Wales still have to beat their hoodoo as they failed to end the 56-year wait for a win against New Zealand. The first half was a tight affair and although both sides had chances with ball in hand it was Carter whose boot opened the scoring on 13 minutes, Jones levelled for Wales soon after and both players kicked one more goal a piece before the half time whistle to go in tied at 6-6.
The second half continued much as the first although a betting man would have said that with the All Blacks looking the stronger side it would be them who broke the deadlock and so it proved. Carter kicked two further penalties and then Andrew Hore went over for the all important try, converted by Carter. Dan Carter did not miss a kick as he moved to within a point of Andrew Mehrtens’ All Blacks Test points record. Jones slotted two penalties the last with 5 minutes to go to peg the Kiwis back to seven points, but that was as good as it got for Wales, as the Kiwis pummelled their line but they stood firm. So we ended the game with the final score of:
Wales 12-19 New Zealand
Scorers
Wales
Pens: S Jones 4
New Zealand
Try: Hore Con: Carter Pens: Carter 4
Teams
Wales: Hook; Halfpenny, Shanklin, J Roberts, S Williams; S. Jones, Cooper; Jenkins, Rees, P James, A-W Jones, Charteris, Powell, M Williams, R Jones (capt).
Replacements: M Roberts for Cooper (54), Bennett for Rees (60), Duncan Jones for P James (60), B Davies for Charteris (68), Dafydd Jones for Powell (66).
Not Used: J Davies, T James.
New Zealand: Muliaina, Jane, C. Smith, Nonu, Guildford, Carter, Leonard, Crockett, Hore, Tialata, Thorn, Eaton, Kaino, McCaw (capt), Read. Replacements: Cowan for Leonard (49), Franks for Crockett (59), Donnelly for Eaton (54), Thomson for Read (65).
Not Used: Flynn, Donald, B. Smith.
Att: 74,330
Ref: Craig Joubert (South Africa).