New Zealand 42 // Ireland 9
New Zealand's rugby-mad public enjoyed a virtuoso performance from a rejuvenated Dan Carter yesterday, before saying goodbye to the "House of Pain" for the last time. The All Blacks were playing their final Test at Carisbrook, the atmospheric old stadium in Dunedin, before it makes way for the new Forsyth Barr Stadium, situated nearby, ahead of next year's World Cup. The ground has always been a tough place for touring sides to visit - hence its nickname - and Wales suffered a similar fate yesterday.
Carter, the celebrated All Blacks fly-half, cast aside his sluggish recent form and reminded everyone of his capabilities as he ran the show for the home side. By his own high standards, the Crusaders' No 10 had a quiet Super 14 campaign, which was typical of the problems generally endured by the New Zealand sides this season. However, he proved he is far from a spent force with two second-half tries executed with the precision of a winger against the Welsh. "He was brilliant," Carter's captain, Richie McCaw, said in a post-match televised interview.
"We have given him good ball to play with and he showed what he could do with it. He is a great player to have." Despite holding a 15-9 lead at half-time, the All Blacks were deserving of the half-time dressing down they received from Graham Henry, their coach. Wales had played all the rugby in the first phase, but, tellingly, leaked two tries against the run of play. Keven Mealamu, the hooker, barged over for the first under the posts, then Cory Jane raced down the right touchline unopposed, following a turnover at a ruck.
It was a different story after the break, and the one-way traffic was all black. Carter jinked over for two tries, and Richard Kahui, on as a replacement, also helped himself to one. "This is one of the best crowds I have experienced in New Zealand," McCaw said. "I guess it is sad to see the end of Carisbrook, but we finished it off in style tonight." The Welsh had only one penalty from Stephen Jones, plus a long-range one for Leigh Halfpenny, to show for their efforts.
"They capitalised on every mistake we made," Ryan Jones, the Wales captain, said.
* Agencies