Halfpenny lays ghost of semi miss to rest

Leigh Halfpenny admits his last minute penalty winner in Wales’ opening Six Nations triumph over Ireland laid to rest ghosts of his World Cup heartache. Halfpenny missed a late penalty in Wales’ 9-8 semi-final defeat to France to secure them a first World Cup final appearance but he was a hero in Dublin.

He took over kicking duties from off-target Rhys Priestland and Halfpenny guided Wales to a stunning victory in the Aviva Stadium yesterday.

“After the heartache of the miss against France I felt a lot of hurt and it was great to put that right and put it behind me,’’ said Halfpenny.

“When I saw we had a late penalty I was obviously very nervous — but so relieved to see the ball go over.

“I knew I hit it well but I made sure I watched it go over.”

Priestland, who had been struggling with a knee injury in the build-up to the tournament, missed all of his three kicks — a conversion and two penalties — at the Aviva Stadium as Wales should have won more convincingly.

Halfpenny, also a proven top-class kicker, stepped forward in the second half to convert Jonathan Davies’ second try and kick two penalties, including the decisive late winner in Dublin, as Wales secured a third successive win over their Celtic rivals.

Halfpenny admits it would be “a dream come true” if he was handed Wales’ full-time kicking reigns starting in Sunday’s visit of Scotland to Cardiff.

“I’ve kicked since I was a youngster,” said the 23-year-old.

“I never dreamt I would play for Wales, let alone kick for Wales and I’d love to get the opportunity but that is up to the coaches. It would be a dream come true, I’d be thrilled to bits.”

Halfpenny’s eight points in Ireland on Sunday was his best points haul with the boot in his 28 Wales caps.

Meanwhile Sam Warburton admits he faces a race against time to be fit for Wales’ Six Nations clash with Scotland on Sunday.

The Wales captain suffered a dead leg and was replaced at half-time in their opening Six Nations win in Ireland by Ospreys young flanker Justin Tipuric. The 23-year-old open-side admits “it is too early to tell” if he will be fit for Scotland’s visit to Cardiff.

“These things react differently in the next 24 to 48 hours,” he said. “It is only a dead leg, nothing severe.”

Warburton will now be assessed by Wales’ medical team as coach Warren Gatland hopes his skipper can play against the Scots.

“I picked up the dead leg early in the second half,” said the Blues forward.

“It eased off a bit but I took another blow in the same area just before half-time, which ceased up then and it got too bad to continue.

“It is too early to tell if I’ll be ready for Scotland.”

Warren Gatland is already without British and Irish Lions front-row pair prop Gethin Jenkins (knee) and hooker Matthew Rees (calf).