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It's a packed Millennium Stadium and a fervent atmosphere as Richie McCaw runs out ahead of the rest of the All Blacks to mark the occasion of his 100th Test as captain. The Wales side takes a few minutes longer - no doubt deliberately - to find their way out of the tunnel. Fireworks go off, the roof is closed. And we're still to have the anthems and the haka yet.
The New Zealand anthem is respectfully observed - but the Welsh equivalent nearly takes the roof off. Stirring stuff.
Sonny Bill Williams will lead the haka. Chants of "Wales, Wales" echo round the stands. Flashbulbs light up around the three tiers. The Welsh team stand together, side by side, completely unmoved.
And with all that out of the way - who wants to play some rugby?
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| 1 |
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We're underway. Wales kick-off and soon have the ball thanks to a terrific grab from Jamie Roberts.
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| 3 |
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New Zealand make decent ground in the Welsh half, but are then penalised for not releasing, allowing Dan Biggar to boot for touch midway inside the All Blacks' half.
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| 4 |
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Great kick from Beauden Barrett into touch on the edge of the Wales 22. Fine take at the ensuing lineout from Dan Lydiate.
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| 5 |
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Another Wales penalty, this time for the All Blacks illegally playing the ball. Attacking lineout now for the hosts.
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| 6 |
3 - 0 |
More ground made in the All Blacks' 22 and New Zealand are penalised for hands in the ruck. It's in front of the posts, and there's no way that Wales aren't taking the points from there.
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| 7 |
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Leigh Halfpenny lines it up - 18 metres out, straight over the bar. 3-0 to Wales.
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| 8 |
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First real break of the match by the All Blacks is called back for a forward pass - great burst in the first instance from All Blacks No.8 Kieran Read, though.
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| 10 |
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Alun-Wyn Jones makes a fine block of Beauden Barrett's attempted clearance and Wales have the put-in at the scrum at the 10-metre line.
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| 12 |
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Knock on by Paul James at the breakdown and the All Blacks have the put-in at a scrum for the first time in the match. Fractured match so far, all told.
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| 13 |
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Penalty to New Zealand, Paul James penalised for collapsing the scrum. That should give the All Blacks a bit of a breather - they've spent the majority of the match so far in their own territory.
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| 14 |
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What a chance for George North! It looks for all the world like he's going to get the bounce of the ball with the rest of the field his for the taking, but he can't quite kick it on for himself to run onto. That's got Conrad Smith off the hook for some loose play that even presented the ball to North on the ground in the first place.
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| 15 |
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Knock on by Charles Piutau which leads to a half-chance for Wales and Halfpenny's kick is gathered by Ben Smith - then the referee pulls everybody back for North's challenge on Piutau. "Sorry guys, late call, my fault," he tells them.
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| 17 |
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Wales look as though they should be penalised for knocking on at a lineout in the All Blacks' territory, but instead they are pulled up for going in at the side later in the play. Wales have had the better of things but aren't really threatening - that's usually not a good thing against this particular opponent.
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| 19 |
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Alun-Wyn Jones is penalised for being offside, and while playing advantage North takes a terrific crossfield kick out of the air to end New Zealand's first real threat. It goes back for the offside, and Barrett lines up the three-pointer.
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| 20 |
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And he's missed it! Barrett doesn't quite drift it in enough having started his kick out to the right of the posts, and it remains Wales 3-0 New Zealand.
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| 22 |
3 - 3 |
Wales collapse the scrum again, again it's Paul James. He's struggling, the Wales prop, against this All Blacks pack. Penalty at halfway, and Barrett will try again. Hefty boot from Barrett and it clears the bar by a couple of feet. We're all tied at 3-3.
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| 24 |
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Jamie Roberts makes a burst inside the All Blacks 22 but the tackle from Kieran Read forces a knock on. Half-chance there for Wales.
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| 27 |
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New Zealand almost steal the ball at a lineout, but Wales wrestle it back on their side. Terrific up-and-under is met by an equally terrific leap from Jamie Roberts. Wales building through All Black territory, phase by phase.
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| 28 |
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And just like that, George North goes and breaks it up by dropping the out pass. Basic mistake, and North knows it.
