Wales 12 New Zealand 19:FORGET THE sound and the fury this week surrounding the citing of the world's best player, Dan Carter, or the possible disciplinary action against the Wales coach for suggesting bias by referees. The loudest message coming from Cardiff is that, 22 months out from the World Cup, the gap between the northern and southern hemispheres is widening.
Last November they led New Zealand at the interval before falling away. On Saturday the All Blacks were never behind, weathered the first-half storm and then accelerated away to a win that would have been even more convincing had the video referee given any one of three verdicts in their favour.
Odd then that the Welsh coaching staff were seething about perceived refereeing bias towards New Zealand in general and a high tackle by Dan Carter in particular. It came 10 minutes from time when the All Blacks were 10 points ahead and Carter poleaxed the replacement Wales scrum half, Martin Roberts.
Carter was cited yesterday by the Australian match commissioner, Scott Nowland, who has until this evening to decided whether there was more than a hint of swinging arm which might have warranted a red card. The player faces a one-match ban if found guilty. Given the disciplinary crusade which saw New Zealand start this tour with two suspensions he might, though even Roberts later brushed the matter aside as “something that happens in rugby” and said Carter had apologised at the end of the game by saying “sorry about the tackle”.
Warren Gatland, saw something deeper to complain about: “The frustrating thing from our point of view was getting some 50-50 calls,” said the head coach. “You get a head-high tackle from Dan Carter and you think that’s three points and a yellow card but the officials missed that. We don’t ask for any favours, just a few calls to go our way. It’s trying to change referees’ opinions about not wanting to referee upsets. They don’t want to be involved in upsets.”
Asked whether that was suggesting bias towards New Zealand, Gatland, himself a former All Black, smiled and said no but his defence coach, Shaun Edwards, was blunt: “They should have played the last 10 minutes of the game with 14 men,” said Edwards.
“It was a high tackle and you see players get yellow carded for that, you see players red carded for that.”
Gatland was also critical of Craig Joubert’s decision to penalise Martyn Williams for a deliberate knock-on which cost Wales three points although he admitted New Zealand dominated when it mattered. All week Gatland had played mind games with his fellow countrymen. His suggestion that the All Blacks had lost a little of their aura found some support but his insistence that Carter would not play crashed in flames when the outside half gave one of those performances that suggest he will be a major reason if the All Blacks win a second World Cup.
When the going was tough he epitomised the patience shown by the New Zealand defence; booming huge clearance kicks and helping Conrad Smith and Ma’a Nonu snuff out the obvious midfield threat of Jamie Roberts.
However, when it was time to press the pedal, Carter was in the thick of the decision-making and at least once, when Smith appeared to get the ball down despite being tackled by the Wales wing Shane Williams, the English television match official, Graham Hughes, appeared to let Wales off the hook. “Shane winked at me so I presume he thought I’d got it down,” said Smith.
One minute later Hughes was in action again when Kieran Read launched himself at the line and in the 20 minutes after half-time it looked as though New Zealand were bound to build on Andrew Hore’s try and Wales might even be shredded. But then came the fight-back, a couple of Stephen Jones penalties, that Carter tackle and an interception by the outstanding Alun Wyn Jones that briefly had Welsh hopes soaring.
Despite the tackle and the booing which accompanied everything he did – including receiving the man-of-the-match award – this was Carter’s match. Aged 27 he is within a point of equalling the New Zealand record of 967 held by Andrew Mehrtens and looked close to the form of his life.
WALES: J Hook; L Halfpenny, T Shanklin, J Roberts, S Williams; S Jones, G Cooper (M Roberts, 55); G Jenkins, M Rees (H Bennett, 60), P James (D Jones, 60), AW Jones, L Charteris (Davies, 65), A Powell (D Jones, 65), M Williams (Blues), R Jones (Ospreys, capt).
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina; C Jane, C Smith, M Nonu, Z Guildford; D Carter, B Leonard (J Cowan, 50); W Crockett (O Franks, 60), A Hore, N Tialata, B Thorn, J Eaton (T Donnelly, 55), J Kaino, R McCaw (capt), K Read (A Thompson, 66).
Referee: C Joubert (SA).
