All Blacks return to world no1 after seven-try rout of Wales

October 31, 2021 â€" 9.46am

New Zealand extended its 68-year rugby dominance of Wales with a 54-16 rout in Cardiff on Saturday, with Beauden Barrett marking his 100th test with two of the All Blacks’ seven tries.

There was also a 16th try in 11 tests for right winger Will Jordan, who provided the moment of the match with a wonderful individual score that started in his own half to keep up the stunning start to his international career.

Tries in the final 16 minutes by Dalton Papali’i, Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown and Barrett pushed the All Blacks well clear of a Welsh team that was heavily depleted even before captain and stalwart Alun Wyn Jones was forced off with a left-arm injury in his 149th cap for Wales â€" an appearance record for one country.

It was the first time New Zealand posted a half-century of points in an away match against Wales and it tied the team’s biggest margin of victory in Cardiff, matching the 41-3 win in 2005.

Both of Barrett’s tries were off interceptions, the second coming in the last minute of the match as he raced down the right wing with a broad smile on his face.

“I’m somewhat relieved it’s over â€" it’s been quite a tense week,” Barrett said of his milestone appearance.

Beauden Barrett of New Zealand scores his side’s sixth try.Credit:Getty

“We had to work for it against a very good Welsh side, a very fit side. The big boys fronted up and made it easier for me.”

His brother, Jordie Barrett, kicked 19 points for the All Blacks in the first match of the European leg of their end-of-year tour that’s into its 11th week.

It’s now 32 straight losses against New Zealand for Wales since its last win in this fixture, as far back as 1953. Seventeen of those defeats have been in Cardiff and it was always going to be an uphill battle for Wales with its New Zealand-born coach Wayne Pivac without a slew of key players.

Dan Biggar, Taulupe Faletau and Louis Rees-Zammit were unavailable because the game was being played outside the official World Rugby international window, while George North, Josh Navidi and Justin Tipuric were injured and center Willis Halaholo and fullback Liam Williams had illnesses.

The All Blacks’ class was evident throughout the game but the ruthlessness really showed in the final quarter when Wales tired and the visitors’ bench excelled.

“Credit to New Zealand, it shows why they’re one of the best teams in the world, their ruthlessness,” Wales captain Jonathan Davies said.

Beauden Barrett’s first try came in the fourth minute, when he intercepted a pass from Wales’ New Zealand-born flyhalf Gareth Anscombe, playing his first test in two years, and ran through unchallenged from 40 meters out.

The score was 10-3 -- after Anscombe and Jordie Barrett exchanged penalties -- when Jones sustained his injury in tackling Jordie Barrett. He shook his head as he walked down the tunnel, a member of Wales’ medical staff holding Jones’ arm.

Beauden Barrett of New Zealand celebrates with team mates.Credit:Getty

TJ Perenara’s close-range try in the 34th, from Ardie Savea’s offload, put New Zealand 18-3 ahead but Wales had a glimmer of hope when prop Nepo Laulala was sin-binned for a no-arms tackle of Ross Moriarty -- forcing the back-rower out of the game with a head injury -- and Anscombe booted a penalty before the halftime hooter.

Coming off a hat trick of tries against the United States last weekend, the 23-year-old Jordan again demonstrated his outrageous talent by fielding a box kick from Tomos Williams inside his own half, piercing the defensive line on his return run with a hitch kick and sidestep, before kicking past Williams and collecting the bouncing ball to ground.

Johnny Williams’ converted try from replacement Rhys Priestland’s kick through closed the gap back to 12 points but the All Blacks proved too powerful and clinical in the final quarter.

“We were happy at 28-16 with 18 minutes left,” Pivac said, “but we fell off a cliff in those last 18 minutes.”

Meanwhile, Kyle Steyn scored four tries as Scotland ran riot against a feeble Tonga side to win 60-14 at Murrayfield on Saturday in the opening test of the Autumn internationals.

Scotland scored six tries in the first half to go 36-9 and added four more after the break in a comprehensive performance ahead of tougher tests against Australia and South Africa.

Scotland’s Jamie Dobie is tackled by Tonga’s Jethro Felemi.Credit:PA

Rufus McLean scored the first two tries on his debut and there was also a try for another newcomer, loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman.

George Turner, Nick Haining and Oli Kebble added three more second-half scores with Blair Kinghorn kicking three conversions and his replacement Ross Thompson adding two more.

Tonga, whose were missing nine players and had only four training sessions after a chaotic build-up to their northern hemisphere tour, replied with a second-half try from prop David Lolohea and three penalties from Jaime Faiva.

McLean showed quick thinking and a clean pair of heels as he scored twice in the opening 15 minutes before Steyn’s pace was also on display with a three tries 17 minutes in only his second international. His fourth try was the last of the game.

Scotland, whose entire squad was drawn from the Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors teams, took advantage of a disjointed Tonga side, who were patently short of match fitness.

Schoeman used his strength to push over from close to the line for his try and all three second-half tries came from the forwards after the backs had dominated the opening 40 minutes.

Tonga, who play England at Twickenham next weekend, also drove over for their try, but they were rarely in the hosts’ half of the pitch.

AP

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