Wales V South Africa

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Barren Years (1981–2003)

Wales won two matches in each Five Nations championship between 1980 and 1986, and in 1983 were nearly upset by Japan; winning 29–24 at Cardiff. In 1984, Australia defeated Wales 28–9 at Cardiff Arms Park. This was the most points scored against Wales at Cardiff by a team from outside the Five Nations, and the first time they conceded a push-over try there; Australia went on to win their first Grand Slam.

Despite just one win that year's Five Nations, Wales were still respected by the time of the first official Rugby World Cup in 1987. After defeating England in the quarter-finals, Wales faced hosts the All Blacks. Although the All Blacks won 49–6, Wales managed to beat Australia in the third place play-off game to claim third. The next year Wales won the Triple Crown for the first time since 1979, but heavy defeats on tour to New Zealand later that year saw the end of a number of Welsh players' careers, as many converted to rugby league.

In 1990, Wales suffered their first Five Nations championship whitewash and, in 1991 narrowly avoided the same fate by earning one point for a draw with Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park. In the 1991 World Cup, Wales lost their first group phase game against Manu Samoa. They subsequently beat Argentina's Pumas but lost heavily to eventual champions Australia and were thus knocked out before reaching the quarter-finals After winning two Five Nations games in 1992, and one in 1993, Wales won the Championship in 1994. After again not qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals in 1995, Kevin Bowring became Wales' first professional coach when he replaced Alex Evans that year.

Wales' performances improved with the appointment of coach Graham Henry in 1998, and the return of several internationals from rugby league. Henry coached Wales to a record run of ten consecutive victories, including Wales' first ever victory over the then-world champions, South Africa, by 29–19 in the opening match of the Millennium Stadium, and was nicknamed "the great redeemer" by the Welsh media .Hosting the 1999 World Cup, Wales qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time since 1987, but lost 9–24 to eventual champions Australia. Defeats to Argentina and Ireland in 2001 and 2002 led to Henry's resignation in February 2002; his assistant Steve Hansen took over. Further defeats led to perhaps Wales' biggest ever shake-up in 2003. At the 2003 World Cup, Wales scored four tries in their 53–37 loss to New Zealand and also lost (28–17) to the eventual tournament winners, England, in their quarter-final.

Buy and sell wales v south africa tickets from yourticketmarket.com.This is one of the best side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy Autumn Rugby Tickets through this side.This side is best,reliable ,secure side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy now autumn rugby tickets because people wait through out the year for the autumn rugby tickets and they buy tickets rapidly.yourticketmarket is a side which sell the tickets of all sports events like cricket,basketball,hockey,tennis,rugby etc.Concert,festivals,events,theatre tickets are also available on this side.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

2nd golden age

In the 1972 Five Nations Championship, Wales and Scotland refused to travel to Dublin at the height of the Troubles after receiving threats, purportedly from the IRA. The Championship remained unresolved with Wales and Ireland unbeaten. Although the Five Nations was a five way tie in 1973, the Welsh did defeat Australia 24–0 in Cardiff.

Wales next won the Five Nations outright in 1975, after sharing it with the four other countries in 1973. In 1976, Wales won their second Grand slam of the decade. Just like the first in 1971, they only used 16 players over their four matches. They repeated the feat in 1978 and, in the process, became the first team to win three consecutive Triple Crowns. Following their final Five Nations match of 1978, both Phil Bennett and Gareth Edwards retired from rugby. Later that year, Wales played the All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park, losing 13–12 after a late penalty goal by the replacement All Black fullback, Brian McKechnie. The penalty was controversial because All Black ‹See Tfd›lock Andy Haden had dived out of a line-out in an attempt to earn a penalty. Haden admitted in November 1989—on the eve of that year's Wales match against New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park—that he and Frank Oliver had pre-agreed this foul tactic should the All Blacks find themselves in difficulties. Although the incident looks obvious from the videotape (and referee Roger Quittenton was roasted by the press for failing to notice it), at the time the only journalist to comment was Clem Thomas. Visibility was not ideal but Quittenton later claimed (with mixed success) that he had actually given the penalty against Welsh lock Geoff Wheel for jumping off the shoulder of Frank Oliver. Whom one believes tends to reflect whom one supports though Welsh fans claim a moral victory that day. Haden later admitted that he was both surprised and delighted that his ploy worked.The All Blacks went on to secure their first Home Nations Grand Slam.

Wales won the 1979 Five Nations with a Triple Crown and, in 1980, celebrated the WRU's centenary year by facing the All Blacks in Cardiff.Wales lost the match by 23–3 after the All Blacks scored four tries to nil.

