{"id":292128,"date":"2023-09-11T07:34:56","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T07:34:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=292128"},"modified":"2023-09-11T07:34:56","modified_gmt":"2023-09-11T07:34:56","slug":"warren-gatland-hails-wales-world-cup-win-over-fiji-despite-anger-over-finale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/rugby-union\/warren-gatland-hails-wales-world-cup-win-over-fiji-despite-anger-over-finale\/","title":{"rendered":"Warren Gatland hails Wales World Cup win over Fiji despite \u2018anger\u2019 over finale"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>George North scores Wales\u2019 second try <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletter\/sport\/sport-135x135.png\" class=\"i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined\" i-amphtml-layout=\"responsive\"><\/p>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing<\/h3>\n<h3>Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news<\/h3>\n<h2>Thanks for signing up to the<br \/> Sport email<\/h2>\n<p>Warren Gatland reflected on a \u201cpretty significant\u201d victory for his team after Wales brought the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals within sight by beating Fiji 32-26 at Stade de Bordeaux.<\/p>\n<p>Wales held their nerve in a frantic and pulsating Pool C clash. It was tense throughout, especially when Fiji scored twice in the last seven minutes and centre Semi Radradra knocked on close to the line in the game\u2019s last play.<\/p>\n<p>At 32-14 ahead deep inside the final quarter, Wales looked home and dry, but Fiji had other ideas.<\/p>\n<p>Asked if he had his heart in his mouth during the closing stages, Gatland said: \u201cAbsolutely. With seven minutes to go I wondered about just going down to the changing rooms and waiting until the final whistle.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am absolutely delighted with the result. I think it is pretty significant for us.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/09\/14\/f1726b2690c91c497c501cff6bb1550aY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MzUwNTg2-2.73644175.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/03\/11\/14\/SEI147807523.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/08\/14\/d1472eb5e66764117915873a4766dd9fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MjY0MzI5-2.73643972.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith 65 minutes on the clock we were comfortable, and we needed to control that. We gave away some unnecessary penalties, lost a little bit of composure.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve always been a team that builds on confidence and get better in tournaments. So that is exciting.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was pretty frustrated and angry about the last period of the game, but it\u2019s about being honest and making sure we learn from it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am delighted with the win, but we made it a lot harder for ourselves than we needed to, made some dumb decisions in the last 15 minutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe changed a few things at half-time. We really wanted to go for them up front in terms of taking it out of their legs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA few of their players looked a bit tired and we looked in control, but typical Fiji \u2013 they never say die, get a couple of sniffs of a try and come back at you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\" width=\"129\" height=\"56\"><\/p>\n<p>Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n<p>Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/mobile-stores\/Amazon_Prime.svg\" width=\"129\" height=\"56\"><\/p>\n<p>Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n<p>Sign up now for a 30-day free trial<\/p>\n<p>Wales ultimately prevailed through tries from Josh Adams, George North, Louis Rees-Zammit and Elliot Dee, with fly-half Dan Biggar adding two penalties and three conversions in a bonus-point success.<\/p>\n<p>Fiji claimed tries through captain Waisea Nayacalevu, flanker Lekima Tagitagivalu and replacements Josua Tuisova and Mesake Doge \u2013 Frank Lomani converted two and Teti Tela also added a conversion \u2013 yet Wales gained the victory they craved ahead of remaining Pool C appointments with Portugal, Australia and Georgia.<\/p>\n<p>Wales were close to a staggering 250 tackles in the game, and Biggar said: \u201cIt was absolutely exhausting. The last 10 minutes felt like the clock never moved.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe put everything into it, Fiji came strong at the end, but I am really thrilled for this group of players that we managed to see it through because the work we\u2019ve put in over the past few months has just been incredible.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt puts us in such a good position in the group. I am just absolutely drained.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Captain Jac Morgan said: \u201cWe have that mentality of never giving up, always working hard for each other.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been through a couple of camps with some tough training over the past couple of weeks, and it has really brought the boys close as you saw.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fiji took two losing bonus points from the game, which might prove critical in terms of the group\u2019s finishing places and race for a last-eight spot.<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Simon Raiwalui said: \u201cWe had our opportunities. We weren\u2019t clinical enough. There were a couple of disallowed tries, and we had a chance at the end.<\/p>\n<h3>Recommended<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/07\/22\/f0d9bdbc9aba937c76b48b3a6d7a2f97Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MTg5MzI3-2.73244553.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/07\/17\/73d28c0692cf069a3b14ecd4aefbc19eY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MTg2NzM3-2.73540802.jpg\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2023\/09\/07\/14\/bbd04316fc5172dcd45e253680662e0aY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNjk0MTc4NTU1-2.70805849.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe weren\u2019t clinical enough to finish off, and we move on to Australia next week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe made mistakes at critical moments, and we had to chase it at the end. It was a very good Welsh team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/sport\/rugby\/rugby-union\/wales-fiji-rugby-world-cup-gatland-b2408978.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>George North scores Wales\u2019 second try Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything <span class=\"more-text\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":292127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Warren Gatland hails Wales World Cup win over Fiji despite \u2018anger\u2019 over finale - Sportstons<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/rugby-union\/warren-gatland-hails-wales-world-cup-win-over-fiji-despite-anger-over-finale\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Warren Gatland hails Wales World Cup win over Fiji despite \u2018anger\u2019 over finale - 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