them to gain their footing. But, as soon as the first try went over courtesy of Samson Lee, it was plain sailing from then on. But, despite their dominance, the game just lacked something about it from Wales. Should they have made more of it?
They have even more injury concerns than before and it isn't looking all too pleasant for Wales despite their victory here today.
|
| 80+2 |
|
ESPN's Tristan Barclay (@tjbbarclay) who's at the Millennium has a word on the game:
"Wales avoided going the way of South Africa by comfortably seeing off the minnows, but the mostly-amateur Uruguay came to the Millennium Stadium far better organised than most Welsh fans could have expected. True, they failed to score in the second half, but they kept the energy levels up to prevent a complete rout at the hands of the professionals. The real worry for Wales will be the sight of Liam Williams, Corey Allen, Paul James, Samson Lee, and Dan Lydiate all taken off with what appeared to be varying levels of discomfort. Lee could well have been precautionary, but the likes of Allen and Lydiate did not look in such great shape. After the nightmare of losing Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb in the warm-up against Italy, Warren Gatland will be praying his remaining men can shake off any knocks from today's clash."
|
| 80+3 |
|
Read ESPN's match report here:
http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/match?gameId=181974&league=164205
|
