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If the Welsh national anthem doesn’t get you fired up then nothing will, and the reverberations around the stadium with a closed roof certainly got the All Blacks fired for a good start.
A solid midfield hit up from Shannon Frizell drew the opening penalty before the Black forwards set about their work in the narrow channels.
With Richie Mo’unga carving off metres for fun from penalties, one that went from 22 to 22, on the back of the All Blacks being awarded the first four, the All Black forwards went to work in the narrow channels and Wales were in all sorts of problems keeping them out.
All Blacks 55, Wales 23: MATCH REPORT
For the opening try Dalton Papalii made a bust off a nice midfield bump, Frizell was right on his shoulder for the rapid ball clean out and Wales were never able to halt the momentum until Cody Taylor got over.
Similarly for the second try, New Zealand were mixing up the lineout throwing to their flankers and that narrow channel pressure saw the ABs in again.
Referee Wayne Barnes was a little lenient for mine with Wales trying to get hands at the ball from prone positions and captain Justin Tipuric lucky not to get himself a card joining a New Zealand offensive ruck alongside the attacking forwards.
There were a few things to note in that opening half an hour.
New Zealand totally changed up their exits with Aaron Smith kicking from the base and deliberately not putting the ball into touch. Not sure I am a fan, I like the hit up, back to Richie Mo’unga and restart with a lineout at halfway approach rather than the ball bobbling around on your own 40.
Aaron Smith took real advantage from the All Blacks’ scrum and ruck work and gave his opposite Tomos Williams all sorts of issues as he looked to press in very similar fashion to what TJ Perenara did to Craig Casey in the battle of the second teams in Dublin.
But as has become something of a pattern this year after getting flying starts, the focus and discipline of the visitors wavered. In particular their efforts at the breakdown. Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, Cody Taylor and Tyrel Lomax all conceded on the ground and with Wales kicking to the corner a try had to come and nice little midfield wrap around move saw new boy Rio Dyer in next to the sticks.
It’s worth noting that the midfield D looked a little wobbly more than once in the opening 40.
Caleb Clarke of New Zealand celebrates as Jordie Barrett of New Zealand scores his side’s third try. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The All Blacks closed out the half by rolling forward rapidly and Mo’unga again kicking well, picked out the tallest back in the business and Jordie Barrett soared about the defender to score in the corner.
After second half started in somewhat dour fashion Aaron Smith made a very rare passing error and put his own team under pressure and Wales attacked from a 5m lineout. The All Black maul defence was a text book Crusader pincer move with Frizell one side, and Taylor the other, binding high up and stopping the Welsh maul from rolling either left or right – I do like this structure.
The second half was somewhat basketball like as kick-off receipt errors put the defending teams under pressure and tries were conceded.
Smith embarrassed the new Welsh toy on the openside, Tommy Reffell, for a real throw back score, Tipuric crossed with the All Black back field in disarray, and Nugget sneaked over again as Wales were the first side to fall for the Ardie Savea mega dummy since his Rongatai College days and he snuck a wonderful soft offload away for a critical score.
Savea himself got across as the All Blacks went back to a patient and direct approach in the forwards that the Welsh simply could not handle. What a difference in style and approach to the helter skelter nonsense of the last two years. Wonderful stuff.
Jordie Barrett’s second was well worked with a well-timed pass from his brother but again, all built on the back of the eight rolling forwards, and of course the final say had to go to Samisoni Taukei’aho who made the bookies pay out on his name again.
This really sets up the rest of the tour: Smith and Mo’unga ran the show, give me a Shannon Frizell number 6 performance every day of the week, always in the dark places, the entire pack was patient and direct while being just way too physical for Wales. Add in solid set piece and lineout maul defence and the coaching ticket will be very satisfied.
I’m not sure the New Zealand midfield defence was a sure as they would like it to be, and Beauden Barrett suffered from both positioning and execution issues at the back and would be first to the bar afterwards buying Mo’unga a pint for bailing him out with a try saving tackle after being charged down with a lazy clearance.
Wales disappointed. It was clear they were going to have a go with ball in hand but that forward pack really lacks grunt and they could do very little to stop the New Zealand forwards once they got going.
Off to Scotland we go with focus on discipline at the breakdown the big work on.
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