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| 29 |
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And Wales collapse another scrum. How long will the referee's patience hold? Sam Warburton is getting an explanation, as is Paul James. "You've got to fight to stay flat, rather than rolling into a ball." James is one offence away from the bin, you'd think.
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| 30 |
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New Zealand haven't strung together more than three or four passes at once so far - and they've failed again after a surge from Sonny Bill Williams gets them moving in the right direction. And then Warburton leads a counter! Chance for Wales.
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| 31 |
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And just as Alex Cuthbert is surging towards the All Black 22, it's called back for a forward pass. Huge sigh from the Welsh crowd - that was arguably the best passage of open play in the match so far.
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| 32 |
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Cuthbert takes a high ball well but then loses it in contact and looks like he took a blow to the head in doing so. He's back on his feet sharply enough, so won't need attention.
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| 33 |
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Brilliant steal from Dan Biggar just as New Zealand are looking to break - but Wales are penalised for holding on. New Zealand move things quickly but it will be a Welsh lineout on the edge of their own 22.
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| 36 |
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Wales are awarded a scrum for a knock-on, and the crowd goes wild! To be honest, it's been that kind of game...
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| 37 |
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Wales get a penalty from the scrum for the All Blacks not driving straight. Huge roar from the Millennium Stadium crowd, they're loving this developing forwards battle. That's the first penalty in the last eight that's gone in Wales' favour.
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| 38 |
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George North has chosen the wrong day to leave his hands at home. He drops a simple ball out into touch on his own 22. Chance for the All Blacks.
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| 39 |
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Knock on by Dan Lydiate and the All Blacks will finish this half with a scrum in the Wales 22. Right in the middle of the field, too.
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| 40 |
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North makes a superb challenge on Piutau on the touchline. New Zealand two metres from the Wales line...
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| 40+1 |
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Sonny Bill Williams knocks on, Wales throw the ball around to see if they can get anything, but it all comes to nought. Half-time, Wales 3-3 New Zealand. Fierce, fierce stuff in that first half.
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The teams are back out on the field - New Zealand will kick off.
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| 40 |
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And we're underway again. There's a slight tension settling on the Cardiff crowd - they're realising their team really does have a chance here.
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| 41 |
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Break by Barrett and New Zealand are bursting into the Wales 22. Roberts and then Lydiate both make thumping challenges to break up the momentum and Wales have turned the ball over. Top work in defence.
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| 42 |
3 - 8 |
And then just like that - it's a try! Julian Savea gets the ball out wide after Wales turn the ball over in their own 22, and it's Savea versus Biggar. Only one winner, Savea bursting out of the tackle and in at the corner. New Zealand really know how to start a second half.
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| 43 |
3 - 10 |
Barrett lands the conversion from out wide. A huge burst of air has just been let out of the Millennium Stadium.
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| 44 |
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Wales get a penalty very quickly at a ruck for Aaron Smith taking the man out. Why, asks Richie McCaw? "Because you can't tackle the man without the ball," explains the referee. Sounds fair...
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| 45 |
8 - 10 |
Try for Wales! Brilliant response after falling behind. Perfectly offloaded by Faletau and Rhys Webb is in beside the posts!
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| 46 |
10 - 10 |
Leigh Halfpenny adds the extras - it's level again.
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| 47 |
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Wales penalised on the restart for not releasing. Barrett kicks for territory, and Wales are back on the defensive.
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| 49 |
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What looks like an excellent chance for Aaron Smith turns into a penalty to Wales for him getting back to his feet from the tackle, and then a fight breaks out. For no reason other than it's all getting a bit tense, it would seem.
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| 50 |
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Now for the fallout. Is referee Wayne Barnes going to reach for his cards? No, it will be a chat with Richie McCaw, Dane Coles is the man who Barnes would like the skipper to have a word with, and it will be a penalty to Wales.
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| 51 |
13 - 10 |
Another penalty to Wales, this time in the New Zealand half, for Sam Whitelock not rolling away. Halfpenny to kick at goal for what would put Wales in the lead. Through it goes. The Millennium Stadium is on its feet.
