Fiji into Quarter Finals!!!

[GIGS20]

Two things, Sack Gareth Jenkins, he's the muppet who thought it was a god idea to tour a bunch of teenagers to the great south land nine months before the tournament. One word Gareth TAPER!

Gareth Thomas,Congratulations on 100 caps, I'll raise my glass to you, but you have to be the dirtiest bastard running around the modern game, I for one won't be sorry if you go.

[Jess]

I just watched the game then (fell asleep last night) and my goodness what a game!

This is why I love the world cup. Any underdog can have his day.

[jono]

it was an awsome win.
they gave it everything they had.
i just hope it wasnt their final. because i would love to seem them play more rugby in the world cup!

[lmaag]

I have to nurse my welsh mate back to health. Lent him my Wallabies jersey. Strangely, it didn;t seem to soothe him.

[Burgs]

Better do some work on your spin Gareth
Always sad when a great player doesn't succeed as a great Coach.

Welsh coach Jenkins sacked: report

September 30, 2007

WALES rugby coach Gareth Jenkins has been sacked after his team was dumped out of the World Cup at the group stage by Fiji, the Western Mail newspaper reported today.
The Wales coach vowed immediately after the 38-34, nine-try thriller in Nantes that he would not quit.

”Personally, my ambition is to continue coaching Wales, simple as that,'' Jenkins said after the game.

”We've had the result we didn't want, and I did say I would be judged on the world cup, but there are, without a doubt as far as I'm concerned, positives as well as negatives.''

However, a newspaper report today the coach was fired after the game.

Team media manager Simon Rimmer would not confirm or deny the report this morning, but said a press conference had been scheduled for the afternoon in Wales. A press conference in France was cancelled.

In 16 months at the helm since taking over from Six Nations Grand Slam winning coach Mike Ruddock, Jenkins' Welsh team managed only six wins from 20 matches

AAP

[Burgs]

Fiji fans bask in World Cup success

September 30, 2007 - 4:04PM

The troubled Pacific nation of Fiji erupted in national celebration today with fireworks fizzing and car horns blaring after its rugby team scored a massive upset over Wales in the World Cup.

Cup fever has gripped the rugby-mad nation, where many people stayed up all night to watch the match at 3am Fiji time today.

When it ended in a thrilling 38-34 victory for the South Pacific country, where the military grabbed power in a coup last December, joyous fans set off fireworks and blasted car horns around the capital, Suva.

"Before the game, people in the villages were flying flags outside their homes saying 'Go, Fiji Go', cars and taxis sported the national flag," Sports Minister Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi said.

"Everyone was getting into the spirit of it."

The win, which came after Fiji scored a last-minute try in an exhilarating decider at the Stade de la Beaujoire in the French city of Nantes, took Fiji into the quarter-finals for the first time in 20 years.

AFP

We aren't finished yet: Fiji skipper

September 30, 2007 - 4:02PM

Fiji captain Mosese Rauluni insisted his team hadn't finished with the World Cup after reaching their first quarter-final in 20 years with a stunning 38-34 win over Wales.

The Pacific Islanders, renowned for their success in the sevens game, married their traditional skills of handling at pace and tough-tackling to a stamina and defensive resilience that many critics thought was beyond them as they emerged victorious in the game of the tournament to date.

Fiji, in a clash in which the lead changed hands four times, stunned Wales and delighted neutrals at the Stade de la Beaujoire with an extraordinary burst of 25 points in just nine sensational first-half minutes.

Tries from flanker Akapusi Qera and wing Vilimoni Delasau, both of whom had a major impact on the game, and second row Kele Leawere, left Wales and their supporters bewildered.

The Six Nations side rallied early in the second half after Qera had been yellow-carded on the stroke of half-time, wing Shane Williams scoring a contender for try of the tournament with a side-stepping solo run.

And Wales went ahead with just seven minutes left on the clock thanks to an interception try from flanker Martyn Williams.

But Fiji would not be denied and prop Graham Dewes forced his way over from close range at a 77th minute ruck to seal a famous win.

"It's probably one of the greatest victories Fiji has ever had," Rauluni said.

"But we've said to the boys the job's not over. We've got other things to strive for," said the scrum-half of the October 7 quarter-final against South Africa in Marseille.

"We haven't got to the quarter-finals for 20 years. We closely missed out on the last World Cup against Scotland, and the World Cup before that against France. I was involved in both of those, and to get to the quarter-finals, I've finally done it."

Rauluni said rugby's importance to Fijian society as a whole could not be understated.

"One of the villages actually climbed a mountain with a generator and TV and watched it at the top of the mountain because they couldn't pick up the frequency in the village. That's the sort of thing we're playing for. It makes your voice go away and brings a tear to your eye."

Fiji coach Ilie Tabua, in an echo of comments from his Tonga and Samoa counterparts, said it was vital his team was allowed to build on this performance by having greater exposure to top-class rugby between World Cups.

"[The win] shows that the tier-two nations can compete, given there is more competition with the level-one [teams], not only here at the World Cup."

And he said the introduction of a Fijian or Pacific side into the southern hemisphere's elite Super 14 club competition could raise the standard of the national team yet further.

"Super 14 would be good. Two-thirds of our players are actually playing here in Europe, and it doesn't help us with our season. We need to develop other players that are in the islands and be accepted in one of those competitions."

