How Should Wales Be Judged After New Zealand Loss?

It was a funny communicative to judge aft New Zealand had again beaten a spirited Wales broadside astatine nan Principality Stadium.

There was surely a quality successful sentiment connected nan streets of Cardiff connected Saturday evening and crossed nan societal media divide.

On 1 manus location was nan thought that nan 52-26 conclusion was not arsenic bad arsenic galore group feared beforehand and that location were encouraging signs from Steve Tandy's side.

After all, a 26-point shortage would person been snapped up by astir Welsh supporters earlier a shot was kicked.

There was a emotion that only trailing by 3 points early successful nan 2nd half, aft Tom Rogers scored nan 3rd effort of his historical hat-trick, should beryllium recognised arsenic a civilized triumph and demonstrated advancement was being made nether nan caller regime.

In short, nan time dream was ignited contempt defeat.

However, location was different viewpoint. One that questioned whether conceding much than 50 points astatine home, against what was efficaciously a second-string New Zealand side, should ever beryllium deemed arsenic acceptable.

That statement highlighted conscionable really acold Welsh rugby has fallen that this benignant of consequence could almost beryllium celebrated.

So, arsenic it often does, Welsh rugby divides opinion.

Wales only trailed 24-21 conscionable aft half-time and nan nation's supporters dared to dream of a shock.

"We judge successful our ability," said Wales skipper Dewi Lake.

"We weren't fixed a batch of dream from extracurricular nan group but wrong that group we backmost ourselves.

"We put expectations connected america each week to spell and beryllium a constituent to get nan occupation done and believed we could do that."

Wales scored 4 tries against New Zealand, only nan 2nd clip they had managed that against nan All Blacks.

Wales besides recorded their highest number of points against New Zealand successful Cardiff, arsenic they provided glimpses of an attacking personality pinch a bid of well-worked moves typified by 1 superb agelong walk from returning centre Joe Hawkins.

"A batch of what we want to do and what we person been moving connected shone through," said Lake.

"We were beingness and our attacking style shone through."

Wing Rogers became nan first Welshman to people a hat-trick against New Zealand.

His chap helping Louis Rees-Zammit besides impressed arsenic he continued to easiness his measurement backmost into rugby national pursuing his return from American Football and nan NFL.

Rees-Zammit scored a effort and besides created nan first of nan Rogers tries pinch a towering high-ball catch.

Wales besides blooded 3 caller caps successful Ospreys back-row duo Harri Deaves and Morgan Morse and Dragons hooker Brodie Coghlan, while Exeter fastener Dafydd Jenkins, still only 22, had 1 of his astir productive games astatine Test level.

Wales person besides risen 1 spot successful nan world rankings to 11th, courtesy of Japan's triumph against Georgia.

Wales mightiness person mislaid 20 retired of nan past 22 Test matches since nan 2023 World Cup but Saturday's efforts emphasised why you cannot mobility nan characteristic of this squad.

"I americium immensely proud of nan effort nan boys put in," said Lake.

"We said astir not giving up and we didn't and it shows nan characteristic successful this group.

"We made them activity for it up until nan end. We said post-match that it shows nan boys nan level you tin spell to. You sometimes do not realise it until you are forced to spell there.

Lake insists nan squad are a reliable group who will push guidance teams.

"We person built connected what we said we were going to and it's now astir pushing on," he added.

"There is ever information wearing nan reddish jersey. When you person this badge connected your chest, you are giving it everything and you spot that massively wrong this group."

The 68,000 that turned up were besides portion of a rousing a cappella rendition of nan nationalist anthem and a stunning ray show astatine half-time, providing nan awesome match-day juncture immoderate person felt lacking successful caller matches.

Fight and characteristic only takes you truthful acold successful world rugby circles and New Zealand were undoubtedly a measurement up successful people and quality.

This triumph extended nan All Blacks winning tally against Wales to 34 games, a series stretching backmost to 1953.

Wales mightiness person matched their opponents for 50 minutes but still conceded 50 points astatine location for nan 3rd clip this year, aft England and Argentina besides brought up a half-century astatine nan Principality Stadium.

The All Blacks besides scored much than 50 points for nan 3rd consecutive lucifer successful Cardiff.

There was defiant and dogged location defence successful evidence, but New Zealand still secured 7 tries, pinch nan footwear of Damian McKenzie adding 17 points, while Wales missed 38 tackles.

The lucifer statistic demonstrated that New Zealand dominance. The All Blacks managed 1,362 metres from 167 carries, compared to Wales' 593 from 77. Tandy's broadside made 223 tackles, compared to New Zealand's 85.

For each of Wales' endeavour, nan All Blacks crossed nan gainline many times pinch powerful helping Caleb Clarke and move number 8 Wallace Sititi emphasising really nan visitors appeared bigger, faster and stronger.

"Our powerfulness crippled was strong," said All Blacks coach Robertson.

"We're classed 1 and 2 successful nan world successful a batch of areas and 1 of them is our powerfulness game.

"We knew it would return a small while to break them down and they'd beryllium successful it astatine 50 aliases 60 minutes, but fatigue would group successful and we could make nan astir of that."

Wales person now shipped 127 points successful 3 games this November pinch world champions South Africa arriving astatine nan Principality Stadium adjacent weekend.

That ruthless New Zealand onslaught inevitably led to Wales conceding penalties arsenic they transgressed 14 times, compared to 4 from New Zealand.

Wales buckled successful nan last 4th pinch yellowish cards for replacement prop Gareth Thomas and number 8 Taine Plumtree.

"Ultimately we person to look astatine our subject successful this run complete nan past mates of games," said Lake.

"If you springiness nan squad nan value of nan All Blacks that galore entries into your 22, it's reliable to extremity them clip aft time.

"We did good successful a mates of defence sets but erstwhile you person to backmost that up 5 aliases six times successful a row, it's hard.

"The crippled was successful nan equilibrium astatine half-time and subject sewage america into tricky areas pinch 2 yellowish cards."

After losing to nan 2nd classed broadside successful nan world, Wales will now look nan apical squad - and nan world champions - erstwhile nan Springboks get successful Cardiff.

A mates of hours aft Wales' latest defeat, South Africa ended a 13-year hold for triumph successful Dublin battling to a 24-13 triumph complete Ireland.

It came aft wins against France and Italy connected this circuit pinch South Africa now preparing for their last Test lucifer of nan year.

Against nan Springboks, Wales will beryllium without 13 players who play nine rugby successful England and France. No different world matches are being staged adjacent weekend.

The crippled has been organised by nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) extracurricular of World Rugby's world window, truthful non-Welsh based players are unavailable for nan fixture.

The lucifer has been scheduled for financial reasons but clashes pinch a play of United Rugby Championship (URC) games, pinch nan 4 Welsh master sides each playing convention fixtures.

No different world matches are being staged adjacent play arsenic nan nine almanac resumes.

Welsh rugby has managed to clasp an constituent of positivity pursuing nan convincing conclusion dished retired by nan All Blacks.

Fans will dream that still exists adjacent Saturday evening aft South Africa person had their say.