Moriarty: I feared a red that would be the end of me

Just 80 seconds after heading onto the field as a replacement for Josh Navidi, the Dragons number eight caught France’s Gael Fickou with a high tackle, his swinging right arm catching the centre in the jaw.

Referee Jaco Peyper, the South African official who had sent Moriarty off in Argentina last year, looked at the incident on the big screen, swiftly decided it was worthy of a yellow and called the offender over.

“It’s not a red is it?” asked Moriarty and, after miscommunication, for a split second thought it was.

It was with relief that the back row forward was only leaving his teammates up against it for 10 minutes rather than 52.

“I was just thinking, ‘please, please don’t be a red’. I knew how bad that would be for the team. I’ve been in that situation before and it’s not a nice feeling,” said the 25-year-old.

“I never go into a game intending to do anything that would get me a card or put the team at any risk of not winning. That was definitely a big moment.

“I had only been on for 90 seconds and I was thinking to myself: ‘If he gives me a red card this is the end of me’.”

Thankfully, it wasn’t and Moriarty was able to set about avoiding trouble – and then coming up with the key score in the tense 20-19 win.

“It was very nerve-racking then to come back on and make sure there were no more mistakes and no penalties,” he said.

“That’s what I did and to be able to put the ball down towards the end of the game was a very good feeling.

“I knew I had to come on and be very, very squeaky clean and make sure I didn’t do any more damage to the team and myself. That was on my mind.

“It does stick in your mind. I was thinking ‘please, no one come near me’! Sometimes people slip up in tackles, players duck and dive.

“It’s a contact sport - it’s inevitable sometimes. Fortunately there were no other incidents in the game.

“From past World Cups we know referees look harshly on certain things.

“In the last few years it has been high tackles - any contact with the head will be looked at.

“It’s difficult when things happen in a split second.”

Moriarty was the hero in the closing stages - “it was probably the easiest try I’ve ever scored but probably the most nervous I’ve been scoring one” - and looks set to be a starter against South Africa on Sunday.

Navidi’s tournament is over because of a hamstring injury and the Dragons number eight is battling Scarlets flankers Aaron Shingler and James Davies to be in the XV to face the Springboks.

“It is sad to see Josh not be involved for the rest of the tournament because he has been great so far,” said Moriarty.

“But luckily I’m not too bad, I’ve had no knocks and just need to make sure my fitness is up and I am doing as much as I can to prepare for the weekend if I’m involved.”

Wales boss Warren Gatland names his team to face the Boks on Friday morning.

“Obviously, if we win then maybe people will think that I got the try that got us into the semi,” said Moriarty.

“Hopefully that’s what they’ll remember more than the yellow.”