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From Dafydd Pritchard
BBC Sport Wales in Oita, Japan
Logic pointed to nothing other – but logic does not apply at the World Cup to Wales.
Their hearts were broken to become too positive if world ranking, shape and the rest of the measurable factors suggested they would beat against France .
The pain of history kept Welsh complacency the most agonising episode of being the 2011 semi-final reduction to France.
Wales could have won despite having to play with an entire game with 14 men because of Sam Warburton card, and also to lose by a single point just deepened their despair .
Eight years on they exorcised those demons in Auckland using a near mirror image of occasions.
This time it was France who saw reddish – Sebastien Vahaamahina strangely elbowing Aaron Wainwright – and now it was.
Captain Alun Wyn Jones and George North were the only Wales gamers while Maxime Medard was the sole survivor of France, to play in both matches.
But Wales head coach Warren Gatland stated that his players used the hurt of 2011 .
“I think for the coaches and players which were involved 2011, that is an edge concerning preparation and recalling about this,” he said later.
“It is ironic that the previous time we had been at a World Cup there was a red card and it turned out to be a one-point game also.
“We didn’t play our best but we showed some character, and that is testament to the group of men – we could be enthusiastic about looking forward to a semi-final.”
That excitement is warranted. For all of the pre-tournament talk of the being Wales’ best opportunity yet to acquire the initial World Cup, this will be their third semi-final.
Wales dropped another two – in 1987 and also 2011 – so they will savour next Sunday’s meeting with South Africa, and no one more so.
The New Zealander will resign as head coach at the conclusion of the World Cup and it looked as though his shimmering 12-year reign would come to a very ignominious and early end.
“You begin going through a great deal of different emotions,” Gatland said, confessing that he thought this might be it.
“What I will be saying from here [to the press at his post-match summit ], what I am likely to be stating on the television – you’re thinking on these prospective situations.
“France played tremendously well and they’ve made a lot of progress over the past five months.
“I definitely went through a lot of feelings now but coming in at half-time and getting several clear messages to the players about what we were going to perform in the second half [was important].
“I am proud of the players and the way we hung in there.”
Those players weren’t going to let Gatland – Wales’ coach – to depart on such a level note.
Having trailed on, Wales were 19-10 down at half-time but, they discovered a way to win despite continued to play by their very own current high criteria.
That is what Wales do beneath Gatland.
They fought back to win 24-19, and they were 16-0 down away at half-time in their opening Six Nations fixture at February against France and place the ball rolling.
In Paris that day, Gatland said that his group had”forgotten how to lose”.
That fortitude was evident in another comeback victory throughout this campaign in the home to England, and it has been around for the world to see in Japan since Wales withstood a ferocious Australian revival in Tokyo and then overcame an explosive start from Fiji to prevail in Oita.
They had to delve into that deep well of resolve once again upon their return into Oita to confront France.
Wales were not after until the match-winning transformation from Ross Moriarty’s try in the 75th minute, itself of Dan Biggar a play in a play whose first-half sin-binning had cost his side seven factors.
Wales never uttered belief even if they had been deserted by their kind.
They adhered to their task. They had been exhausting after Vahaamahina’s red card although France had not played for fourteen days.
By comparison, as time wore on, Wales, that pride themselves on being among the fittest teams on the planet, seemed to have more powerful.
“We’ve prepared for this. We’ve been to a dark places in the preparation for these minutes and matches,” captain Alun Wyn Jones said.
“The weeks and days do feel a little bit longer clearly because of the size of the event coming up.
“Physicallythis is what we’ve prepared for and we are prepared to go to another one.”
Wales have been planning for this World Cup for decades, and these trainings have been focused over the previous 18 months.
The summer trip of Argentina and the USA of last year helped construct strength with debuts for gamers like Wainwright and a first-team routine.
Then there was the sweep of the Tests of last autumn – including victories over Australia and South Africa – and also this year’s Six Nations Grand Slam, all which led to some record winning streak of 14 matches.
Wales’ players started convening for World Cup prior to focusing on gruelling training camps at altitude in the Swiss Alps after which in Turkey’s heat.
The planning has been meticulous, a World Cup years in the making.
He said Gatland had been mapping out this campaign for the previous ten decades After Jones was asked about the area of Welsh preparations.
Currently that decade boils down to two matches: some rather than a.
“We are excited about being where we are. We’re in a semi-final of a World Cup,” Gatland said.
“Alun Wyn was stating that we’ve got 240 minutes to do something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.
“We’re down to 160 today, if you can’t get excited about that, nothing can excite you.”
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