Rugby World Cup 2023 - I Know ‘Cause I Was There

Ed Williams has been reporting for the Yorkshire Times, part of the p.ublished group of online newspapers, on his local club, Wharfedale RUFC. Today he becomes our international rugby correspondent and is in France for the Rugby World Cup 2023. Here is his latest report...

A tired but elated group of Welsh supporters survived the journey back to the hotel. Local transport closed down leaving many people facing a long walk but nobody cared. The Aussies were tucked up in bed having left the stadium in droves as the humiliation was heaped upon them.

As a group of supporters, we set off just over two weeks ago in hope, with little expectation. Now the buzz is the Quarter Finals and even beyond. Gatland has worked wonders; nearly everything that Wales tried worked whereas Australia were woeful – even Barnes couldn’t help them and he soon became a bit player in a drama of almost total Welsh dominance.

Hats off to the Aussie supporters who stayed until the end, they got the warm embrace of rugby folk as the winners and losers faced each other in respect. The ones who left early were waved away as if being dismissed as naughty children.

England, Ireland and now Wales seem to have booked their places in the knock-out stage and there is still a chance that Scotland could join them. So much for the experts who have said that the Northern Hemisphere teams will not stand a chance.

And now the flight home and dreams of joining up again in Paris!