John Jackson, left, thought Wales almost threw the game away
By Iolo Cheung in Bordeaux & Nelli Bird
BBC News
Rugby fans are celebrating after Wales began their world cup campaign with a win against Fiji.
Supporters were jubilant after Josh Adams scored the match’s first try, and Wales ended the first half with an 18-14 advantage.
Hope turned to joy in the second half, with Wales bagging a 32-26 win against the Pacific islanders’ side.
Fans had flocked to Bordeaux for the match and hoped for a Wales win despite Fiji’s high ranking in the group.
Wales player Liam Williams’ mum Jane travelled there to watch her son and the team play.
She said she felt it was “really really close” adding that it was an “excellent game”.
Wales player Liam Williams’ mum Jane watched the game with the families of other players
“Here in the stadium my heart was going, it was crazy,” she said.
“But I think Liam and all the boys played well.”
Her nerves at the end were “awful”.
“I wouldn’t even look,” she said. “But we got the win. We’re gonna go all the way and win the cup. You’ve got to believe.”
Pamela, from Llanharan, said: “Brilliant, what a game. It could have gone any way, so exciting. But we held out and on to the next one.
Pamela from Llnaharan thought the game was brilliant
“I was so nervous. It was a brilliant game though, really enjoyed it – well worth coming.
“I think now we’ve beaten Fiji everyone else will be worried now.”
John Jackson, from Risca, who was also in Bordeaux, said: “They made hard work of it – left it to the last minute and almost threw it all away. We were lucky.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but let’s go for it.”
Closer to home, fans gathered at Cardiff Arms Park, cheering and singing through the rollercoaster of a game.
Fans at Cardiff Arms Park were jubilant as Wales scored the first try
Nerys Royal, from Aberdare, said: “It was just so tense.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, can you imagine if we don’t go through?’.””It definitely had us on the edge of our seats,” added her sister Susan Jones.
Nerys Royal, Emily Jones and Susan Jones
Danielle Bartz was part of a big family group from Merthyr who came to the club to watch the game.”We were all on edge,” she said.
“I think we played really well and I think it was just silly mistakes. But yeah it was nerve wracking for us all.”
A family group from Merthyr Tydfil watched the game at the Cardiff fan zone
Beth Nicolas was also part of that group.”It was a very, very good game,” she said.
“I think the game can only be as good as you make it.
“Whoever you are in Wales, you just need to live up to that reputation.
“Wherever we are, we will always be proud of our boys.”
Cadan ap Tomos, Richard Vaughan and Meilyr Hedd
Richard Vaughan, conductor of the Cor y Gleision, watched the game at the club with Meilyr Hedd and Cadan Ap Tomos.”It’s just nice to have tries being scored by Wales, it’s fabulous,” he said.
“It’s exactly what you want.”
