OITA, Japan: Winger Josh Adams scored a sensational hat-trick on Wednesday as Wales booked a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place with a 29-17 bonus-point win over Fiji, sending Australia through in the process.
In an end-to-end encounter in Oita, Fiji scored two tries in the first eight minutes playing some free-flowing rugby, but the Six Nations champions pegged them back and a Liam Williams try with 12 minutes left buried the Fijians’ chances.
The result also guaranteed Australia’s progress to the last eight ahead of their final Pool D game against Georgia on Friday.
But the victory may have come at a high price for Wales with playmaker Dan Biggar apparently knocked out in an aerial clash with team-mate Liam Williams, and Adams limped off with a knee injury after breaking the game open with his third try when the score was deadlocked 17-17.
Scotland will play Japan for a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after a 26-point haul from Adam Hastings helped them to a nine-try, 61-0 thrashing of Russia on Wednesday.
A Scottish side boasting 14 changes from the team that beat Samoa 34-0 last week easily outgunned a Russian side ranked 20th in the world and which had suffered three defeats in their three previous Pool A games (Japan 30-10, Samoa 34-9, Ireland 35-0).
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend had no option but to rest the likes of big guns Greig Laidlaw, Finn Russell, Stuart Hogg, Blade Thompson and Johnny Gray, with only a four-day turnover before the game against Japan in Yokohama on Sunday.
Townsend’s bet on a largely second-string side producing enough to seal the win paid off, however, with Hastings — son of legendary former captain Gavin — running the show with aplomb at Shizuoka’s Ecopa Stadium.
The result leaves Scotland on 10 points in Pool A while unbeaten hosts Japan have 14 and Ireland — who play Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday — 11. Only the two top sides will advance to the knock-out phase.
Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez showed Argentina what they had been missing with a masterful first-half performance Wednesday, as the eliminated Pumas restored some pride with a 47-17 win against the United States at the Rugby World Cup.
Sanchez was controversially left out of the matchday 23 for the crunch match against England last Saturday, which Argentina lost 39-10, resulting in their first pool-stage exit since 2003.
But the Stade Francais playmaker ran the show against the United States in Kumagaya, getting Argentina off the mark after a cagey first 20 minutes by outpacing US fullback Mike Te’o to the line.
With nothing to lose, Argentina played a highly entertaining brand of free-flowing rugby, slicing through American defenses seemingly at will.
Wales beat Fiji to reach Rugby World Cup quarters, Scots set up showdown with Japan and Pumas pummel USA
Wales beat Fiji to reach Rugby World Cup quarters, Scots set up showdown with Japan and Pumas pummel USA
- Fiji scored two tries in the first eight minutes playing some free-flowing rugby, but Wales pegged them back and a Liam Williams try with 12 minutes left buried the Fijians’ chances
- Scotland will play Japan for a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals after a 26-point haul from Adam Hastings helped them to a nine-try, 61-0 thrashing of Russia
Mbappe and Asencio strike as Real Madrid calm storm with 2-0 win over Levante
- Real stayed second in LaLiga on 48 points from 20 matches, one behind leaders Barcelona
- The win also snapped Real’s two-match losing run and offered brief respite after a bruising week
MADRID: Real Madrid ended a turbulent week with a 2-0 LaLiga win over lowly Levante on Saturday courtesy of second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio, after being met with boos from a restless Bernabeu crowd before the breakthrough arrived.
Real stayed second in LaLiga on 48 points from 20 matches, one behind leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand and visit Real Sociedad on Sunday. Levante are 19th with 14 points.
The win also snapped Real’s two-match losing run and offered brief respite after a bruising week.
They looked flat in the first half, still carrying the scars of Sunday’s 3-2 Spanish Super Cup final defeat by Barcelona, followed by the departure of manager Xabi Alonso and a shock 3-2 Copa del Rey exit to second-division Albacete.
Boos greeted the players at kickoff, with sections of the crowd also directing chants at club president Florentino Perez. Real finally eased the tension when defender Dela tripped Mbappe in the box, and the French forward converted the penalty in the 58th minute to extend his league-leading tally to 19 goals.
Seven minutes later, Real doubled their advantage through center-back Asencio, who rose to meet Arda Guler’s corner with a powerful header to make it 2-0, giving new coach Alvaro Arbeloa a crucial cushion and settling the mood inside the stadium.
“It was a very important day. Everyone wanted to turn the situation around,” Asencio told RMTV. “What happened in Albacete shouldn’t have happened. We felt guilty and wanted to make up for it.”
ARBELOA REACTS
Tensions at the Bernabeu spared no one, with the crowd particularly aggressive toward Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham, whistling both players whenever they touched the ball during a cagey first half.
Vinicius, who scored 22 goals last season, has managed only six across all competitions this campaign, while Bellingham has found the net five times, compared with 15 last season.
Asked about Vinicius, Arbeloa — a former Real right back — said he is determined to help the 25-year-old Brazilian winger rediscover his best form.
“I’ve been booed a lot myself, and one of the things that makes this club great is the high standards demanded,” the Spaniard said.
“We know what kind of week we’ve had, and the demands placed on us, and we have to take it in our stride because they know we can give more. I have no complaints about them — it’s on us to give much more at the Bernabeu.
“I’m going to work on improving Vinicius. I’m going to ask his teammates to give him as many balls as possible. He’s the most unpredictable player in the world.”
When asked about chants aimed at Perez, Arbeloa defended the club president: “I believe the shouts are not from people who dislike Florentino, but from people who dislike Real Madrid. All Madrid fans know how fortunate we are to have him.”
