Wales get past Uruguay
Wales laboured to a 54-9 win over the amateurs of Uruguay in an underwhelming start to the Rugby World Cup made worse by the sight of three more players joining their lengthy injury list on Sunday.
Centre Cory Allen scored three of Wales’ four first-half tries – which sealed a bonus point – but was helped off the field with a hamstring injury in the second half to complete another miserable day on the injury front. Prop Paul James and fullback Liam Williams were first-half injury withdrawals for the Welsh, who lost Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb in the build-up to the tournament.
Gareth Davies (2), Samson Lee, Hallam Amos, and Justin Tipuric also crossed for tries as Wales recovered from a 6-0 deficit after 14 minutes without showing any fluency under the Millennium Stadium roof.
In the Uruguayans’ last Rugby World Cup match, in 2003, they were beaten 111-13 by England and the South Americans faced grim pre-match predictions in Cardiff.
Samoa up and running
With tougher tests ahead, Samoa started their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 25-16 win over the United States in Pool B on Sunday and, after South Africa’s shock defeat to Japan on Saturday, will be delighted to be safely over the first hurdle.
Kicks proved the difference as the teams scored two tries each but the U.S paid the price for giving away too many penalties after Samoa had established a 14-8 halftime lead in the midday sunshine in front of 29 178 at the Brighton Community Stadium, the scene of Japan’s stunning victory over the Springboks that blew the pool open a day earlier.
Tries from Tim Nanai-Williams and Ofisa Treviranus and 12 points from the foot of flyhalf Tusi Pisi and another penalty by Michael Stanley saw them home.
Record crowd sees New Zealand win
A clash between defending Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand and the Pumas of Argentina brought 89,019 fans to Wembley Stadium on Sunday, the biggest attendance in the tournament’s history.
New Zealand won 26-16 in a hard-fought contest.
READ: A blemish for the All Blacks
The crowd at the 90,000-capacity stadium, home to England’s national football team, topped the previous record of 82,957 who watched England beat Australia in the 2003 final in Sydney’s Olympic Stadium.
Huget ruled out of World Cup
France wing Yoann Huget is out of the Rugby World Cup with a knee injury, coach Philippe Saint-Andre said on Sunday.
Huget sustained an injury to his right knee’s cruciate ligaments in his team’s Pool D opener, a 32-10 win against Italy on Saturday, Saint-Andre told French TV channel TF1.
Saint-Andre then tweeted: “Big thoughts to Yoann Huget, Exemplary player in his investment. Great lad. We are all with you, get well soon!”
A replacement, probably Remi Lamerat or Maxime Medard, is expected to be named later on Sunday.
All Blacks launch campaign
Champions New Zealand start their Rugby World Cup campaign against Argentina on Sunday hoping to end their failure to win the trophy on away territory.
New Zealand will put out their most experienced team with 1,013 caps between them into the opening Pool C game at the football fortress of Wembley Stadium. Argentina are expected to make full use of their bruising pack in the clash.
Coach Steve Hansen and goal kicker Dan Carter tried to put on an air of calm and quiet confidence on the eve of the game however.
“We’ve had a plan from day one about what we’re going to do,” said Hansen who stepped up to become head coach after assisting Graham Henry when the All Blacks won in 2011.
The world’s No 1 team want to be the first to win a third title, first to win two in a row and they want to finally bury their reputation as being unable to win a major abroad.
France have too much for Italy
France made their best start to a Rugby World Cup since 2003 with their 32-10 win over Italy in Pool D on Saturday having lost to Argentina at home in 2007 and struggled past Japan four years later.
Coach Philippe Saint-Andre said he was satisfied with the job done at Twickenham even if the team needed to improve before their matches against Romania then Canada and a potential pool decider against Ireland in Cardiff on Oct. 11.
“We were solid, powerful, we controlled the match, but we had difficulty getting quick balls (and) we tried some impossible passes,” Saint-Andre said.
“It was a rugged match, we were solid in defence even if we know we can do a lot better. To finish first in the group we need to win three (more) matches.
“I would have preferred three early tries and some Chantilly (cream) on the cake,” he said with a wry grin. “But it was important to win today to get into the competition.”
Reaction to Japan’s historic win over South Africa
Heyneke Meyer apologises: Shellshocked South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer apologised to the nation after the two-time champions suffered the biggest Rugby World Cup upset ever against Japan on Saturday.
“It is by far the worst moment of my coaching career,” said Meyer after the 34-32 defeat in Brighton. “This is a very big wake up call.”
The 47-year-old — whose side had already been hit by a historic defeat by Argentina in the Rugby Championship last month — said the Springboks must now lift themselves and win their remaining matches to try to top Pool B.
“We represent a proud nation and I apologise to the nation. We have got to take it on the chin and get back on track.
“It won’t be easy for us to do that. But I have to as coach take responsibility for this.”
Meyer watched powerless as the most experienced starting Springboks XV ever turned out were harried into errors. They never established superiority over a team that had not won a World Cup game since 1991 against Zimbabwe.
Japan in party mode: Japan ended 24 years of hurt by inflicting the biggest shock in Rugby World Cup history on South Africa — a huge lift to national spirits that should also quash fears of losing hosting rights to the troubled 2019 tournament.
As bleary-eyed fans awoke with hangovers across Japan, the significance of the seismic last-gasp 34-32 triumph over the Springboks in the early hours of Sunday morning local time — only their second win at a World Cup after beating Zimbabwe in 1991 — was already being felt.
“History!” screamed Japanese media almost universally, while the Nikkan Sports daily noted that Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling had tweeted that not even she could have conjured up such a magical plot twist.
“Underdog refuses to take the draw, plays for the win, gets it in the final min ... maybe in Quidditch, but real life?” the author tweeted, referring to the wizarding game of her books.