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Associated Press

Veteran fly half Stephen Donald opened a new chapter of his personal legacy within New Zealand rugby when he led the heavily depleted Waikato Chiefs to humiliate Wales 40-7 in a rare midweek tour match on Tuesday.
Donald established his legend when he kicked the winning penalty for New Zealand in the 2011 Rugby World Cup final against France after being summoned from a fishing trip on the eve of the match to join an injury-hit All Blacks team.
Donald captained the Chiefs for the first time in his 88th match for the Hamilton-based team, in his first starting appearance in 2016, and in what was only the third match between a Super Rugby team and an international side.
He created the Chiefs’ first try, had a try of his own disallowed, and kicked four conversions in an historic victory.

Bloodied and limping after a mammoth performance, Donald was replaced after 70 minutes and received a standing ovation from Chiefs fans.
“It’s been about two years since I had to play 80 minutes and my little calves couldn’t get me the distance,” Donald said. “We seemed to defend for 80 per cent of the game but this group of battlers did well tonight.
“We were excited as hell about this match. The Welsh are a good team and we thought, ‘Hell, we’re just going to rip into them,’ and hopefully that will be enough.”
All Blacks come from behind to crush Wales in Auckland
The Chiefs were without eight players currently with the All Blacks, who beat Wales 39-21 in the first of three tests last Saturday. They also lacked as many as 10 players sidelined by injury, and others who are with the New Zealand Under-20s at their world championship in England.
Because of those absences and despite being Super Rugby champions in 2012 and 2013, the Chiefs –currently second in the Super Rugby table – were given little chance of upsetting a strong Welsh midweek team.

Wales was made stronger when an injury to back-rower Ellis Jenkins saw test captain Sam Warburton start, while stars Taulupe Fauletau and Jamie Roberts joined the reserves.
Warburton played 45 minutes before handing over to Faletau, and Roberts joined the fray after 55 minutes, without lifting Wales’ limp performance.
The Wales players had the incentive of competing for places in the lineup for the second test against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday. With winger George North ruled out of the remainder of the tour with a torn hamstring, there was an obvious vacancy in his position.
Fullback Matthew Mason probably did best, making a few elusive early runs. Coach Warren Gatland has the option of starting Mason at fullback on Saturday and switching first test fullback Liam Williams to North’s wing. Only Mason and scrum half Gareth Davies really took the chance to impress, though the Wales scrum was solidly anchored by the experienced front row of Tomas Francis, Scott Baldwin, and Rob Evans.
The match pointed out differences between Welsh and New Zealand rugby which were evident in the first test. The Welsh had plentiful possession but could advance the ball only slowly, and though the carries of tight forwards; the Chiefs went immediately and through long passes to the outside backs, who often found Wales’ flank defence porous.

Wales’ defence was flat but that allowed the Chiefs to turn them with chip kicks into space. The speed of Wales’ breakdown possession was slow, while the Chiefs recycled the ball with lightning speed, placing constant pressure on a stretched defence.
Most importantly, the Chiefs ran at the defensive line, cutting down Wales’ space, and forcing turnovers.
The Chiefs ended up handing the Welsh their worst defeat since 2010, when they lost to the All Blacks 42-9 in Dunedin.
Wales took 55 minutes to score its first points — a try to replacement hooker Kristian Dacey from a standard lineout drive. The Chiefs led 21-0 at that stage with tries to scrum half Brad Weber, No. 8 Tom Sanders and lock Dominic Bird.
They clinched their win with late tries to fullback James Lowe, American-born winger Toni Pulu, and Sam McNichol as Wales faded badly.


Wales suffer heavy defeat by Stephen Donald-inspired Chiefs ahead of second All Blacks test

Rhys Patchell of Wales is tackled by Stephen Donald of the Waikato Chiefs. Photos: AFP

Tom Jones (L) and Aled Davies (R) of Wales look dejected after the rugby union match between the Super Rugby team Waikato Chiefs and Wales at FMG Stadium in Hamilton on June 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

Waikato Chiefs players perfrom a haka prior to the start of the rugby union match between the Super Rugby team Waikato Chiefs and Wales at FMG Stadium in Hamilton on June 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

Josh Turnbull of Wales (L) is tackled by Waikato Chiefs player Mitchell Graham during the rugby union match between the Super Rugby team Waikato Chiefs and Wales at FMG Stadium in Hamilton on June 14, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

All Blacks braced for ‘kitchen sink’ from Wales in second test in Wellington

New Zealand perform the haka prior to facing Wales at Eden Park. Photos: AFP

New Zealand All Blacks Julina Sasea is tackled by Wales' Sam Warburton (L) during the rugby Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

New Zealand All Blacks Kieran Read dives in for a try during the rugby Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

(FILES) This file photo taken on June 14, 2016 shows Wales players reacting as they await another conversion during the rugby union match between the Super Rugby team Waikato Chiefs and Wales at FMG Stadium in Hamilton. Wales coach Warren Gatland on June 15, 2015 says his fringe players blew a chance to press their case for Test selection in their heavy loss to the Waikato Chiefs. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

All Blacks come from behind to crush Wales in Auckland

All Blacks captain Kieran Read celebrates a try with teammates Aaron Cruden and Brodie Retallick during New Zealand’s comfortable 39-21 win over Wales. Photo: AFP

New Zealand All Blacks Sam Cane attempts to tackle Wales' Taulupe Faletau (C) as he heads for a try during the rugby Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

New Zealand All Blacks Ardie Savea (C) lines up Wales' Ellis Jenkins (L) during the rugby Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

New Zealand All Blacks Waisake Naholo runs the ball forward during the rugby Test match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Wales at Eden Park in Auckland on June 11, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / MICHAEL BRADLEY

Sport

Rugby

A heavily depleted Waikato side run in six tries as the Super Rugby team eases to a 40-7 win in Hamilton


Veteran fly half Stephen Donald opened a new chapter of his personal legacy within New Zealand rugby when he led the heavily depleted Waikato Chiefs to humiliate Wales 40-7 in a rare midweek tour match on Tuesday.


Wales suffer heavy defeat by Stephen Donald-inspired Chiefs ahead of second All Blacks test

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A heavily depleted Waikato side run in six tries as the Super Rugby team eases to a 40-7 win in Hamilton

A heavily depleted Waikato side run in six tries as the Super Rugby team eases to a 40-7 win in Hamilton