Wales blown apart by New Zealand

New Zealand 42 Wales 9

Wales were blown away by a Dan Carter second-half masterclass as New Zealand romped to another resounding success in Dunedin.

The All Blacks thrashed Ireland 66-28 last weekend but had looked set for a far tougher afternoon as a spirited Wales first-half display saw the tourists within touching distance at 15-9 at half-time.

But with Carter to the fore the All Blacks stepped up a gear after the break with 27 unanswered points in the final Test match to be played at Carisbrook.

Carter scored a pair of tries in a dominant second half while Richard Kahui added another as Wales’ defence was in the end left in tatters by relentless All Blacks pressure.

The All Blacks had led at half time thanks to scores from Keven Mealamu and Cory Jane that masked the impressive early industry from the Welsh.

The tourists started strongly and could have been a try ahead inside the first couple of minutes after Andrew Bishop, who came into the side for James Hook, charged down a Carter kick inside the All Blacks 22. Israel Dagg covered and won the chase to ground in.

Stephen Jones got the first points with a penalty in the fourth minute and Wales continued to press forward showing the attacking rugby they had promised in the build-up.

Andrew Bishop made a couple of strong runs as did Jamie Roberts and Wales were recycling the ball well until they got to within about five metres of the All Blacks line and prop Adam Jones knocked on.

Although New Zealand were able to clear their lines Wales soon had them under pressure again with Stephen Jones’ pinpoint kicks to Joe Rokocoko’s left wing where he and Dagg did not look assured.

After 15 minutes a strong run by Victor Vito resulted in a penalty for Wales when the young blindside flanker held on after being tackled and Stephen Jones had all the rights to the ball.

Leigh Halfpenny stepped up to take the long-range kick close to the halfway line and made no mistake.

But despite Wales having much of the possession and good territorial position it was New Zealand who got the first try of the match through hooker Keven Mealamu.

The forwards were stopped just short from a good attacking five-metre lineout but a ruck infringement saw New Zealand awarded a penalty.

Scrum-half Jimmy Cowan took the quick tap and Mealamu burrowed over. Carter added the extras and the All Blacks were 7-6 ahead.

Gavin Thomas, making his first appearance for Wales in three years, was then caught offside and Carter slotted his second penalty.

New Zealand stretched their lead to 15-6 with a try to Cory Jane in the 32nd minute when Conrad Smith poached the ball at the ruck after Alun Wyn Jones had been tackled.

Smith flicked the ball out wide to his Hurricanes team-mate Jane who raced 70 metres downfield stepping Tom Prydie and Ryan Jones on his way to the try-line, Carter missed the conversion.

Stephen Jones replied immediately with Wales’ third penalty but couldn’t convert a fourth opportunity when Brad Thorn was penalised for killing the ball.

Wales were almost made to pay for another error at the start of the second period when Stephen Jones saw a kick charged down by Ben Franks on halfway and the All Blacks rumbled forward.

A couple of quick phases ended with Brad Thorn bearing down on the line but some solid Wales defending held him up before stealing the ball away.

There was little respite for Wales though as the All Blacks drove forward again, before Thorn’s forward pass in the corner let the tourists off the hook.

New Zealand were now clearly stamping their authority on the game and it was not long before they made it count on the scoreboard.

Carter struck over a 50th-minute penalty before grabbing his team’s third try almost from the restart.

Rokocoko splintered the away defence in a buccaneering run from his own half and set the All Blacks in motion towards a try that was sealed with a clever one-two between Carter and Jane.

Carter added the conversion and suddenly the All Blacks were pulling away with a 25-9 lead with 54 minutes played.

Wales almost pulled back an unlikely try when, after withstanding more pressure on their own tryline, a hasty kicked clearance set up a breakaway.

Halfpenny won the race to the ball on the halfway line and kicked forward off the ground again but Kahui outpaced him to extinguish the danger.

Carter, who became the first New Zealander to surpass 1,000 Test points in the thumping win over Ireland last weekend, added his second try in the 67th minute.

Wales were made to pay again for turnover ball when the industrious Mealamu snatched the ball away and began a eye-catching phase of play that was capped by the supreme finishing off Carter as he raced 40 metres almost untouched despite a maze of would-be defenders circling him.

The Welsh defence was now in tatters and Kahui was similarly untroubled as he raced from halfway to score his side’s fifth try four minutes later.

Carter was then given an early rest but it hardly stopped the one-way flow as Ryan Jones had to scramble across his own tryline to stop another All Black try.