Ruthless All Blacks Deny Brave Wales

Wales came agonizingly close to shocking the All Blacks before a burst of late tries left them on the wrong end of a 34-16 score-line in an enthralling encounter in Cardiff.Warren Gatland’s men led 16-15 heading into the closing stages but a hat-trick of quick-fire scores ended all hope of a first Welsh win over the Kiwis in 61 years.

Rhys Webb crossed for Wales early in the second period and Leigh Halfpenny kicked three penalties and a conversion in a faultless display from the tee but a brace of scores from Beauden Barrett and one apiece from Julian Savea, Jerome Kaino and Kieran Read ensured the world’s best team ended their year on yet another high.

Wales were rewarded for a strong start when Halfpenny kicked them in front with six minutes gone after Richie McCaw was penalised for coming off his feet at a ruck on the edge of his 22. Man of the Match Jamie Roberts provided the initial impetus after a solid line out from a Welsh penalty and Halfpenny made no mistake from in line with the posts for the first points of the night.

New Zealand threatened to hit straight back as they burst down the left following turnover ball but both Kaino and Dane Coles threw forward passes as Savea waited on his wing.

The bounce of the ball then cost Wales a try scoring chance themselves as George North chased Jonathan Davies’ hack ahead. A huge hit dislodged possession as the All Blacks piled into the Welsh 22 but the loose ball changed direction at the last minute when North attempted to kick on unopposed close to halfway.

Barrett should have levelled the scores at the end of the first quarter but the man selected ahead of Dan Carter and Aaron Cruden at fly half surprisingly pushed his first attempt at goal wide of the posts from just 10 metres to the left and only a metre outside the 22. But the Hurricanes playmaker made amends in some style a minute later as he hit the target from fully 50 metres to finally put the World Champions on the board.

Wales continued to give as good as they got, though, and they again looked dangerous as skipper Sam Warburton burst through in midfield to put the All Blacks on the back foot after Ben Smith’s up and under on half an hour. Charles Piutau’s smother tackle prevented the offload but Wales still worked the ball left only for referee Wayne Barnes to rule that Halfpenny’s pass to Alex Cuthbert had gone forward as the attack gathered momentum on the Kiwi 22.

New Zealand threatened to build pressure as they went through the phases deep in Welsh territory moments later but Roberts caught opposite number Sonny Bill Williams man and ball and even the cross-code sensation couldn’t hang on to possession.

The visitors seemed to have saved their best until last as the first half drew to a close but Wales refused to buckle and somehow repelled an All Black onslaught as the clock ticked into the red. Piutau looked set to scoot over in the corner as a hint of an overlap opened up on the right but North’s desperate tackle and the determination of his team-mates to cover across kept the Kiwis at bay. But the danger wasn’t quite over as the All Blacks recycled possession and laid siege to the Welsh line. Again the Welsh defence held form, though, with Sonny Bill hit hard once more as a deafening roar greeted the end of a pulsating opening 40 minutes.

That Welsh resistance was breached just two minutes after the restart, however, as Barrett’s break split the Welsh defence in two. The home side did superbly to win back possession just 10 metres from their own line but they lost it again moments later and the Kiwis immediately made them pay. Barrett’s long pass was met with a clever sleight of hand from Conrad Smith as Cuthbert cut in desperately trying to prevent the overlap and Savea picked up the bouncing ball with only Dan Biggar left between him and his 30th international try. Biggar went too high and was fended off by the inform wing and the Millennium Stadium went quiet for the first time of the night.

Barrett added the extras to push his side 10-3 clear and you could almost hear the pessimists claiming that that would be that. But Wales hit back in perfect fashion as Webb exchanged passes with Taulupe Faletau 15 metres from the opposition line before diving over just to the right of the posts for his second score in as many games. Just as he had done when he darted over against Australia a fortnight ago, the Ospreys No9 again showed just how dangerous he is around the base of the ruck as he created the space for Faletau to cut through, with the No8 then flicking a pass back inside to leave the All Blacks stranded.

Halfpenny’s straightforward conversion levelled the scores and the Toulon full back pushed Wales three points in front with 52 minutes gone as he split the posts from 30 metres out with his second successful penalty.

The lead changed hands once again, though, nine minutes later as Kaino claimed the second try of the game for Steve Hansen’s side after Barrett’s cross kick found Conrad Smith in space wide on the right. Wales had repelled the initial threat when Halfpenny and Faletau prevented McCaw from celebrating a century of caps as All Blacks skipper with a score following Coles’ burst down the opposite flank but Barrett’s ingenuity left Kaino with the simplest of tasks.

Barrett failed with the conversion attempt to ensure New Zealand’s lead was just a solitary point and Wales again showed their grit to edge back ahead when Halfpenny kept his nerve to land a third penalty with 13 minutes remaining.

But the All Blacks showed why they have lost just twice in their last 48 matches as they scored a trio of tries in seven minutes to put the game beyond Wales and rob a full house a frantic finale in the capital. A moment of magic from Barrett gave them the first as he gathered his own chip ahead after it bounced just in front of Halfpenny and Read then killed off all hopes of a heroic Welsh result when he charged down Mike Phillips’ box kick for the killer blow with 73 minutes on the clock.

Barrett was again in the thick of the action for the third three minutes later as Ben Smith jumped highest to tap Colin Slade’s cross kick back inside and Barrett eased over his second score and New Zealand’s fifth and final effort of a thrilling Test match.

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