photo by Ian Lovell

Scotland coach Steve McCormack described World Cup qualification as the best achievement in his career after he led his side to a 37-32 aggregate win over Wales, despite losing 18-16 in Glasgow on Sunday.

Scotland became the ninth side to qualify for the 2008 finals in Australia due to their 21-14 win over the Welsh in Bridgend last year. Wales now have to beat Lebanon on Friday night in Widnes then USA or Samoa five days later in Featherstone in order to be the tenth and final qualifier.

“This is my best achievement without a doubt,” he said. “I’ve won Northern Rail Cups and league leaders trophies with Widnes but I’ve had a lot of disappointment in big finals over the years. But to be associated with these people here in Scotland, the management, the crowd and the players, is something I’ve really enjoyed over the last three years and to help Scotland get to the World Cup is something amazing.”

“We knew that Wales would chuck everything at us,” McCormack added. “The effort last year in Wales gave us that cushion though and I said to the lads at half-time that even though we were 10-points down, we’re only really three points down and that gave them a bit of a lift. I think Wales will do well in the repechage, I hope they do win them as we need all of the home nations at the World Cup.”

Scotland had the best of the first five minutes as they came out to extend their aggregate lead straight away. Ian Webster was an early hero for Wales with a try-saving tackle on Jamie Benn while the Scots pressured Wales on the next play, the final tackle, causing them to pass inside their own area leading to a goal-line drop out.

But Wales composed themselves and took the lead on seven minutes. Matt James was held up centimetres from the line and after Wales won a scrum, Phil Joseph set up Luke Dyer to dive over. Iestyn Harris kicked the goal to leave Wales just a point down on aggregate.

Scotland thought they’d hit back five minutes later. Lee Patterson’s grubber was latched on by Oliver Wilkes but the Widnes prop failed to ground the ball and the video referee correctly disallowed the try.

The home side did get on the board on the 20 minute mark through a Danny Brough penalty goal after he had been obstructed by Damien Gibson.

After a lengthy delay due to Whitehaven’s Richard Fletcher being stretchered off after landing awkwardly when competing to catch a high kick, Wales had a try disallowed in a similar style to Scotland’s earlier in the half. Lee Briers kicked an inch-perfect grubber but Anthony Blackwood just failed to ground the ball when sliding in.

Iestyn Harris restored Wales’ six-point lead as he kicked a penalty following infringement at the play-the-ball but the visitors were denied a further try from kick-off when the unlucky Blackwood received Dave Halley’s forward pass.

Scotland hit back again with a 40-metre penalty kick from Brough following an obstruction but Wales went into half-time with a three-point aggregate half time lead (ten points on the day) after an Adam Hughes try that was successfully converted by Harris.

The hosts drew first blood in the second half following some Welsh indiscipline where two quick penalties were conceded. Ben Fisher easily leapt in under the posts following the second infringement and Brough added the extras.

Harris was denied a try back for Wales on the hour after being tackled by Mick Nanyn after receiving the ball a metre from the line while Briers’ hopeful grubber kick from the next play came to nothing.

Both sides were denied possible scores in a tense last quarter hour. Wade Liddell dropped the ball just metres from his own

line but the ball went backwards while a Jamie Benn try was disallowed due to an obstruction. Wales were denied a try for the restart after Blackwood dropped the ball as was challenged while reaching for Briers’ grubber while Sean Penkywicz also knocked on while challenged as he was running for the line.

Scotland sealed their World Cup place with just six minutes remaining when Benn pounced on a loose ball inside Wales’ goal area. Brough’s kick put them in the lead on the day for the first time.

Damien Gibson scored in the corner for Wales three minutes later to give Wales the win on the day but it was too late for the visitors to mount another attack to secure an aggregate victory.

Wales Rugby League’s Executive Chairman Mark Rowley still believes Wales can get to Australia.

“We’ll have to do it the hard way,” he said. “We’ve come short a little bit today so we need to beat Lebanon then probably Samoa, both sides we’ve beaten before. In our day we can beat anybody, but today wasn’t our day.”

Welsh coach Martin Hall said: “We had some opportunities today but we didn’t take them and made some unforced errors. We had opportunities to win in this game and in the last one but we didn’t take them and we now need to regroup for the Lebanon match on Friday.”

Wales hope to have Aaron Summers and Mark Lennon back for Friday’s encounter but there may be a doubt over Lee Briers’ fitness after picking up a knock late in the game.

Tries: Fisher (53), Benn (74)
Goals: Brough 4/4

Tries: Dyer (7), Hughes (36), Gibson (77)
Goals: Harris 3/4

Scoring Sequence: 0-6, 2-6, 2-8, 4-8, 4-14, 10-14, 16-14, 16-18

Penalty Count: 9-5

Men of the Match: Scotland – Nanyn, Wales - Halley

Half-time: 4-14
Referee: Phil Bentham (England)
Attendance: 911

Gamestar: Mick Nanyn with a solid performance and a try-saving tackle on Iestyn Harris.

Gamebreaker: The ball going backwards when Wade Liddell fumbled right by his try-line with 15 minutes remaining. The score was 14-10 to Wales at the time and had the ball gone backwards, Wales would have been awarded a scrum just metres from the line.

article by Ian Golden
4 November 2007