Carter inspires All Black romp

Dan Carter
12 April 2012

Wales were blown away by a Dan Carter second-half masterclass as New Zealand romped to a resounding 42-9 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.

Stephen Jones got the first points with a penalty in the fourth minute for the tourists and Wales continued to press forward showing the attacking rugby they had promised in the build-up. In the 15th minute Victor Vito held on after being tackled and Leigh Halfpenny stepped up to make no mistake from long-range.

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, where scrum-half Jimmy Cowan took the quick tap and Mealamu burrowed over. Carter added the extras and slotted his second kick when Gavin Thomas was caught offside.

New Zealand stretched their lead to 15-6 with a try from 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.

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

Carter struck over a 50th-minute penalty before grabbing his team's third try almost from the restart. Joe 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, with the former adding the conversion to make it 25-9 after 54 minutes.

In the 67th minute Carter ran in his second try from 40 metres after the industrious Mealamu snatched the ball away and began a eye-catching phase of play that was capped by a supreme finish

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.

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