By Ian Golden
Wales became the tenth team to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in England after they pushed aside Ireland 40-8 in Wrexham on Sunday.
It was a role reversal from a year ago to the day, where Wales were easily second best to their Celtic neighbours in Perth, Australia in both nations’ final game of the 2017 World Cup. However, this time around it always looked like that there was only going to be one winner as the Welsh put in a dominant performance.
Wales took the lead on four minutes when from an inch-perfect Josh Ralph kick, Chester Butler leapt on the ball to score. James Olds missed the conversion but he made up for that moments later when he kicked a penalty goal.
They extended their lead further after a superb length of the field set which culminated in Rhodri Lloyd, leaping on a Ralph grubber. Olds converted before adding another penalty to bring the score up to 18-0.
After a poor set of six from the visitors, Wales regained the ball and scored their third try from another length of the field set. Curtis Davies fed Gavin Bennion who squeezed his way too easily through the Irish defence to ground. Olds converted.
If anything was going to get Ireland back into the game, it was Wales’ discipline. Following a knock-on, the Welsh conceded two successive penalties and Ireland made them pay. Scott Grix used his skill to burst through the Wales defence for four points back. Liam Finn missed the tricky kick and Wales went into half-time 20-4 up.
The Irish had the first chance of the second half, but they failed to execute. Jack Higginson leapt on his own grubber kick but his dive for the line was more than a metre short.
Wales again made the Irish pay. Curtis Davies was again the provider with Ben Evans doing well to reach out to the line when being held by a group of Irishmen. Olds converted and once again followed that up with a penalty kick to extend Wales’ lead to 28-4.
Wrexham-born Rhys Williams was winning his 30th Welsh cap on his home turf, bringing him level with the two other record cap holders Jordan James and Ian Watson, and he celebrated in style by running in Wales’ fifth try of the game on 64 minutes. Olds missed the kick.
George King pulled a try back for Ireland two minutes later, also going unconverted, but it was just consolation.
But Wales weren’t finished yet. Man of the match Josh Ralph burst through the tiring Irish defence for his side’s sixth try which Olds converted and finished off the scoring with a another penalty goal.
WALES
1 Elliot Kear (London Broncos)
2 Rhys Williams (London Broncos)
3 Ben Morris (St Helens)
4 James Olds (West Brisbane Panthers)
5 Dalton Grant (Bradford Bulls)
14 Elliott Jenkins (Rochdale Hornets)
7 Josh Ralph (Easts Tigers)
8 Ben Evans (London Broncos)
18 Steve Parry (West Wales Raiders)
13 Dan Fleming (Halifax)
11 Rhodri Lloyd (Swinton Lions)
12 Chester Butler (Halifax)
15 Connor Davies (Halifax)
Subs:
19 Curtis Davies (Halifax)
17 Gavin Bennion (Salford Red Devils)
22 Mike Butt (Swinton Lions)
10 Jake Emmitt (Toronto Wolfpack)
Tries: Butler (4), Lloyd (18), Bennion (28), Evans (44), Williams (64), Ralph (69)
Goals: Olds 8/10
Sin-bin: Morris (75, dangerous play)
IRELAND
1 Scott Grix (Wakefield Trinity)
24 Alan McMahon (Waterford Vikings)
14 James Bentley (St Helens)
4 Jack Higginson (Wigan Warriors)
5 Ethan Ryan (Bradford Bulls)
7 Liam Finn (Wakefield Trinity)
6 Gregg McNally (Bradford Bulls)
8 George King (Wakefield Trinity)
9 Dec O’Donnell (Wigan Warriors)
10 Liam Byrne (Wigan Warriors)
11 Will Hope (Swinton Lions)
12 Tyrone McCarthy (Salford Red Devils)
13 Lewis Bienek (Hull FC)
Subs:
15 Ronan Michael (Huddersfield Giants RL)
16 Gareth Gill (Longhorns RL)
17 Michael Ward (Batley Bulldogs)
19 Peter Ryan (Coventry Bears)
Tries: Grix (34). McNally (66)
Goals: Finn 0/2
Referee: Gareth Hewer (England)
Attendance: 1,257
Half-time: 20-4