Second 'golden age' (1969–1980)

During this era, the Welsh team, especially that of 1969-79, were and still are considered to be one of the greatest rugby teams of all time. With world-class players such as Gareth Edwards, J.P.R. Williams, Gerald Davies, Barry John, and Mervyn Davies, Wales would, over the next decade, dominate Northern Hemisphere rugby, and attain an incredible winning record, losing only five times in the Five Nations Championship. When Wales defeated England in the 1969 Five Nations to win the Triple Crown and the championship, it ushered in the second 'golden age'. Wales toured New Zealand for the first time that year, but were defeated in both Tests. As well as losing the first Test 19–0, and the second 33–12, they also conceded 24 points to the All Blacks' ‹See Tfd›fullback Fergie McCormick in the second Test; a record at the time.
In 1970, Wales shared the Five Nations with France, and recorded a 6–6 draw against South Africa in Cardiff. in 1971, Wales recorded their first Five Nations Grand Slam since 1952. Using only 16 players in four games, the 1971 side is considered one of the greatest in Welsh rugby history. Their most notable victory of the tournament was their victory over Scotland. After a last minute try by Gerald Davies to reduce Scotland's lead to 18–17, ‹See Tfd›flanker John Taylor kicked a conversion from the sideline described as "the greatest conversion since St Paul" to give Wales a 19–18 win. Wales contributed more players than any other team to the British and Irish Lions that toured New Zealand that year. Those Lions became the first and only to win a series over the All Blacks
Buy and sell wales v south africa tickets from yourticketmarket.com.This is one of the best side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy Autumn Rugby Tickets through this side.This side is best,reliable ,secure side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy now autumn rugby tickets because people wait through out the year for the autumn rugby tickets and they buy tickets rapidly.yourticketmarket is a side which sell the tickets of all sports events like cricket,basketball,hockey,tennis,rugby etc.Concert,festivals,events,theatre tickets are also available on this side.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Post-war years (1920–1968)

The post-First World War years marked a decline in Welsh rugby. The worst period was during the 1920s when the team's lacklustre performance seemed to mirror the industrial recession, which hit South Wales particularly hard. Of the 42 matches played, only 17 were won and three drawn. The depression resulted in around half-a-million people leaving Wales to find work elsewhere, , including many Welsh rugby union internationals who moved to rugby league. Between 1923 and 1928, Wales managed only seven victories — five of them against France. However, even France managed to defeat Wales that decade; achieving their first victory over Wales in 1928. Welsh selection policy reflected the upheavals of the mid-1920s. In 1924, 35 different players were selected for Wales' four matches, with a different captain for each; and only Edward Watkins in the backs and Charlie Pugh in the forwards, playing in all four matches.

A resurgence of both economy and rugby union followed in the 1930s and, in 1931, Wales won their first championship for nine years. That year, for the first time since the First World War, Wales retained the same side for two consecutive Tests when they faced England and Scotland. Then, in 1933, captained by Watcyn Thomas, Wales defeated England at Twickenham for the first time. In 1935, Wales beat the touring All Blacks by 13–12, with Haydn Tanner making his first appearance. Although the Five Nations Championship was suspended during the Second World War. Wales did play a Red Cross charity match against England at Cardiff in 1940, which Wales lost 18–9

Following the Second World War, Wales played a New Zealand Army team (the Kiwis) in 1946, which Wales lost 11–3. The Five Nations (suspended during the war) resumed in 1947 when Wales shared the title with England. Although Wales suffered their first home defeat to France in 1948, they won their first Five Nations Grand Slam since 1911 in 1950. The next year, they lost to the touring South Africans 6–3 despite dominating in the line-outs. They achieved another Grand Slam in 1952, followed by a 13–8 win over the All Blacks in 1953. In 1954, St Helens in Swansea (a Welsh international venue since 1882) hosted its last international and Cardiff Arms Park officially became the home of the Welsh team. In 1956, Wales again won the Five Nations, but they would not regain the title until 1964 and would not win it outright until 1965.

Wales conducted their first overseas tour in 1964, playing several games and one Test in South Africa^]They lost the Test against South Africa in Durban 24–3, their biggest defeat in 40 years.^[ At the WRU annual general meeting that year, the outgoing WRU President D. Ewart Davies declared that "it was evident from the experience of the South African Tour that a much more positive attitude to the game was required in Wales... Players must be prepared to learn, and indeed re-learn, to the absolute point of mastery, the basic principles of Rugby Union football." This started the coaching revolution. The WRU Coaching Committee—set up in the late 1950s—was given the task of improving the quality of coaching and, in January 1967, Ray Williams was appointed Coaching Organiser. The first national coach, David Nash, was appointed in 1967 to coach Wales for the season, but resigned when the WRU refused to allow him to accompany Wales on their 1968 tour of Argentina. Eventually, the WRU reversed their decision, appointing Clive Rowlands to tour as coach. Of the six matches, Wales won three, drew two and lost one.

