Barrett guides All Blacks to easy win
Too fast, too skilled, the All Blacks ran away with the third Test, winning 46-6 to whitewash tired Wales in the three-Test series.
Whitewashed but not disgraced as they were part of the excellent, wonderfully refreshing rugby of the series.
Wales started well enough and then their legs became slower – earlier than in the other two Tests, as the All Blacks kept relentlessly in their faces, on defence and on attack. It was only in the last 20 minutes, that the game, no longer a contest, became desultory, sometimes resembling bad basketball. Even the All Blacks' interest seemed to wane.
In fact the contest lasted just over 20 minutes, and for most of the match the All Blacks were at their sharpest. That sharp edge often started far out when Wales kicked and paid the price, finding it hard to cope with the speed and daring of Beauden Barrett, Israel Dagg and Ben Smith and the direct running of George Moala who was making his international debut.
Two who were not making debuts were Aaron Smith and Brodie Retallick, both of whom played their 50th Test this evening in Dunedin.
Barrett kicked off to start the match, Wales kicked back and Julian Savea knocked on under no pressure. He fumbled the next kick as well and yielded a turnover when tackled. He is just not the fearsome player he was – at present, at least.
In the first five minutes, Sam Cane was penalised twice, the second penalty goaled by Dan Biggar to give Wales a 3-0 lead. In the match Cane ended up penalised four times and was sent to the sin bin on the fourth occasion, the second time he had played a player without the ball. The yellow card came out of the pocket five minutes into the second half.
In the early stages New Zealand kicked more but when they went through eight advancing phases Luke Charteris was penalised and Barrett made it 3-3 after 15 minutes.
Dane Coles obstructed at the kick-off and Biggar restored the Welsh lead.
Wales kicked and Dagg started a counterattack well inside his own half. He gave to Barrett who gave to be Ben Smith and the right wing went skating down for 40 metres still stopped at the line. Wales were penalised and New Zealand opted for a five-metre scrum. Kieran Read bashed and then Aaron Smith sent a perfect pass to Ben Smith who just squeezed over in the corner as Hallam Amos tackled him. 8-6 after 24 minutes, a lead which the All Blacks increased from now on.
Moala broke and strode straight down the midfield to set New Zealand on the attack. Biggar was penalised for being offside at a knock-on. 11-6 after 26 minutes.
Wales kicked. Dagg countered and set Ben Smith running. The All Blacks went left and Moala burst over – naughty as he had unmarked men outside of him. But the TMO noted that he had knocked the ball on. That gave Wales a scrum five metres from their line. They destroyed the New Zealand scrum and the penalty enabled them to clear their lines.
Wales kicked and Dagg countered on a long run down the New Zealand right. The All Blacks went wide left and back wide right for Dagg to be tackled right at the line. Moala was on hand to dab the ball over the line for a try on his debut. Barrett converted and after 34 minutes the All Blacks led 18-6.
Wales came close to scoring just before half-time when Charteris broke away from a laboured line-out maul and Wales bashed at the line, but Wales lost the ball and Moala. broke out of defence.
Early in the second half, Wales kicked and Dagg countered. The All Blacks were close but Wales, who won the turnover count in the match, tried to run from their own line. Sadly they passed forward and gave the All Blacks a five-metre scrum on their right. Aaron Smith passed straight to Barrett who ran with speed and strength for the line. Helped by team-mates he got over for the try. 25-6 after 44 minutes.
Wales went through phases, 13 of them, but without the speed and creativity of the All Blacks and it all fizzled out with a pass into touch.
New Zealand started making changes with first caps for Liam Squire and burly Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
A penalty gave the All Blacks a line-out on their left. They went wide right where Barrett raced past Hallam Amos and got away from Biggar to score. (You just don't expect a flyhalf to have such speed!) 32-6 after 58 minutes.
The match was now losing shape but a clever short pass from Cane sent Coles racing over for a try. 39-6 after 232 minutes.
The All Blacks ran out of defence and Dagg put a foot on the touchline inside the Welsh 22. New Zealand had a five-metre line-out but ovethrew the ball. In a messy mix-up Liam Sopoaga was over but lost the ball.
New Zealand were penalised with time up. Wales tapped and did phases till Cane won a turnover and gave to Dagg who raced down the right for 90 metres to score. Barrett converted and it was 46-6 after 84 minutes, and the Welsh tour ended.
Man of the Match: The obvious candidates are Israel Dagg, Ben Smith and our choice Beauden Barrett – so creative and surprisingly strong and fast. On defence for Wales, Liam Williams was remarkable and brave.
Moment of the Match: Every time Israel Dagg got the ball from a Welsh kick.
Villain of the Match: Nobody at all. Both sides were a credit to their countries and to the great game.
The scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: B Smith, Moala, Barrett 2, Coles, Dagg
Cons: Barrett 5
Pens: Barrett 2
For Wales:
Pens: Biggar 2
Yellow card: Sam Cane (New Zealand, 46 – repeated infringements, playing scrumhalf at the ruck)
Teams:
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 George Moala, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith , 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Liam Squire, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Waisake Naholo.
Wales: 15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Liam Williams, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (captain), 6 Ross Moriarty, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Rob Evans.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Aaron Jarvis, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Scott Williams.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
