What's happening
New Zealand - Wales

November 2 Match

WHAT'S HAPPENING? (posted 3rd November 2003)
Wow! What a top game between New Zealand and Wales last night at Telstra Stadium! A see-sawing points scoring open game saw the two teams in a tight and very physical tussle throughout most of the game. It wasn't until the last part of the game that the Kiwis were able to get on top of their opponents, eventually taking out the match 53-37.

The Welsh were major underdogs going into the game against the much fancied All Bads - oh I suppose I'll have to start calling them All Blacks :) and Wales came out with a nothing to lose attitude that saw them very nearly cause a big upset win over their opponents.

The game started as expected and the speedster winger from NZ Rokocoko scored a couple of times within a few minutes. hmmmmm. But Wales decided to take it up to the Kiwis and went on an attacking spree - teams that get the Kiwis going backwards always stand a good chance of beating them :) Taylor went in for a try and Jones converted and then Leon MacDonald went in for a try. The game of tit for tat was well underway!

The crowd came to their feet just on half time when Charvis went over a sea of All Black bodies to score a try for Wales. The half time score 28-24 had the fans stunned!

But there was more to come. Jones kicked a penalty goal soon into the second half and just one measly point was the difference. Williams then caught an intercept and ran over to put Wales in the lead for the first time during the match. 34-28 five minutes into the second half. The New Zealanders kept their heads though and made a resurgence. Howlett went over for a try, and Carlos Spencer brought the score out further with a great try. Unfortunately for Wales - the turning point came hammering down with ten minutes on the clock when South African referee Andre Watson failed to call a Kiwi forward pass that Doug Howlett scored from. He must have been the only person there who didn't see the forward pass!

Aaron Mauger then went on to score another try for New Zealand, and the Welsh players were looking pretty tired at this stage - actually they were all looking pretty kaput out there by the end of the game, and who can blame them? This had been one very aggressively contested game.

No doubt the Kiwis will be a bit rattled over the performance of Wales.. heh.. what a top game! I'm really looking forward to the quarter final match in Melbourne this Saturday where the All Blacks will be taking on South Africa. The Boks have a problem though with Joe van Niekerk ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee - he got that in a cracking tackle just before half time in their match against Samoa on Saturday afternoon. The Boks will miss this rising star player!