For the second week in a Wales setback. This encounter ended by 26 points, and if you missed it, it will look like just another on their lengthy record setbacks versus New Zealand, which now stretches back 34 encounters to 1953.
However, it's also plausible, for those who coached it and on the field, for the spectators in attendance, and the massive TV audience watching on TV, it could still turn out to represent a deeper importance than just a loss. While not a complete turnaround, a breakthrough, but they took a little look into the future and caught a sight of upcoming seasons may appear under Steve Tandy's guidance as coach.
On three occasions, the All Blacks stretched ahead crossing the line, starting with early in the match, and repeatedly Wales managed to haul their way back back into the match by touching down a try themselves immediately after.
They were all finished by Scarlets’ wing Tom Rogers, making him the inaugural Welsh player to score a hat-trick facing New Zealand. However, the efforts also to the squad, particularly Tomos Williams, who set up one with a tricky precision kick, Rees-Zammit, who created another with an excellent reception, and Hawkins, assisting the final try with a fine long pass.
Five minutes into the latter period, the score stood at 24-21, with just a single penalty by Damian McKenzie keeping them apart. Two of New Zealand’s three tries were the result of lineouts, the first a straightforward finish by Caleb Clarke, and another even easier by Tamaiti Williams following a forward push. Another try was a brilliant finish by the fullback, who weaved through a defensive hole with the help of deception and agility, and raced 30 meters to score.
Game Overview
- Wales Murray; Rees-Zammit, Llewellyn, Hawkins, Rogers (Tompkins 55); Edwards (Evans 68), Williams (Hardy 68); Carré (G Thomas 52), Lake (Coghlan 76), Assiratti (Griffin 52), Jenkins, Beard (F Thomas 70), Mann, Deaves (Morse 68), Plumtree
- Yellow cards two players sent off temporarily
- Scores multiple tries from the wings
- Conversions Evans 3
- All Blacks Love (Reece 55); Jordan, Ioane, Lienert-Brown (Fainga’anuku 68), Clarke; McKenzie, Ratima (Christie 55); Williams (Bower 55), Taukei’aho (Bell 65), Tosi (Newell 55), Barrett, Holland (Lord 64), Parker, Kirifi (Lio-Willie 68), Sititi
- Scores Clarke 2, Reece 2, Love, Williams, Ioane
- Conversions perfect kicking record
- Three points from McKenzie
Match official the referee was Hollie Davidson
Attendance 68,388
At this stage that New Zealand shifted into another level. They added three touchdowns in a short burst. Two were ruled out, for a forward pass, the second upon replay revealed Rogers barely managed to prevent the score. But the third, originally disallowed as the official suspected there had been a knock-on off a cross-field kick, was confirmed to Rieko Ioane after replays on TV.
From then on, the match to deteriorate. First, Gareth Thomas received a to the sin-bin, when he reentered, the flanker went off too.
They notched additional tries during the last period, including two from Reece. But Wales did manage to pull another back on their own, thanks to brilliant efforts from Murray and Louis Rees-Zammit. The stadium came alive at that moment, despite the fact the score was against them, they were proud to celebrate something to applaud, and a view of initial signs of improvement facing one of the world’s best teams.
