Wales vs New Zealand LIVE rugby: Latest score and updates from autumn international
Wayne Pivac’s side are looking to end a 69-year losing streak against the All Blacks
Jordie Barrett, Aaron Smith and Codie Taylor all scored two tries apiece to lead New Zealand to a dominant 55-23 win over Wales in their test at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
The outstanding Ardie Savea and replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho got the other tries as the All Blacks outscored their hosts eight tries to two in a winning start to their three-test British tour, while Richie Mo’unga kicked over one penalty and four conversions and Beauden Barrett the last two conversions.
Debutant winger Rio Dyer and captain Justin Tipuric went over for Wales with Gareth Anscombe adding the other 13 points with his boot, having been moved to fullback from flyhalf in a late change to the starting line-up when Leigh Halfpenny pulled out.
The All Blacks proved an imposing force from start to finish, moving quickly to temper the anticipatory mood of a sold-out Cardiff crowd and reinforce their status as the game’s superpower.
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
The stirring sound of the Principality Stadium in full voice, “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” bouncing around the great Cardiff amphitheatre. Rio Dyer and Sam Costelow add their voice to a senior Welsh national anthem for the first time as they prepare to make their test rugby bows.
Anthems
With the tributes concluded with a round of warm, loving applause, into the anthems, starting with “God Defend New Zealand”. Aaron Smith looks high up into the stands - a proud day for the scrum-half, passing his former half-back partner Dan Carter as the most capped All Black back. Sean Fitzpatrick, whose father was part of the last New Zealand side to be beaten by Wales, is among those watching on the stands.
Wales vs New Zealand
Ahead of kick off, tributes to two Welsh greats - Phil Bennett and Eddie Butler, who have both sadly passed since Wales last played in Cardiff. Butler’s brilliant deep purr soundtracks the video package, with memories of the pair on and off the field - two dearly missed figures.
Out come the teams
The Principality Stadium, with roof closed, looks to be absolutely bouncing for Wales’ November 2022 debut - can the home side produce a first win over the All Blacks since 1953? Justin Tipuric’s long locks are warmed by the flames and the fireworks as he leads his Welsh side out.
Team News - New Zealand
The All Blacks narrowly escaped Tokyo with a win last week, continuing a strange, middling year for Ian Foster’s side. They travelled to Europe shorn of their captain – Sam Cane has fractured his cheekbone – while Brodie Retallick’s sending off leaves Foster without another forward pillar.
Sam Whitelock captains the side in the second row, toiling away in the engine room with Scott Barrett, who starts alongside both of his brothers. Jordie continues his evolution into an international inside centre, while Beauden is at full-back with Will Jordan another ruled out for the rest of November. Aaron Smith surpasses Dan Carter as New Zealand’s most capped international back.
New Zealand: B Barrett; S Reece, R Ioane, J Barrett, C Clarke; R Mo’unga, A Smith; E de Groot, C Taylor, T Lomax; S Whitelock (capt.), S Barrett; S Frizell, D Papali’i, A Savea.
Replacements: S Taukei’aho, O Tu’ungafasi, F Newell, T Vaa’i, A Ioane; B Weber, D Havili, A Lienert-Brown.
Team News - Wales
A new captain for Wales, with Justin Tipuric taking the reins with no Dan Biggar. The skipper is positioned on the blindside, combining with fellow snaffler Tommy Reffell in a disruptive back row in a pack that also includes Ken Owens – the hooker has endured a tough eleven months but adds no shortage of steel and experience on his return.
Rio Dyer is in at the deep end on debut on the wing, with Wayne Pivac talking up the 22-year-old’s “confidence” in the week, while Leigh Halfpenny is a late withdrawal after his hamstring issue. Gareth Anscombe moves back from fly-half to full-back, Rhys Priestland is promoted to the starting side, and Sam Costelow awaits a first cap from the bench.
Wales: Anscombe; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Priestland, T Williams; Thomas, Owens, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Tipuric (capt.), Reffell, Faletau.
Replacements: Elias, Smith, Lewis, Jones, Tshiunza, Hardy, Costelow, Watkin.
On to Wales vs New Zealand
It is a properly hectic afternoon of rugby - we’ll have a load more reaction to Scotland’s win across the rest of the weekend, but kick off is swiftly approaching in Cardiff.
F/T! SCOTLAND 28-12 FIJI
Far from perfect for Scotland, but a solid enough win, recovering from a sloppy opening half hour to tighten up defensively and eventually take control. They will have more complete performances, and never quite put Fiji to bed, but they have their first win of the autumn.
“It was massive - the boys stepped up really well and dealt with the pressure,” Darcy Graham tells Amazon Prime. “Fiji threw everything at us, we knew how dangerous they were, so we kind of weathered the storm out and got them in the second half. We stuck to what we talked about all week.”
Scotland 28-12 Fiji, 80 minutes
Oh, that Fijian lineout just hasn’t functioned at all this afternoon. Eroni Mawi makes up for another misfire with a jackal, but Fiji knock on, and that is that.
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