KEY POINTS:
There was satisfaction all round within the All Black management team following the 29-9 defeat of Wales in Cardiff.
Coach Graham Henry was sure that the second half had been the best 40 minutes of rugby produced all year by the All Blacks and that they should be
enormously proud of that effort.
To score 23 points and concede none in the second 40 was a remarkable effort given the intensity and focus with which the Welsh played.
There was nowhere for the All Blacks to hide in the first half as Wales produced disciplined, structured and enterprising football. It was about as well as they have played against the All Blacks in recent years and if they had managed to keep it going for the second 40 minutes, the All Blacks would have been in trouble.
As it was, the visitors were able to subdue their hosts by cutting out some of their errors, holding the ball for longer and slowly cranking the pressure.
"I thought they had a huge second half, well led by Richie [McCaw] and the leaders, probably the best half of rugby we have played all year," said Henry. "[It was a ] Hell of a good test, match, a highly competitive Welsh side playing good rugby, stretched us a lot and they will be disappointed with the result, but they should be proud of their advancement in the game. I think they played well and I think they are a very good side.
"We are really pleased to have such a win. It takes time. It shows a lot of heart and character that they can hang in there under pressure and then come through in the latter part of the game.
"That's been a mark of this side all year that they have been under pressure and come through and won games. We scored 23 points in the second half and that is huge."
Wales coach Warren Gatland mirrored Henry's thoughts, but for him obviously, the praise was for the way his side played in the second half. He was frustrated that the intensity just fell away a little in the second half and that they couldn't keep the All Blacks under pressure for longer.
"We brought out the best in the All Blacks," he said, " and that was always our aim. But we need more exposure to these sorts of games."