Jones inspires Kiwis to reach top form

Wales 22 New Zealand 5

New Zealand purred smoothly into top gear just in time for the Test series against Great Britain with a sumptuous exhibition in Cardiff yesterday.

Their winger, Francis Meli, led the way with a hat-trick of tries, but this was a display of the ball skills that run through the side and which have only been glimpsed fleetingly on the tour so far.

It was all too much for a Welsh team controversially deprived of the leadership of Keiron Cunningham, but who battled bravely in the first half before a sparse crowd at the Millennium Stadium.

Closing the roof helped the Kiwis, who had been frustrated by treacherous handling conditions in their first three matches and they made the best of a dry pitch.

"We've shown glimpses in other games, but this was our most consistent display" said their coach, Gary Freeman.

The Kiwis began the game in a rush, playing by far their most flowing rugby of the trip. After Richard Swain had put them in the lead with an early penalty, the handling abilities of Ali Lauiti'iti became the dominant factor, showing all too clearly why many regard him as the best second-row in the world.

When New Zealand ran the ball on the last tackle Swain and Ruben Wiki got it away to him and Lauiti'iti turned it back inside for Meli to score the game's first try.

Three minutes later, the Kiwis were threatening to run riot already with Lauiti'iti getting a miraculous ball away to Robbie Paul, playing in the unfamiliar position of full-back, who had the simple task of sending Swain over.

One thing Welsh Rugby League sides rarely lack, however, is spirit, and the way they came back was a credit to them. After Lee Briers had got Wales moving with a penalty, they scored a try that was even better than either of the Kiwis' efforts. Briers chipped over the defence, Damian Gibson re-gathered and Rob Roberts threw the pass long for Kris Tassell to release the Wrexham-born Hefin O'Hare on the right wing.

At one point the margin was down to two points, but the Kiwis' awesome ability to squeeze the ball out of the tackle was back in evidence before half-time, Lance Hohaia applying the finish.

The second half was all New Zealand. Man of the match Stacey Jones dummied his way through, then Swain set up Logan Swann and Jones' shimmying run paved the way for Paul. Tony Puletua's astonishing pass from the touchline set up Meli for his second and Paul's precise kick gave him his third.

Swain's try gave him a new points-scoring record for the Kiwis against Wales, who finished on a defiant note with tries from Tassell and Paul Atcheson. "If we'd done the right things at the start of the second half, we could have gone on to do something special,'' said coach Neil Kelly. "But for 20 minutes Stacey Jones carved us up."

WALES: Gibson (Salford), O'Hare (Huddersfield), Tassell (Wakefield), Hughes (Widnes), Smith (Hull), Briers (Warrington), Lennon (Castleford), Mason (Melbourne), Watson (Salford), Whittle (Leigh), Morgan (Toulouse), Mills (Widnes), Highton (Salford). Substitutes used: Atcheson (Widnes) Dean (London), Price (Leigh), Roberts (Huddersfield).

New Zealand: Paul, Fa'afili, Vagana, Wiki, Meli, Hohaia, Jones, Seuseu, Swain, Rauhihi, Lauiti'iti, Guttenbeil, Kearney. Substitutes used: Betham, Solomona, Swann, Puletua.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).