Wales 23-55 New Zealand rugby LIVE REACTION: Aaron Smith stars with two epic tries as Kiwis win Cardiff clash in style
WALES lost their Autumn Internationals clash with New Zealand 48-53.
Codie Taylor and Aaron Smith scored a couple of tries each as the Kiwis put on a fine display at the Principality Stadium.
The Dragons constantly fought their way back into the game on numerous occasions, but the visitors were just too strong on the day.
- RESULT: Wales 23-55 New Zealand
- Wales team: 15 Anscombe, 14 Rees-Zammit, 13 North, 12 Tompkins, 11 Dyer, 10 Priestland, 9 T Williams; 1 G Thomas, 2 Owens, 3 Francis, 4 Rowlands, 5 Beard, 6 Tipuric, 7 Reffell, 8 Faletau.
- New Zealand team: 15 B Barrett, 14 Reece, 13 R Ioane, 12 J Barrett, 11 Clarke, 10 Mo'unga, 9 Smith; 1 De Groot, 2 Taylor, 3 Lomax, 4 Whitelock, 5 B Barrett, 6 Frizell, 7 Papalii, 8 Savea.
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Wales 0-17 New Zealand
20. Mo'unga continues his reliable kicking game.
With only 19 minutes gone, the visitors are dominating the scoreboard.
Wales having possession in good areas but not using it.
Try - Codie Taylor (New Zealand)
Wales 0-10 New Zealand
18. The All Blacks are yards from the Welsh line again.
The attack all led from Wales not capitalising their own penalty scrum and gifting possession back to the visitors.
New Zealand are knocking on the door again here.
Wales 0-10 New Zealand
16. Despite the roof being closed, the pitch seems very wet and ball just as greasy.
It is causing some handling errors and knock-ons.
This time the penalty being awarded to Wales on halfway.
Wales 0-10 New Zealand
14. Wales seem to have lost some shape.
The clinical nature of the visitors seems to have knocked their confidence.
New Zealand are awarded a penalty for collapsing the scrum.
Wales 0-10 New Zealand
12. Mo'unga sends the ball straight through the posts.
At this rate, Wales' drought against New Zealand does not seem to be changing any time soon.
Wales have the scrum on the Kiwis' twenty-two.
Try - Codie Taylor (New Zealand)
Wales 0-3 New Zealand
9. Papalii breaks a tackle and heads straight through the Welsh line.
Big chance for the All Blacks here.
Two metres short of the Welsh line.
Wales 0-3 New Zealand
7. Wales are still probing.
Trying to drive forward and find some holes in the Kiwi back line.
The fans are really getting behind every wave of attack.
Wales 0-3 New Zealand
5. The All Blacks chose to put points on the board.
As soon as they had the penalty they knew what they were going to do.
We see a lot of indecision from sides in that position in the modern game and it can cost them.
Penalty - Mo'unga (New Zealand)
Wales 0-0 New Zealand
3. New Zealand win their first line-out of the game cleanly.
Chance for the visitors to drive forward now.
Wales need to watch their penalty count today, a side like the Kiwis will punish them for such unforced errors.
Wales 0-0 New Zealand
1. Wales start on the front foot.
Penning the Kiwis into their own twenty-two.
Some good handling by the Welsh already.
Kick-off: Wales vs New Zealand
And we are underway in Cardiff.
The roof is closed, the stadium is sold-out and the noise is electric.
Wales get the game started, looking to put 69 years of pain behind them.
A year to forget for All Blacks
New Zealand have lost four times in ten tests this calendar year.
Ian Foster's side have improved somewhat and are currently on a four-match winning streak.
They kicked off their end-of-year tour with an unconvincing 38-31 victory over Japan in Tokyo last week.
Great weather for the gardens
Flowers will be blossoming in the capital today with the weather looking very wet for the visit of New Zealand.
Ian Foster confirmed that the reason for the closed-roof today at the Principality Stadium was due to the rain.
The atmosphere in the stadium with the closed roof may come to haunt the New Zealand coach.
Taking champions all the way
Wales will come into this game full of confidence after their July tour of South Africa.
Wayne Pivac's side lost the series 2-1 but the performances were something which will have delighted management, coaches and fans alike.
Culminating in Wales' first-ever win over the world champions on African soil.
Halfpenny for your thoughts
Leigh Halfpenny will be dejected with his injury ruling him out of the game today.
He was due to return to test rugby for the first time since a 16-month absence after suffering serious knee ligament damage.
Fortunately, it is a hamstring injury he picked up on club duty that has reoccurred and nothing to do with the knee injury that kept him out for so long.
Play the occasion not the history
Wales have only beaten the All Blacks on three occasions in the 115-year history of this fixture.
When the sides met last season, New Zealand ran out 54-16 winners.
All the talk before the game is the drought Wales have been on since their last win against the visitors.
Pivac needs to ensure his side put this out of their minds and focus on the performances in the test series versus South Africa.
Keeping a lid on it
In a wet and wintery Cardiff this afternoon, the decision to have the roof closed for the game should make for perfect playing conditions.
Purists of the game would want to see the test played with the roof open and allow the elements to play a part in proceedings.
One thing is for sure, it will make for a cauldron of an atmosphere in the Welsh capital today.
Wales looking positively to internationals
This will be Wales' first international since a July tour to South Africa saw them lose the series 1-2 despite registering their first-ever win over the world champions on African soil.
Pivac's side need to re-affirm themselves this winter after a Six Nations campaign that saw them win just the one game.
It also included a first-ever home defeat by regular wooden spoon winners Italy.
Latest injury news for Wales
Leigh Halfpenny has been withdrawn from the squad with an aggravation of his hamstring injury sustained on club duty.
Gareth Anscombe moves to fullback and Rhys Priestland will start at flyhalf.
Sam Costelow joins the Wales replacements wearing number 22.
Raising the roof in Principality
Such is the urge among Welsh fans to put their All Blacks curse to bed, it will be an electric atmosphere in Cardiff.
For a country that loves its rugby so much, it is a personal torture for Welsh fans for New Zealand to have not lost to them for 69 years.
Sadly, when visiting previously, the atmosphere in Cardiff tends motivate rather than intimidate the All Blacks.
New Zealand replacements:
16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Brad Weber, 22 David Havili, 23 Anton Lienert-Brown.
Wales replacements:
16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Dillon Lewis, 19 Alun Wyn Jones, 20 Christ Tshiunza, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Owen Watkin.