History

Rugby union took root in Wales in 1850, when Reverend Rowland Williams became Vice-Principal at St David's College, Lampeter, where he introduced the sport. The first Welsh club, Neath was formed in 1871. On 19 February 1881, Wales played their first international, organised by Newport's Richard Mullock, in a game against England; England won by seven goals, one drop goal and six tries to nil.
Early years (1850–1919)
On 12 March 1881, the Welsh Rugby Union was formed at The Castle Hotel, Neath. Two years later, the Home Nation Championship was first played and Wales did not register a win.
However, rugby union in Wales quickly developed and, by the 1890s, the Welsh had developed the four three-quarters formation. This formation—with seven backs and eight forwards, instead of six backs and nine forwards—revolutionised the sport and was eventually adopted almost universally at international and club level. With the "four three-quarter" formation Wales became Home International Champions for the first time in 1893; in the process winning the Triple Crown. Wales next won the Championship in 1900, heralding the first 'golden age' of Welsh rugby which was to last until 1911. They won two more Triple Crowns in 1902 and 1905, and \

A line-out in the Wales victory over New Zealand's Original All Blacks in 1905.
In late 1905, Wales played their first Test against opposition from outside the Home Nations when they faced New Zealand's All Blacks at Cardiff Arms Park. New Zealand, later known as the Original All Blacks, were undefeated on their tour of the British Isles, already defeating England, Ireland and Scotland in three Tests before facing Wales. Before the match, the All Blacks' performed the haka (a Maori posture dance); the 47,000-strong crowd responded with the Welsh national anthem—Hen Wlad fy Nhadau ("Land of Our Fathers")—the first time a national anthem had been sung before a sporting fixture. Wales' ‹See Tfd›winger Teddy Morgan scored first to give Wales a 3–0 lead, but later in the match All Black Bob Deans claimed to have scored a try, only to be dragged behind the line before the referee could arrive. The referee ruled a scrum to Wales and the score did not change; Wales winning 3–0. The loss was the All Blacks' only loss on their 35-match tour.
In 1906, Wales again won the Home Championship,[ , later that year playing the South African national side, the Springboks for the first time. Wales were expected to defeat the South Africans but instead South Africa dominated in the forwards and eventually won 11–0. Two years later, on 12 December 1908, Wales played her first match against Australia's national side, the Wallabies, defeating them 9–6.
In 1909, Wales won the Home Championship and then, in 1910, the first-ever Five Nations (which now included France as the fifth nation). In 1911, Wales took the first official Grand Slam by winning all their matches in the Five Nations; it would be nearly forty years before they took it again.England's defeat of Wales at Cardiff in 1913 was Wales' first home loss to one of the Home Nations since 1899 (and the first loss at home to England since 1895). The Great War came in 1914 and rugby was suspended for the duration.
Buy and sell wales v south africa tickets from yourticketmarket.com.This is one of the best side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy Autumn Rugby Tickets through this side.This side is best,reliable ,secure side for buying and selling of online tickets.Buy now autumn rugby tickets because people wait through out the year for the autumn rugby tickets and they buy tickets rapidly.yourticketmarket is a side which sell the tickets of all sports events like cricket,basketball,hockey,tennis,rugby etc.Concert,festivals,events,theatre tickets are also available on this side.

Wales national rugby union team

The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with 25 wins. Wales most recent championship win came in 2008. They also compete in the Rugby World Cup every four years. The International Rugby Board (IRB) regards Wales as a Tier One rugby nation, and ranks them eighth in the world as of 1 February 2010.

The governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played their first international against England. Wales' performances in the Home Nations Championship (now the Six Nations) continued to improve, experiencing their first 'golden age' between 1900 and 1911. They first played New Zealand, known as the All Blacks, in 1905, when they defeated them 3–0 in a famous match at Cardiff Arms Park. Welsh rugby struggled between the first and second World Wars, but experienced a second 'golden age' between 1969 and 1980 when they won eight Five Nations Championships (including 3 shared wins). They played in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 where they achieved their best ever result of third. Following the professionalisation of rugby in 1995, Wales hosted the 1999 World Cup and, in 2005, won their first Six Nations Grand Slam which was followed by a second in 2008. Their 2005 Grand Slam is notable for being the first ever team to gain the accolade playing most matches away from home. Only Ireland repeated this in 2009.

Wales play in red jerseys embroidered with the Prince of Wales's feathers. Their current home ground is the Millennium Stadium, completed in 1999 to replace the National Stadium at Cardiff Arms Park. Ten former Welsh players have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame, and two of the ten have been inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.