NZL
No.Name
15Beauden Barrett, FB
T
14Ben Smith, W
T
2
13Ryan Crotty, C
T
12Sonny Bill Williams, C
11Rieko Ioane, W
10Richie Mo'unga, FH
T
5
9Aaron Smith, SH
1Joe Moody, P
T
2Dane Coles, H
3Nepo Laulala, P
4Brodie Retallick, L
5Scott Barrett, L
6Shannon Frizell, FL
7Sam Cane, FL
8Kieran Read, N8
Replacements
16Liam Coltman, R
17Atu Moli, R
18Angus Ta'avao, R
19Patrick Tuipulotu, R
20Matt Todd, R
21Brad Weber, R
22Anton Lienert-Brown, R
23Jordie Barrett, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Ajinomoto Stadium
9:00 AM, November 1, 2019
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'40-17 End of second half
80'The gong goes, the Barretts are running rapidly to the Wales line, someone's lost their shorts (not a lie), and then it all breaks down and the final whistle is blown. Game over. The All Blacks finish third in the Rugby World Cup, having won it the two previous times. Wales finish fourth for the second time in their history. Steve Hansen signs off with a victory, Warren Gatland signs off with a defeat. Everyone can now reflect on seven weeks of exacting, demanding rugby and a fine, fine effort from everyone involved.
78'Player substituted - Dillon Lewis , Wales
78'Substitute on - Wyn Jones , Wales
76'After a scrum takes an age to be set, there's a simple set-piece move from the All Blacks and Mo'unga is over for another try. That makes this the highest scoring Bronze Medal match in Rugby World Cup history -- a comment in itself about the great attacking talent on show, and a slight comment on the determination of the defence.
76'40-17 Try - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
74'That was more like it! Brilliant stuff from the All Blacks as they ship the ball across the line with incredibly fast hands, and then Mo'unga chips ahead with a chance for a sealing try. But great cover from Owen Lane allows Wales to get back and cover up. They'll have some defending to do again, but at least we saw some flashes of the brilliance that lies within these players.
72'There is literally nothing to write about here. Sorry folks. We'll let you know when there's a try or something...
67'There really isn't very much happening at all now. You know when rugby teams are training and they voluntarily go down under the "tackle" and form a ruck? Yeah, that.
62'Substitute on - Hadleigh Parkes , Wales
62'Player substituted - Owen Watkin , Wales
61'Substitute on - Matt Todd , New Zealand
61'Player substituted - Shannon Frizell , New Zealand
61'Substitute on - Patrick Tuipulotu , New Zealand
61'Player substituted - Scott Barrett , New Zealand
61'35-17 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
60'Josh Adams gets a try! He's the leading try scorer in this World Cup and he sneaks over from very close range at the back of a ruck. A deserved try for Wales and he's been a marvellous contributor for the Welsh at this tournament.
59'35-15 Try - Josh Adams , Wales
57'Enormous roar and a standing ovation for Alun Wyn Jones, as he comes off. Will it be the last time out in a Wales shirt for the great man? He said no earlier this week...
57'Substitute on - Brad Weber , New Zealand
57'Player substituted - Aaron Smith , New Zealand
57'Player substituted - Sonny Bill Williams , New Zealand
57'Substitute on - Jordie Barrett , New Zealand
57'Player substituted - Alun Wyn Jones , Wales
57'Substitute on - Jake Ball , Wales
57'Player substituted - Ryan Crotty , New Zealand
57'Substitute on - Anton Lienert-Brown , New Zealand
57'Substitute on - Angus Ta'avao , New Zealand
57'Player substituted - Nepo Laulala , New Zealand
57'Substitute on - Atu Moli , New Zealand
57'Player substituted - Joe Moody , New Zealand
55'Almost as a testament to all of that, Justin Tipuric gallops 40 metres unopposed. The crowd wakes up and cheers like mad as Wales start to burst into the New Zealand 22 through Aaron Shingler. It's also woken the All Blacks up, as they win the ball at a ruck, but it's going back for a late and high hit by Sonny Bill Williams.
53'There is still some rugby being played. People are running around and throwing and "tackling" and stuff, but it's lost all rhyme and reason at this point. It's not quite testimonial pace yet, but if you offered both teams a shake of the hands and a pint, you get the feeling they'd take it.
48'OH COME ON! It's coming back for a technicality as Sonny Bill Williams couldn't quite grab the ball out of the air, making it a forward pass, even though there have been far more blatant forward passes not called in this tournament. BOO! No sense of narrative, these rules.
48'And that's the hat-trick! Ben Smith signs off in his final Test with a third try. They're going to check this with the TMO -- oh come on, have a heart, TMO!
47'Substitute on - Dan Biggar , Wales
47'Player substituted - Rhys Patchell , Wales
47'Player substituted - Tomos Williams , Wales
47'Substitute on - Gareth Davies , Wales
47'Substitute on - Aaron Shingler , Wales
47'Player substituted - Ross Moriarty , Wales
45'It's fantasy rugby from the All Blacks at times. Beauden Barrett is under pressure with a bobbling ball in his own 22 with a Wales player haring down on him, and he scoops it up one-handed, with only his finger tips, beats a couple of men and ships it inside. A glorious exhibition of skills. These guys are good.
44'Substitute on - Rhys Carré , Wales
44'Player substituted - Nicky Smith , Wales
44'Substitute on - Elliot Dee , Wales
44'Player substituted - Ken Owens , Wales
44'35-10 Conversion - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
43'The All Blacks are playing with a smile on their face, and Ryan Crotty dives over for their fifth try of the match. It's more lovely pass, offload, pass, angled run thing of beauty from New Zealand -- the longer this goes on, the more you realise what a simply unbelievable job the England defence did last week to hold them to one gift of a try and barely any other opportunities.
42'33-10 Try - Ryan Crotty , New Zealand
41'The teams are back out, and we're underway in the second half.
41'+128-10 End of first half
41'+128-10 Conversion - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
