WALES fell to the longest count in Test history yesterday, battered into submission after 20 minutes’ stoppage time amid allegations of biting, cheating and general jiggery-pokery.
The outrageous finale to a Royal occasion will demand an unprecedented Six Nations inquiry into the sequence of events that ended in the 100th minute after a rearguard action of superhuman proportion. A siege that demanded gallantry above and beyond the call of duty ended with Welsh hearts broken by the equalising try and Camille Lopez’s winning conversion.
For the first time in living memory, an international had been won and lost by a scrum that effectively took almost half an hour to complete. There were 49 seconds left on the game-clock when Wales, clinging to a five-point lead thanks to Herculean tackling in the face of heavy French artillery, conceded a penalty.
France went for the scrum. Over the next 20 minutes of actual game time plus another ten for all manner of stoppages, France won nine more penalties. Wales survived eight scrum-penalties, almost as many resets, one yellow card and almost endured the nearest thing sport has come to a rugby version of Zulu.
Those involved will no doubt swear to their dying days that they would have endured their Rorke’s Drift had it not been for what happened before the second of those eight scrums. Wayne Barnes had binned Samson Lee after the first set piece in the 81st minute.
Before the front rows went through the engagement process, the English referee asked Uini Atonio, the gigantic French substitute tight head: “Are you fit?”
Yes, said Atonio. Guy Noves and his French management team thought otherwise. They sent Rabah Slimani, the starting tight head, back into action almost half an hour after he had been substituted.
Denne historien er fra March 19, 2017-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 19, 2017-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.
Hancox joins the 200 club
AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `
To play in two World Cups was a dream
RUGBY started quite late for me.
Call time on this pantomime ploy
THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.
We need to kick on after winning at last
Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run