BBC SPORT | Rugby League | Kiwis too strong for spirited Wales

Wales 22-50 New Zealand

New Zealand's superior size and strength proved too much for a plucky Wales side to handle as the tourists enjoyed a try fest at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Photo gallery: Wales v New Zealand

The Kiwis, looking to make it four wins out of four in the build-up to next Saturday's first Test against Great Britain, took their time to find their rhythm.

Wales restricted them to just three tries in the first half, and even managed a score of their own to trail by only eight points at the break.

Match details

Wales (10) 22
Tries: O'Hare, Tassell, Atcheson
Goals: Briers (5)

New Zealand (18) 50
Tries: Meli (3), Swain, Hohaia, Jones, Swann (2), Paul
Goals: Swain (6), Hohaia

Att: 8,746

But the constant flow of Kiwi possession took its toll in the second half as the tourists added six tires as they began scoring almost at will.

To their immense credit, Wales refused to give in and finished strongly with two tries.

The home side managed to hold them out for the first 15 minutes of the match.

But then the tourists grabbed two tries in quick succession to settle any early nerves.

Hefin O'Hare scores Wales' first try
O'Hare finished off a great move for Wales's first try

Winger Francis Meli, who would go on to score a hat-trick, was the first to cross when he finished off a slick set of five tackles which started five metres from New Zealand's own try line.

They added a second three minutes later when the awesome Ali Lauiti'iti sent makeshift full-back Robbie Paul sprinting through a gap and Richard Swain was in support to finish off.

Swain converted his own try, adding to an earlier successful penalty, to give his side a 12 point lead.

Wales got their points tally off the mark after 23 minutes when Lee Briers, stand-in captain for the injured Keiron Cunningham, kicked a penalty.

Briers used his boot to great effect soon afterwards when a perfectly weighted chip kick led to a well-crafted Welsh try.

Full-back Damien Gibson collected the loose ball and started a series of slick passes which eventually led to winger Hefin O'Hare crossing in the right corner.

Briers added the conversion, and another penalty some five minutes later brought Wales to within two points.

New Zealand�s Seu Seu makes a break
Wales struggled to contain the Kiwi power

The home side's confidence and hopes were boosted even further as Swain was sent to the sin-bin for a late tackle on Briers which had given the stand-off the chance to go for the posts.

But Lance Hohaia crossed underneath the posts after another powerful midfield break had cut through the Welsh defence and Hohaia added the conversion.

New Zealand's elusive scrum-half Stacey Jones breezed through to score his side's fourth try eight minutes into the second half.

Logan Swann added another try five minutes later and it was now a question of how many more the classy Kiwis would score.

Bradford's Robbie Paul was the next to score, quickly followed by a third for Meli and a second for Swann.

But impressive centre Kris Tassell and Paul Atcheson crossed in the last ten minutes for Wales to offer the Great Britain side plenty of hope before next Saturday's first Test.

Wales: D Gibson, H O'Hare, K Tassell, A Hughes, C Smith, L Briers (capt), M Lennon, K Mason, I Watson, D Whittle, J Morgan, D Mills, P Highton.
Reps: P Atcheson, G Dean, G Price, R Roberts.

New Zealand: Paul, Faa'fili, N Vagana, Wiki, Meli, Hohaia, Jones, Seu Seu, Swain, Rauhihi, Lauiti'iti, Guttenbeil, Kearney.
Reps: Betham, Solomona, Swann, Puletua.

Referee: Steve Ganson (England).