Wales were yesterday scrabbling to explain an apparent communications breakdown between management and players that may have cost them their first win over New Zealand in 51 years.
The clock at the Millennium Stadium has twice been an area of concern during the autumn. Three weeks ago the South Africa coach Jake White was caught out when he sent on a raft of replacements assuming it showed corrected time. Instead, eight minutes were added for stoppages, allowing Wales to finish within two points of the Springboks.
On Saturday the electronic timepiece worked against the home team, whose captain and key players claimed they did not know the timing "protocol" had been reversed after South Africa and that the clock showed the time left on the referee's watch.
Just under 76 minutes was lit up when, with Wales four points down, Tony Spreadbury awarded a penalty 20 yards out. Gareth Thomas ignored instructions from his coaches and opted to take the points, only to be "bemused when the referee blew up three minutes later".
"I assumed there was still five minutes to go," said Thomas. "I can't remember a game here when we stopped on 80 minutes." Equally confused were kickers Stephen Jones and Gavin Henson. "After the penalty I was thinking of getting into position for a drop goal," said Henson. Jones added: "I wouldn't have kicked that ball away (the final play of the game) had I known." According to the stadium manager Paul Sargent, representatives of both teams attended a pre-match meeting with the referee at which the timing was explained and yesterday the Wales coach, Mike Ruddock, said it was "not an issue".
With sources close to the Welsh Rugby Union blaming Thomas, the confusion took some of the shine off Wales's performance. From the moment they answered the haka with a tenor and 70,000 voices singing Bread of Heaven Wales were up for it. Tom Shanklin scored his fifth try in two Tests and for 25 minutes they ran New Zealand ragged, going 11-3 up before Joe Rokocoko scored the first of two tries.
Stephen Jones failed with two of his five first-half kicks, but Wales turned around 14-13 up and victory seemed possible when the hooker, Mefin Davies, bulldozed over after the restart.
Colin Charvis was out-shining the debutant New Zealand captain, Richie McCaw, and the only blot on the Welsh landscape was their habit of turning over possession. More often than not a hyperactive pack retrieved the situation but in the 45th minute McCaw stripped the ball once too often. Dan Carter offloaded to Mils Muliaina who sent Thomas backwards to score.
Nine minutes later Dwayne Peel was collared. Faced with a phalanx of Welsh forwards Carter went wide to Rokocoko, five yards in the New Zealand half. The wing outpaced the cover, cheekily dummied Thomas and cut inside for his 27th try in 22 Test matches.
Ma'a Nonu was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle before Carter and Henson swapped penalties to make it 26-22 and time for Thomas's decision.
WALES: G Thomas (capt, Toulouse); T Shanklin (Blues), S Parker, G Henson, S Williams (all Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Clermont), D Peel (Scarlets; Cooper, Dragons, 79); G Jenkins (Blues; Duncan Jones, Ospreys, 52), M Davies (Ospreys), A Jones (Ospreys; Jenkins,75); B Cockbain (Ospreys), G Llewellyn (Narbonne; R Jones, Ospreys, 56); Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), C Charvis (Newcastle; M Williams, Blues, 73), M Owen (Dragons).
NEW ZEALAND: M Muliaina (Auckland); D Howlett (Auckland), C Laulala (Canterbury), A Mauger (Canterbury; Nonu, Wellington, 45), Rokocoko (Auckland); D Carter (Canterbury), P Weepu (Wellington; Kelleher, Waikato, 75); T Woodcock (North Habour; Hayman, Otago, 62), K Mealamu (Auckland), G Somerville (Canterbury), C Jack (Canterbury), A Williams (Auckland), R So'oialo (Auckland), R McCaw (capt, Canterbury), M Tuiali'i (Auckland).
Referee: T Spreadbury (England).
Guardian Service
