IT’S TIME TO BASH’EM
Wales have relied too heavily on the old guard, but Basham gave a glimpse into the future in All Blacks thrashing
Wales 16 New Zealand 54
TAINE BASHAM answered the call from Shane Williams for Wales’ next generation to step up – then demanded more from his teammates.
The 21-year-old flanker provided a ray of hope on his full debut despite the seven-try hammering inflicted by New Zealand.
He did so after Dragons legend Williams voiced concern that Wales’ golden generation are not being pushed hard enough by the next wave.
“We’ve got great international players capable of winning big games but they are 30 and 30 plus,” said the former wing wizard. “We haven’t got that many brilliant youngsters coming through who you know will be at the World Cup in two years.”
Basham showed he is one for the present and future by taking the game to the world’s top team, mixing turnovers and steals with a game-high 14 tackles.
Wales boss Wayne Pivac said: “Taine was our man of the match. That performance will have helped us for 2023. He’s now an extra player we have.”
Given the size of defeat, Basham declined to dwell on his own performance and instead spoke maturely of the need to improve ahead of Saturday’s visit of world champions South Africa.
“We could go up another level in physicality, discipline as well,” he said.
“In the last 20 minutes, discipline let us down. There were penalties we didn’t need to give.
“We have got another gear in us, so I am looking forward to it.”
That Wales were lambs to the slaughter was entirely of their own doing given they chose to play the match outside the Test window as a fund-raiser, which meant being without their English-based stars.
The £4million payday softened the blow of conceding a halfcentury of points at home to New Zealand for the first time.
But it came at a cost with captain Alun Wyn Jones (right) forced off with an injury reminiscent of the shoulder dislocation he suffered on Lions duty in June.
Jones produced a miraculous 19-day recovery to return to that tour without need of surgery.
Wales will discover today whether that has now caught up with him.
They are also sweating on the fitness of fly-half Dan Biggar, who lasted only half the game as Northampton lost heavily at home to Premiership leaders Leicester.
And Pivac appears resigned to being without Ross Moriarty (above), who was taken out of Saturday’s Test by high shoulder hits from two All Blacks.
“He’s in quite a bit of pain,” the coach confirmed. “It doesn’t look too good.”
That the officiating team considered the incident worthy of only one yellow card is both bemusing and troubling.
World Rugby’s number one-stated priority is player welfare and the laws of the game clearly state that the necks and heads of players are sacrosanct.
WALES - Try: J Williams. Con: Priestland. Pens: Anscombe 2, Priestland.
NEW ZEALAND - Tries: B Barrett 2, Perenara, Jordan, Papalii, Reece, Lienert-Brown. Cons: J Barrett 5. Pens: J Barrett 3.