Swansea thrash Cardiff

[Buckfutts]

Swansea vs Cardiff
Last modified 15:07 07/11/09

Pratley double sinks City Darren Pratley struck twice to help Swansea edge an action-packed derby clash 3-2 and claim South Wales bragging rights over bitter rivals Cardiff.

Three rousing encounters caused a host of controversial moments both on and off the field last season as the two sides met for the first time in almost a decade.

But thankfully a thrilling game of football will attract all the headlines this time around, with Pratley sweeping home what proved to be the winner in the 61st minute to leave Cardiff still longing for their first derby triumph since 1997.

Nathan Dyer headed Swansea into an early lead and, with the hosts completely in control, Pratley doubled it with just 16 minutes on the clock.

But Cardiff turned the game on its head just after the half-hour mark with two goals in three minutes courtesy of Jay Bothroyd and Mark Hudson to level an astonishing first half.

Yet it was left for Pratley to settle matters just minutes after Ross McCormack had seen his free-kick hit the crossbar, much to the delight of a jubilant home crowd.

Both sides were hit by injury problems ahead of the eagerly-anticipated clash.

Most notably Cardiff who were without the division's top two goalscorers in suspended Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham, along with midfielder Stephen McPhail.

Meanwhile, Swansea were already missing Mark Gower when influential defender Garry Monk was forced out shortly before kick-off having picked up what was believed to be a calf injury in the warm-up.

But that was soon put to one side as the game got underway and, with a pulsating atmosphere ringing around the Liberty Stadium, Bluebirds keeper David Marshall saved well to deny Craig Beattie.

The home side side were all over Cardiff in the early stages and it came as no real surprise when they took the lead after just nine minutes, Dyer heading home Ashley Williams' cross from close range.

Dave Jones' side were getting completely overrun in midfield with Swansea marauding forward at every opportunity and the lead soon doubled.

Federico Bessone, promoted from the bench due to Monk's injury, found Beattie in the area and he duly knocked the ball on for Pratley to volley home and send the majority of the 18,209 crowd into dreamland.

Swansea's blistering start had left the visitors, and 1,800 travelling fans, stunned.

But a remarkable opening half-hour was completely turned around within the space of three minutes.

Bothroyd latched on to Chris Burke's throughball to fire home in style and grab a lifeline with the visitors' first real chance of the game after 32 minutes.

And it was soon 2-2, with Hudson choosing the perfect moment to head his first goal for the club from McCormack's free-kick and ensure a breathtaking opening 45 minutes finished all square.

McCormack's well-taken set-piece proved crucial in the first half and he almost made a direct contribution in the 58th minute when his free-kick rebounded off the crossbar.

Yet an action-packed encounter once again swung Swansea's way just after the hour mark when Pratley ghosted in at the near post to convert Bessone's inch-perfect cross.

Clear goalscoring opportunities became limited as the encounter wore on with both sides feeling the effects of a breathless first half.

:lmao:

[Buckfutts]

TCM mods leave this thread this is FWI politics here

[Tupac Shakira]

WTF

[garglesemen]

mods, please change thread title to say nsfw. you'll know why once you do.

[Buckfutts]

On the same day today :lmao:

All Blacks close out Wales in Cardiff

It was close, but in the end New Zealand broke Welsh hearts yet again after beating their hosts 19-12 at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.



Wales came agonisingly close to breaking their 56-year duck, but only have themselves to blame for yet another defeat in a game that could have easily ended in a draw.


With just three minutes left on the clock and seven points behind, an intercept by lock Alun-Wyn Jones had the capacity crowd on their feet. Tired, battered and bruised, 60 metres to the All Blacks' try-line looked like 60 miles for the second row forward.


He did well enough to get to New Zealand's 22, but with red jerseys to his left and his right - the final pass found a black one instead and all hope of a match-saving touchdown was lost in an instant.


Cool, calm and collected, Dan Carter also produced a big try-saving tackle on Welsh replacement Martin Roberts after a superb Shane Williams burst. Replays showed it to be high and Carter was booed off by the home fans after being named man of the match.


Fair play to the All Blacks though, they dug deep when it mattered and closed the game out with precision after several last-ditch efforts from the Welshmen.


