- Title: Welsh delight, French despair after quarter final
- Date: 20th October 2019
- Summary: OITA, JAPAN (OCTOBER 20, 2019) (REUTERS) RUGBY FANS LEAVING STADIUM AFTER WALES VICTORY OVER FRANCE WALES RUGBY FAN CHEERING FOR WALES FANS EXITING STADIUM, HIGH FIVING VOLUNTEERS WELSH FAN IN FLOWER HAT LEAVING STADIUM, CELEBRATING FANS LEAVING STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALES RUGBY FAN, STEVE CLISSOLD, SAYING: "It was very exciting, we had a little bit of luck and the French had a little bit of bad luck but in the end the dirty play cost them the game. So roll on the semi-final and the final, that's what I say." (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALES RUGBY FAN, OLIVER GREENOW, SAYING: "Yeah it was good, really twitchy until the last couple of minutes but it was good, really good. Wales got there in the end." FANS LEAVING STADIUM WALES FAN DANCING (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALES RUGBY FAN, GARETH, SAYING: "Because we played absolutely terribly. But France played really well, we struggled against 14 men, and that was the worst performance I've seen for Wales in about five or six years. And I'm worried about the semi-final, whether it's Japan or South Africa. But I'm happy because we're there." FANS LEAVING STADIUM POLICE WATCHING FANS LEAVING TWO FRENCH FANS DRESSED AS ROOSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE RUGBY FAN, NICOLAS SANTI-WEIL, SAYING: "I'm proud of the level of play France displayed, it was a great fight. Unfortunately that red card was deserved so we can't complain about that, very good game, proud of our team, in particular their state of mind, a bit disappointed by the red card and the two tries which weren't converted, a nice party in the spirit of rugby, Wales fought back so it was great." (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRANCE RUGBY FAN, MICHAEL POUCET, SAYING: "We could have done it tonight, we had a great France side tonight, one that was as strong as the Wales team... but that's the way it is. You need a winner and a loser. We'll come back in four years time." POLICE/STADIUM
- Embargoed: 3rd November 2019 10:52
- Keywords: Rugby Union World Cup France Wales quarterfinal Oita
- Location: OITA, JAPAN
- City: OITA, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001B1WGGN3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Relieved Welsh rugby fans were celebrating on Sunday (October 20) in Oita after their side's narrow victory over France in the World Cup quarter-final.
Ross Moriarty scored the winning try as Wales exploited their numerical superiority to rally for a 20-19 victory over France in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after French lock Sebastien Vahaamahina had been shown a red card.
In an echo of the semi-final meeting between the two nations in 2011 when France won after Sam Warburton was sent off, the Six Nations champions overhauled a nine-point deficit after Vahaamahina was dismissed for foul play in the 49th minute.
Replacement loose forward Moriarty crossed in the 74th minute to give Wales an eighth win in their last nine meetings with France and set up a semi-final against hosts Japan or South Africa, who play in Tokyo later on Sunday.
France had threatened to stage another sensational World Cup upset after a brilliant first-half display in which they scored three tries, including two in the first eight minutes, to lead 19-10 at the break. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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