Ioane the standout as ABs fend off feisty Wales side
STEVE Hansen rates Rieko Ioane among the finest young talents he’s seen after his All Blacks ended the year on a winning note against Wales in Cardiff.
The 20yearold winger was heralded a ‘‘phenomenon’’ by Hansen after his injuryravaged team saw off the belligerent hosts 3318 yesterday, scoring five tries to two.
Ioane had a hand in four of them, including scoring the last two, continuing his gamebreaking form from last week’s gripping defeat of Scotland.
Hansen was thankful his young star — who is nominated in two categories at today’s World Rugby awards — had shaken off an injury that looked set to rule him out of the year’s final test.
‘‘Thank goodness his shoulder came right, that’s all I can say,’’ Hansen said.
‘‘He’s phenomenal. If we can keep his feet on the floor he can go anywhere, that kid.
‘‘Every time he gets the ball, you think ‘wow, what’s going to happen?’.’’
A New Zealand team missing more than half its firstchoice lineup was outplayed for lengthy periods but resilience in defence and classy finishing proved the difference.
It completed its European tour with a perfect fivefromfive record, with test wins over France and Scotland also.
All were challenging games. The Welsh proved physically the equal of the All Blacks, who were flattered to lead 1211 at halftime.
The world champions looked vulnerable entering the last 10 minutes just eight points up and missing standin captain Sam Whitelock, who was shown a yellow card.
Rather than succumb to the fatigue of a long season, the All Blacks finished stronger, consigning Wales to a 30th successive defeat dating back to 1953.
It left the All Blacks with a record of 11 wins, one draw and two losses in a year notable for the forced development of fresh faces as injuries and unavailability struck Hansen’s side.
By the halfhour mark, New Zealand had made 81 tackles to Wales’ 11.
Despite that, it created two tries to winger Waisake Naholo in the righthand corner and then had too much class when the game opened up in the second spell.
Ioane’s offload set up Anton LienertBrown before the young winger’s brilliant late double, the first from an intercept and the second via his footwork and raw speed.
Wales scored through centre Scott Williams and halfback Gareth Davies but lacked the panache and clinical finishing needed to bust open a defence that rarely buckled.
‘‘You can put the best systems in the world in place but if they’re not followed through with energy and enthusiasm and accuracy, then they’re not gong to work,’’ Hansen said.
‘‘We didn’t miss too many opportunities and that kept us well in the game.’’ — NZN