41'26-10 Try - Ben Smith , New Zealand
40'Mo'unga slots the conversion from out wide, and it's an 18-point advantage for the All Blacks at the break.
40'The gong goes, and moments later Ben Smith beats another couple of would-be tacklers to score in the corner. It's his second try of the match, and sets New Zealand up nicely to blow the doors off this thing in the second half.
40'28-10 Start of second half
39'Bit of a midfield tussle emerging at the end of the first half -- New Zealand really have defended extremely resolutely, it's clear there is no such thing as an exhibition game for the All Blacks. And they force a penalty out of Wales for going in off feet, which will give them one last attack in this period.
36'Nice cameo from Josh Adams as he manages to keep a deep kick from Aaron Smith in play, then boot a brilliant kick into the New Zealand half. Well played by the Wales winger.
34'21-10 Conversion - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
33'Tremendous work at the breakdown by Retallick sets up the move off the back of the ruck, and Smith's line takes out too many Wales defenders for them to cope. To his credit, though, Smith does also break two tackles and beat a third man to dot the ball down. Nice try.
33'19-10 Try - Ben Smith , New Zealand
32'A bit of a scrappy lull in this match, with penalties being sprinkled around more than free flowing moves. But now New Zealand are stringing something together -- and Ben Smith darts over for their third try!
27'And as soon as I say that, Wales get a penalty right in front of the posts and that particular gift horse is too good to pass up. Three points, Wales trail by 4.
27'14-10 Penalty goal - Rhys Patchell , Wales
25'Substitute on - Liam Coltman , New Zealand
25'Player substituted - Dane Coles , New Zealand
24'Wales are coming right back into this game, with Amos and Adams linking up well on the left flank. While that move is stifled, it doesn't end the threat entirely and New Zealand give away a penalty for taking the man out. Wales will again kick for touch. We might have seen our one and only attempt at the posts for this match, folks...
21'14-7 Conversion - Rhys Patchell , Wales
19'New Zealand defending extremely well, and Wales are into double figures in phases from that lineout. It breaks for Wales after a knock-on in the tackle, which inadvertently opens things up and allows Hallam Amos to be set free on the left. And he darts over the line for Wales' first try!
19'14-5 Try - Hallam Amos , Wales
17'Wales desperately trying to get a foothold in this game and stop the rot, and a good move gets them over the line but they are held up by Sonny Bill Williams. It's a penalty to Wales, and they (rightly) kick it to touch. Lineout from close range to come.
14'14-0 Conversion - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
13'And a second try for New Zealand! Beauden Barrett finds a great angle through the Wales defence and runs unchallenged from the 22 and under the posts. Lovely scissors move from Aaron Smith and Barrett to set the fullback free. Lovely try, and this is shaping up to be a rout.
13'12-0 Try - Beauden Barrett , New Zealand
12'Another splendid run from deep by Rieko Ioane and the Japanese crowd are going absolutely bonkers. A lack of adequate support means Wales can get back and snuff out the danger, but that was fun!
9'Wales now doing some attacking, and are up into the New Zealand 22, great hands from James Davies keeps the move going but Jonathan Davies arguably kicks it away too soon, and the All Blacks get back, get the ball, and kick it into touch.
7'7-0 Conversion - Richie Mo'unga , New Zealand
5'There we go! The All Blacks get into the spirit of things with a beautiful try from the halfway line. It's Brodie Retallick with a glorious pass out the back of his hand to beat the last tackler, and then it's a run home for Joe Moody over the line. Great stuff, as the All Blacks forwards show they came play some ball, too.
5'5-0 Try - Joe Moody , New Zealand
3'Now Wales concede a penalty inside their own half, on the edge of the 22, with Wayne Barnes pinging them for not moving away. Will New Zealand simply take the easy three points? Come on, go for it lads, run the ball! Pah, they're kicking it. Richie Mo'unga lines it up, and hits the post! The running rugby karma gods have had their say!
2'Great break by Josh Adams, with a hint of the running rugby that this match often produces, but once he's tackled in the New Zealand 22, Wales concede a penalty, ending the threat.
1'And we're off! Wales kick off, and New Zealand look to build from deep inside their own half, but Aaron Smith hits a box kick.
1'
1'The Wales team link arms and stand respectfully on the 10 metre line inside their own half. Meanwhile, Kieran Read, in his final appearance as an All Black, leads the haka. That's an honour for the captain, who has been handing over the lead role during this tournament.
1'Anthem time, and then the much-talked-about haka -- with England having been fined for crossing the halfway line in their response to the haka in last weekend's semifinal, it will be interesting to see what Wales do. Warren Gatland, a Kiwi, spoke of the need to respond to a haka in some way, and that it's expected. So... what happens next?
1'New Zealand haven't played in a Bronze Medal match since 2003, when they ran riot against France to win 40-13.

Wales last featured in this match in 2011, when they narrowly lost 21-18 to Australia. They have finished third once in the World Cup, however, beating Australia by one point in the 1987 Bronze Medal match.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of the Bronze Medal match at the Rugby World Cup.

It's the end of two eras - one for Steve Hansen as coach of New Zealand, and one for Warren Gatland as coach of Wales. Neither wanted to be signing off in this match, the cruellest of "also-ran" games that there might be in world sport. Gatland even joked that they should settle 3rd-4th in this tournament with a boat race in the nearest bar.
1'0-0 Start of first half

Rugby World Cup 2019 News