Wales, determined as ever in front of their passionate home crowd, took the game to New Zealand and would have taken plenty of heart heading into the half-time sheds with the scores locked at 6-6. It was definitely a fair reflection of the first forty, as there wasn't too much separating the two sides as far as possession and territory was concerned.


The All Blacks used the kicking game more often than not during the first half - an obvious tactic considering Carter passed the ball just once in the opening 20 minutes. Wales on the other hand were far more creative and looked dangerous on attack - only to cough up the ball at crucial moments.


Wales had a chance to open the scoring early on, but a missed goal attempt from Leigh Halfpenny from 48m out, instead allowed New Zealand the honour of posting first points on the board courtesy of a trademark Carter penalty in the twelfth minute.


With Halfpenny guilty of missing and giving away a penalty in the space of five minutes, relief was written all over the young wingers face when fly-half Stephen Jones stepped up to level the scores after Richie McCaw's illegal dabbling in a ruck.


The All Blacks thought they finally cracked the Welsh line, only for the TMO ruling a blatant knock-on by Brendon Leonard. But referee Craig Joubert was playing advantage to the visitors, and Carter was on hand to put the Kiwis back in front.


The see-saw battle continued, but Stephen Jones wasn't kidding around with his second successful kick of the night that leveled the scores with half-time looming after prop Neemia Tialata was blown for not rolling away in the tackle.


Carter handed the All Blacks the lead after just three minutes of the second-half when veteran flanker Martyn Williams played the ball as the Kiwis pressed the Welsh line.


With both sides now running the ball, and full-back James Hook in particular fielding all kicks with aplomb, it was the Welsh defence which buckled, letting hooker Andrew Hore burrow in for a try in the corner which Carter converted for a 16-6 lead.


The visitors' tails were suddenly up as big lock Brad Thorn rumbled 30 metres upfield to set up an attacking position the Kiwis almost capitalised on. And then Conrad Smith was held up over the line by Shane Williams after a slick interchange of passes in midfield.


Wales were struggling to get out their own half - let alone get their hands on the ball - and Carter added a fourth penalty in the 65th minute when Andy Powell infringed on the floor.


Stephen Jones hit straight back after McCaw was penalised again for a 19-9 ball game as Wales finally managed to break out of their own half.


But it was that man Carter again who was on hand to produce a covering, albeit high, try-saving tackle on replacement scrum-half Roberts after Shane Williams had stepped away from his marker.


Jones claimed a fourth penalty from out wide with five minutes to play to set up a nail-biting finish.


Alun-Wyn Jones then intercepted a sloppy Jimmy Cowan pass, but the excellent Zac Guildford, making his debut on the wing, tracked back and knocked down the Welsh lock's effort to offload.


Wales then squandered a line-out on the All Black five-metre line and were turned over in midfield by the incomparable midfield pairing of Ma'a Nonu and Smith to ensure New Zealand got their European tour off to a perfect start.


Man of the match: New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter masterminded the All Blacks in both defence and attack, kicking four penalties and a conversion to make it a perfect 13 from 13 on the tour so far.


Moment of the match: Andrew Hore's try certainly proved the difference between the two sides, but it was Alan-Wyn Jones' intercept that really put everyone's heart in their throats!


Villain of the match: None to speak of. Good, clean fun in Cardiff.


The scorers:


For Wales:
Pens: S Jones 4


For New Zealand:

[garglesemen]

tl/dr

[garglesemen]

:flush:

[Buckfutts]

To make it even worse for INS because he likes to bounce between England and wales.

ENGLAND ALSO GOT CAINED BY AUSTRAILA :lmao:

More accustomed to throwing leads away, Australia bounced back from a 9-5 half-time deficit to beat England 18-9 at Twickenham on Saturday.



The win is just the tonic Australia need at the end of a year in which they have so often flattered to deceive. England were limited, but the manner in which Australia came out in the second half and took the game by the cobblers will have had Robbie Deans glowing inside.