AFP

[Flamethrower]

Fantastic Fiji make Wales weep
Reuters | Sunday, 30 September 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4220492a10295.html


Fiji said their shock victory over Wales and resulting quarter-final spot at their expense was down to sheer hard work, while the Welsh said they had been punished for showing the Pacific islanders too much respect.
Bald Facts blog: A true Fiji Coup

Fiji's 38-34 win in a thrilling, see-saw match earned them their first quarter-final since 1987 and knocked Wales out of the tournament.

Fiji face South Africa next weekend for a shot at a semifinal place.

"Years ago Fiji would have lost that game. I'm so proud of the boys," Fiji captain Mosese Rauluni told reporters.

"They stuck to it, and it comes down to all the hard work and the training we did leading into this World Cup. We made it to the quarter-finals, and it was our goal to do that."

He added that close Pool B matches against Japan and Canada had prepared the team well to fight for the full 80 minutes against the Welsh.

"All our wins have been so close, Japan, Canada, those games have helped us to win this game today," he said.

"The fight at the end there, those games helped us a lot and the boys, our defence really stood up to the task."

Fiji coach Ilivasi Tabua said their progress to the knockout stage proved that underdogs were still able to cause upsets.

"It's a great day for rugby as it shows the second tier teams can compete at this level and it will take some time to sink," he said

"To achieve our goal of reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup is an amazing feeling."

Wales skipper Gareth Thomas, who scored a try on his 100th test appearance, said his team had made some serious errors and their defence had not been up to scratch.

"Of course this is a failure. We gave Fiji too much respect and too much time on the ball and they punished us for it," he said.

"You have 80 minutes to perform in test rugby, and for 80 minutes we didn't perform - now we are on the plane home."

Although few people would bet on Fiji similarly upsetting a South Africa side who crushed defending champions England in their pool match, the Pacific islanders said they still had more good rugby left in them.

"We still have something in the tank so I'm sure we can take our game to another level," said centre Seru Rabeni.

[James]

I think that until their governments clean up their act Tonga and Fiji won't be in the Super Rugby picture. After the conflict post the death of the king of Tonga and the military coups in Fiji you can't reasonably build long term plans around their volatile situation.

[Burgs]

Maybe if they had some decent annual Rugby to follow they wouldn't have all that pent up testosterone to focus at coupes

[Jess]

If I was a Coach I think I would absolutely dread the world cup. It's like it's 'win or else' and I'm not sure that's fair.

Looks like Knuckle's wanted to get in first and has already announced he's stepping down after the world cup. Maybe he's a lot smarter than we've been giving him credit for.

[Jehna]

Yeah fair point Jess! I wouldn't want to be a Coach. I feel like they have way too much undeserved pressure on them. Look at Chris Connolly for example...think about everything he did achieved with the Dockers yet he still gets forced to resign. It seems quite often to be that old saying 'that you can only lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink'. Coaches can't get out on the field and play for their team...there's limits to what they can do.

[jargan83]

Looks like the axe has fallen on the Welsh rugby coach
i just read this on www.foxsports.com.au, not sure if its been posted anywhere else (i had a quick look around) apologies if it's old news

Jenkins pays price for early exit

From Phil Cadden in Cardiff, Wales
October 01, 2007

GARETH Jenkins has been sacked as Wales head coach after his side crashed out of the World Cup at the hands of Fiji.

Jenkins was told of the Welsh Rugby Union's decision by chief executive Roger Lewis at the team's hotel in Pornichet, western France this morning.

The swift action was taken after Wales failed to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament with a 38-34 defeat to Fiji in nearby Nantes.

Jenkins had a contract until the end of the 2008 Six Nations but the defeat was Jenkins' 13th loss in 20 games under his reign and his position as head coach became untenable.

Wales won only six matches in Jenkins' 18 months in charge and just two of those wins came against teams ranked higher than them in the world rankings - against England in March and Argentina in August.

They endured a disappointing Six Nations in 2007 and suffered a record 62-5 defeat to England in their first warm-up match for the World Cup in France.

But now the Welsh Rugby Union have launched a worldwide search to find Jenkins' successor.

Lewis said: “The board of the Welsh rugby union had a meeting on Saturday night following our exit from the World Cup to Fiji. We met with Gareth on Sunday morning and he has accepted the decision to stand down as coach of Wales.

”This quick decision was taken in the best interests of both Welsh rugby and Gareth Jenkins.

”On behalf of the Welsh rugby union, we would sincerely thank Gareth for everything he has done over the past 18 months and the incredible amount of hard work he has put in. He lives and breathes rugby.

”We have spoken at length about his departure and he has behaved with great dignity.

”He is a proud man who loves the game and behaves honourably at all times.

”But sport at this level is defined by success and the reality is that Wales have failed in their bid to reach the quarter final stage.

”Today is not about blaming Gareth Jenkins. Welsh rugby needs to take a good look at itself and ask some tough questions.

”Over the next few months we will be undertaking a full review of our game talking to all the coaches, players and regions across Wales.

”The review will include input from the Welsh players and coaches, including Gareth Jenkins, plus everyone involved in the elite game in Wales because we need to fully understand why we have reached this point.

”But we must do this together and stand united.

”It's important that we use the passion, frustration and anger of Saturday's result to propel us forward into the 2011 World Cup and the work starts today.

Lewis said that the search for a successor would be widespread and worldwide and that the proper time would taken to find the right man.

Wales will hold a full board meeting on Tuesday to determine whether any of Jenkins' backroom staff will remain.

Agence France-Presse

[jazza93]

fair enough it had to happen a fresh start is what the need now.

[Flamethrower]

He should offer his services to New Zealand

[Jehna]

It is somewhere else but that's cool...it wasn't easy to find I'll just merge this with that post..