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Yay Dan, boo Wales - British press

NZPA - November 8, 2009, 3:21 pm

New Zealand's Dan Carter is tackled by Wales Luke Charteris.

The All Blacks failed to impress British rugby writers, who identified Dan Carter and Welsh bumbling as the difference between the sides when New Zealand won 19-12 at Millennium Stadium last night.

In the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Steve James felt the tourists hardly set the world on fire.

"The sadness for Wales will be that this was only a workmanlike performance from the All Blacks. They were stunningly unspectacular, if that makes sense. They just did enough," James wrote.

"Dan Carter kicked his goals and out of hand expertly and Richie McCaw and co dominated the breakdown sufficiently, but for too much of the match Wales were disappointingly hesitant and subdued."

Former international Eddie Butler, in The Guardian, hailed Carter's contribution as the difference, despite his much-discussed head-high tackle on Martin Roberts late in the match which saw him booed from the field by a capacity crowd.

"(Carter) certainly showed no sign of the calf injury that had persuaded some in Wales that he would not be fit to play.

"He played sublimely, but it was perhaps a new experience for him to be jeered. The rest of the day was the same old story."

In the Sunday Times, Mark Palmer wrote Wales' inability to finish, rather than the All Blacks' excellence, was the key factor.

"The wait goes on, and so does the hurt, the angst and the frustration. Still Wales must delay the anointment of the next Ken Jones, still they look for the man who will end this horribly enduring torment.

"This was far from the most convincing of New Zealand's 21 straight victories in the fixture, a run that spans some 56 years, but for Wales it will be all the more hard to take because of that very fact."

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LES 05:02am Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
The AB's always fail to impress the UK gutter press[that's all of it], but hey, we keep on beating their useless teams. Even Wales with its disowned NZ coach; a team of fairies coached by a mouthy has been. He's a loser, the team are losers
scarmondo 04:39am Monday 09th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Very simple, Wales have not beaten the AB's. Look at the scoreboard, it confirms the result. Stop whinging Wales and get a new coach or even better still some players who can win.
harry c 11:03pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
I think the all blacks are doing just enough two win,dont forget its the first game of the tour.Its going to be a hard tour,the welsh got rolled by a better side,so they need to get over it,keep watching the box they might be looking for a new coach.????? LOL
Calvin 09:23pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
I think think the critics in both countries need to get a life. I am proud of the fact that the AB's one, does not matter how but they won. I am a born and raised kiwi. I have come to realise that we are really crappy losers and ungrateful winners. So we have not had our best year, start loo ...
Alan 09:10pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
..try, so had that been allowed - who knows. I am, however, tired of seeing the awful turnover and territory stats. If Dan weren't there..well. Except that when we spread the ball we look lethal. So, why do we wait until the second half? A couple of trys in the first half could be the game ...
mike mackrill 08:57pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Hmmmm. I'm Welsh, (living in NZ), but if Wales had won, it would have been unfair. NZ were the better side on the day. Having said that, the tackle was high, but stuff happens in a game eh? If one of he lazy backs had run after that lock, it would have been a draw. Just goes to show, you ...
Alan 08:55pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
The ABs are definitely not the indomitable force they once were, almost any international team can win the game these days. South Africa, certainly, is one step above us. But joffshaw is right - Wales still lost. So what does that make them? The fact is, the ABs probably were disallowed at least one ...
whattheflame 08:54pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
All this BS about being convincing etc..there is always only one point between a winner and a loser. We won they lost, the end.
Cuzzy 08:24pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooseeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers (yet again)
amoahbella 08:13pm Sunday 08th November 2009 EST Report Abuse
oh what a stupid talk Felix saying Wales could have had the game if the first penalty had gone over and the intercept had resulted in a try, what about if the Wales did not tackles Zac Gilford he would have sore tries. the game is over so please saying if....both teams were given 80mins to pla ...