The first semi-final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup was irrevocably altered by the early sending-off of Sam Warburton, but the rest of the Wales players can hold their heads high after an incredible performance which ended in an agonising one-point defeat to France.
Warburton was shown a red card by Irish referee Alain Rolland before the midpoint of the first half following a dangerous tackle on French wing Vincent Clerc.
And while that decision will be debated either way all across the rugby world – the red card looked extremely harsh, but to the letter of the laws Rolland was probably within his rights to issue it – it was the spirit of the rest of the Welsh players in the 60-plus minutes that followed that really deserves to be acknowledged for Hero of the Day status.
It’s impossible to single anyone out for effort, but we’ll name a few here: Toby Faletau, the Tongan-born Number 8, was utterly immense in everything he did; Leigh Halfpenny, the pint-sized full back who never shirked an aerial challenge and came within inches of a winning kick from the halfway line; Jamie Roberts, the colossal centre who made a fine stab of playing in both the backs and forwards after Warburton’s red (he slotted into the back row); George North, the 19-year-old left wing – imagine how powerful and brilliant he’ll be when he stops growing?; Mike Phillips, the scrum half who followed his try against Ireland last weekend with the game’s only touchdown which almost turned the game incredibly in Wales’ favour.
You can go on: towering second rows Luke Charteris and Alun-Wyn Jones, never-say-die prop Gethin Jenkins, barrel-necked hooker Huw Bennett.
If any Wales players perhaps didn’t distinguish themselves in glory, it was the successive out-halves James Hook and Stephen Jones.
Hook missed two very kickable penalties in the first half and Jones was no real improvement after half-time, wide with the conversion attempt, scuffing a drop goal off his weaker left foot and refusing the option of another drop goal when the Welsh forwards had delivered possession inside the French 22 eight minutes from time.
But it would be wrong to focus on those spurned chances, because the supreme effort of the Wales players deserves collective recognition.
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