INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY: Wales Arrive in New Zealand

19.06.2010
Wales v New Zealand in Dunedin

Venue: Carisbrook

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Preview
It is with great sadness that this will be the last test match played at this famous rugby ground in New Zealand. Nicknamed 'The House of Pain', it has been the downfall of many touring rugby sides. It's closeness to the parochial and noisy crowd has always given the All Blacks a 5 point lead even before kickoff!. It will be no more. A new stadium, New Zealand's first with a roof, is being built across town but surprisingly with only a 30,000 capacity.

Farewell to Carisbrook. Image thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carisbrook

To this game. Wales will be but a shadow of the side that pushed the All Blacks last November. Injuries has meant a new-look side will tackle an All Black side coming off a 40 point win over Ireland.

The Kiwis are also blooding new players but this did not lessen the pace nor lower the skills this side possesses. A hard day at the office for Wales

Last Five Encounters
07.11.2009 New Zealand 19-12 in Cardiff
22.11.2008 New Zealand 29-9 in Cardiff
25.11.2006 New Zealand 45-10 in Cardiff
05.11.2005 New Zealand 41-5 in Cardiff
20.11.2004 New Zealand 26-25 in Cardiff

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-New Zealand 1st, Wales 9th
IRB Rankings-New Zealand 1st (91.68), Wales 8th (78.58)

Prediction: New Zealand in a walk over, by 47 points.

Teams

New Zealand
I Dagg (Hawkes Bay); C Jane (Wellington), C Smith (Wellington), B Stanley (Auckland), J Rokocoko (Auckland); D Carter (Canterbury), J Cowan (Southland); B Franks (Canterbury), K Mealamu (Auckland), O Franks (Canterbury), B Thorn (Canterbury), A Boric (North Harbour), V Vito (Wellington), R McCaw, Capt. (Canterbury), K Read (Canterbury).
Replacements: A de Malmanche (Waikato), T Woodcock (North Harbour), S Whitelock (Canterbury), A Thomson (Otago), P Weepu (Wellington), A Cruden (Wellington), R Kahui (Waikato)
Head Coach: Graham Henry

Wales
L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), A Bishop (Ospreys), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), T Prydie (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), M Phillips (Ospreys); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), AW Jones (Ospreys), J Thomas (Ospreys), G Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), R Jones, Capt. (Ospreys)
Replacements: H Bennett (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), D Jones (Cardiff Blues), R McCusker (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets), D Biggar (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets)
Head Coach: Warren Gatland