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| 53 |
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Jamie Roberts forces another penalty, again for not rolling away by the All Blacks. Wales building and building and building. Can they make it count? They're setting up the lineout in the All Blacks' 22.
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| 54 |
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They're developing a push from the lineout, but as soon as the ball breaks to New Zealand, Wales are forced to back-pedal spectacularly. Halfpenny deals with the break very well, and Biggar boots the ball back to New Zealand's half. Pulsating stuff.
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| 55 |
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Colin Slade replaces Piutau on the wing. Will the All Blacks' strength in depth prove the difference?
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| 56 |
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Mike Phillips comes on for Rhys Webb. Not a bad replacement for Wales, either... Webb is very slow to go off, he might be one to watch in the week ahead prior to the game against South Africa next Saturday.
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| 58 |
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Slade's first contribution to the match is to knock on and give Wales a chance to clear their lines after this scrum around five metres into their own half.
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| 59 |
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New Zealand steal from Richard Hibbard in the loose and begin to threaten around halfway. However, a kick goes out on the full and Wales will have a lineout back at the 10-metre line.
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| 60 |
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Julian Savea has only had the chance to break twice in this game, but one led to a try and this one causes all kinds of consternation too. Only a superb tackle from Halfpenny stops the onslaught, followed by a knock-on from Alun-Wyn Jones to break up the play again. Just as advantage is over, the All Blacks knock on themselves, and Wales will have a scrum in their own 22.
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| 62 |
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Ben Smith makes an outstanding catch on the rebound from an up and under, and Wales can't manage the same when the ball is returned to them. New Zealand building through the phases in the Wales half.
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| 63 |
13 - 15 |
Richie McCaw closing in on the line! Can he score on this landmark occasion? No, not quite. He's held up but the ball is switched across flanks by a superb kick and then it's flicked inside and Jerome Kaino is over for New Zealand's second try of the match.
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| 64 |
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Barrett's conversion goes the same way as a previous penalty - wide right. George North is going off injured, blood streaming from his head, possibly sustained in that McCaw burst before the try.
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| 66 |
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Penalty against.... of all people, it's Richie McCaw. Coming in from the side. Halfpenny will have a chance to restore Wales' lead.
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| 67 |
16 - 15 |
It's up, it's good - Wales lead.
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| 69 |
16 - 20 |
And just like that - try New Zealand. And that is one very fortunate bounce in the favour of Beauden Barrett. It's just reward for his own inventiveness, but Leigh Halfpenny is going to see that bounce every time he tries to close his eyes and go to sleep tonight. Agonising.
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| 70 |
16 - 22 |
Slade - conversion
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| 71 |
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It's becoming very open as Wales seek to get back into this. They need a try and a conversion to take the lead again, but they're leaving themselves open in defence as a result.
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| 72 |
16 - 27 |
It's another try for the All Blacks, who have - in just three minutes - shown why it is so, so hard to beat them. Kiearn Read is the beneficiary of a charge down, but you make your own luck. Virtual silence in the Millennium Stadium, which was threatening to combust just five minutes ago.
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| 73 |
16 - 29 |
Colin Slade slots a beaut of a kick from the touchline to add the conversion. That's insult to injury, right there.
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| 75 |
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"This stops now, or he leaves the field," says Wayne Barnes to Sam Warburton. It seems Alun-Wyn Jones is the suspect. Frustration beginning to show.
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| 76 |
16 - 34 |
Leigh Halfpenny knocks on in his own 22, trying to break from deep. The game's a goner for Wales, now.
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| 77 |
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It has all fallen apart for Wales. Another crossfield kick, a terrific knockdown and Barrett is over for his second try of the match. It's becoming emphatic, but it doesn't flatter the All Blacks given how strongly they have played in this final quarter. Slade misses the conversion, again from the touchline, by a whisker.
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| 79 |
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Knock on by the All Blacks as they throw it around for fun on halfway.
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| 80 |
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A knock on ends the match. It took a patient, determined, relentless performance from the All Blacks - but no side is equipped to produce just that quite like they are. Thirteen minutes of utter brilliance was the difference, and Sam Warburton's knowing smile as he shakes hands with his opposite number says it all. Wales weren't well beaten, but they were beaten well.
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