It's England's limitations that will be the prime subject of focus after this game, not so much in terms of personnel but certainly in tactical thinking. At the end of an opening quarter which England utterly dominated, they should have held far more than a 6-0 lead. A minute later, after Australia's first meaningful spell of pressure, it was only 6-5. Will Genia, and later in the game, Adam Ashley-Cooper, found something that England never did.


More meaningful than the scoreline ought to be a sober reflection on the number of scoring opportunities Australia butchered as well. Matt Giteau was twice denied by thumping tackles from Jonny Wilkinson and Rocky Elsom suffered an untimely case of tunnel vision, while a wrong option to chip by Drew Mitchell and a butter-fingered moment from Digby Ioane by the line also meant points went a-begging.


But it is the first twenty minutes that England must focus on, perhaps even the entire first half. They had nine penalties to Australia's two. Steve Borthwick and Tom Croft were creating all sorts of problems for Australia's line-out - they stole three out of seven. It took Australia 16 minutes to have, and claim, a phase of set-piece possession. Stats like that should mean a lead of at least ten points.


England did lead 6-0 at the end of the first twenty, courtesy of a majestic drop goal from Wilkinson and a penalty but they had to kick on and press the advantage home. Instead, outside of an effervescent Wilkinson whose absorption of French rugby culture appears to have stretched to his becoming almost maverick with his steps and chips, there was little beyond the crash, bash and thunder of archetypal English club rugby. Straight running, lots of contact, lots of rucking, lots of basics... in the end, quite a lot of nothing at all. More imagination is needed.


Instead it was Genia who showed the way, sparking a wave of attacks and then slipping through a gap at the base of a ruck to put the Wallabies on the scoreboard.


England continued to dominate, but the question had been posed. 'We can do that,' said Australia. 'What can you do?'


Well, Wilkinson kicked another penalty. England's defence stood resolute late on - again, Wilkinson showed his importance - as Australia came again. England's pack continued to rumble. But it was Giteau who looked the most likely to score as half-time neared, with Wilkinson putting in a terrific tackle on him.


At 9-5, England sat pretty at the break. This is Australia, after all, the team that always fades. Except this time, Australia's forwards came out and got into English faces. Giteau nailed a penalty for an offside, after a movement where both he and Elsom could have released the ball for tries. A dubious scrum penalty on the hour mark meant Giteau gave his side the lead. Now England had to respond. Wilkinson tried his hardest with a sublime chip, regather and offload, but nobody else had the fluency or imagination to carry the move on. Eventually, the men in white resorted to type, trying to grind it out. It won't cut the mustard against the more sophisticated teams.


But the killer blow will have had Martin Johnson's forehead dropping deep with rage. Out the ball came left to Adam Ashley-Cooper, who was taken too high and too upright by both Mark Cueto and Ugo Monye. The Wallaby full-back renowned for his strength on his feet, powered forward and dragged the two Englishmen over the line with him from 15m out. Giteau converted to send Australia two scores ahead with ten to go - two scores England were never going to get.


Man of the match: Will Genia takes this one, with Quade Cooper and Jonny Wilkinson a close second. Cooper in particular looked as close to coming of age as he ever has, while Wilkinson looked as fresh as a spring day. But Genia's pace, intelligence and threatening running posed continual questions that England found too much to cope with.


Moment of the match: Adam Ashley-Cooper's try killed the game off - and what a score it was!


Villain of the match: We're almost tempted to castigate the players for being too clean! Where's the edge? No award.


The scorers:


For England:
Pens: Wilkinson 2

[garglesemen]

why burt?

[Buckfutts]

why burt?

call it revenge honey

[WAR RANDLEMAN!]

http://i32.tinypic.com/14yc0pl.jpg

[JihadMeAtHello]

no more adding of NSFW tag after a thread not marked so has been created, soarry

[Buckfutts]

ttt

[INS_tha_rebel]

lol

[Buckfutts]

gonna respond fucko?

[INS_tha_rebel]

I just did.

Now are you going to respond to my thread?

I suggest you do or that thread will haunt you for the rest of your time on the intranets.

[California Giant]

before I read all blacks I had no idea this was about sports.


All Blacks>>>>> any other rugby club.

[INS_tha_rebel]

New Zealand are great until the World Cup. Then they inevitably lose... to France.