BLACK and BLUE
ABs win comes at a cost for injured star
That’s unlikely to be the last time a Westpac Stadium crowd chants ‘‘Ardie, Ardie’’.
From the moment Ardie Savea left Rongotai College and started playing for Wellington, people in his hometown have known he’d be an All Black one day. The moment came in Auckland last weekend, when the 22-year-old made his test debut against Wales at Eden Park.
But he became a real international player, and even more of a Wellington cult hero, when he scorched 45 metres at Westpac Stadium to score New Zealand’s fifth try in a decent 36-22 win over the Welsh in the second test of this three-match series.
Instinct, desire and athleticism are the hallmarks of Savea’s rugby and all were on display in his first test try, in front of 35,907 jubilant Wellingtonians on Saturday.
The match had been a slow burner for much of its first 40 minutes.
It wasn’t so much that nothing occurred. There were a few incidents but none of exceptional note and it’s points that provide a game with its true defining moments.
On that score a 15th-minute Dan Biggar penalty was replied to by All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg, five minutes later. From a penalty, New Zealand kicked to touch about 10 metres out from the Welsh line and spread the ball right to Dagg.
There shouldn’t have been a mismatch but one of Wales’ inside defenders made a bad read, putting Dagg and wing Ben Smith two on one against fullback Rhys Patchell. Dagg’s too good to blow a chance like that and slid over to score. Aaron Cruden converted to make it 7-3, before adding a penalty in the 30th minute. The half was rounded out by a converted try to Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones, to leave things all square at 10-10 come halftime.
As for incidents, the first involved All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa and a head-clash with Wales second five-eighth Jamie Roberts. Both men suffered bad cuts, with Fekitoa’s requiring treatment up the tunnel.
But it was Cruden who was to suffer the biggest scare. He folded awkwardly into a tackle from Wales lock Luke Charteris, which appeared to pin his chin to his chest. After a lengthy delay the first five-eighth left the the ground on a medicab and was immediately taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays for what was described as compression of the neck.
Beauden Barrett came on to replace him and one of his first acts was to punt a ball out on the full. It was from the subsequent lineout on the All Blacks’ 22 that Jones’ 40th-minute try was created.
Barrett, though, is capable of moments of genius and produced yet another, in the 52nd minute. After receiving the ball at centre, Barrett skinned Wales’ midfield pair of Roberts and Jonathan Davies, then delivered a beautiful pass for Smith to run onto.
The right wing made no mistake, to match Dagg’s deed from the first half of marking his 50th test for New Zealand with a try. The crowd had barely stopped cheering that effort when Barrett slid in under the bar. His conversion was a formality and the uncertainty of 10-10 had quickly become a comfortable 24-10 lead for the All Blacks.
An old fashioned ‘‘left-o’’ move from a five-metre scrum saw Naholo add a fourth try for New Zealand and was typical of the way this team are able to turn promising opportunities into points. At 29-10 the game was as good as over, with 20 minutes still to play.
Savea scored next, after fine lead-up work from Jerome Kaino, Naholo and TJ Perenara, before tries to Liam Williams and Davies gave the final score a closer look than it deserved.
New Zealand (Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Beauden Barrett, Waisake Naholo, Ardie Savea tries; Aaron Cruden con, pen, Barrett 3 con), Wales (Alun Wyn Jones, Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies tries; Dan Biggar pen, 2 con). HT: 10-10. Crowd: 35,907.