3 days ago
NZ Shearers' Saving Grace In Last-Test Win Over Wales
The Wools of New Zealand shearing team of Jack Fagan and Toa Henderson have ended their six-match tour of UK and France in style by beating Wales at the Corwen Shears in North Wales.
Dominating both time and quality points, they beat the new Welsh team of Llyr Jones and Gwion Lloyd Evans by a comfortable 4.05pts on Saturday, although Wales claimed a 2-1 series victory having won the first two tests of the home leg of the annual series' between the rival nations at the Cothi Shears and the Royal Welsh Show last week.
Fagan had the fastest time, the best points in the pens and overall quality points, shearing the 20 lambs in 11m 23s. Henderson was next off, six seconds later and with the best points in judging on the shearing board.
It enabled the black singlets pair to balance the ledger for the tour having beaten England and France earlier this month after being beaten by Scotland in the opening test at the Lochearnhead Shears.
Henderson, on his first trip to the Northern Hemisphere, went close to claiming a third international Open championship title, by finishing runner-up to reigning World champion Evans in the six-man Corwen Shears Open All-Nations final, also of 20 lambs each, having beaten Evans to win the equivalent event at the Royal Welsh Show. Fagan was fifth.
Henderson was first to finish the final and also had the best board points, but it was a tight finish. Evans beat him by 0.2pts, with just 0.35pts back to third place-getter, 2019 World champion and local Corwen idol Richard Jones.
Just six seconds separated the first three in the race, from Henderson's 11m 51s to Alun Lloyd Jones' 11m 55s and the 11m 57s of Gethin Lewis, who shore with Llyr Jones in the Welsh team for the last two seasons and the first test of this month's series.
Henderson, who won the Golden Shears and New Zealand Championships Open finals in March, had a particularly big first tour in the UK, winning Open finals in France and at the Royal Welsh Show, and finishing second on Saturday, third at the Great Yorkshire Show and fourth at Lochearnhead.
Fagan was unable to repeat any of the four wins he had in Open finals on last year's tour, but also reached five of the six finals, for second place at Yorkshire and in France, third at the Royal Welsh Show, fourth at Cothi, and the fifth placing at Corwen.
Fagan has also won four speedshear titles, including retaining the Welsh International title last week. On Friday, he was also fourth in the Corwen Shears Novice Blades, repeating the outcome of his first blades event midweek at the Royal Welsh Show.
A special moment on Saturday came when the two took part in the haka just before the test, Henderson taking the role of kaea in what was thought to be the first time team members have taken part in what has become an obligation for New Zealanders at competitions in Wales, sometimes joined by Welsh shearers who have learnt haka during their working seasons in New Zealand.
Results:
International (20 lambs): New Zealand 94.2pts (Jack Fagan 11m 23s, 44.4pts; Toa Henderson 11m 29s, 49.8pts) beat Wales 98.25pts (Gwion Evans 11m 50s, 46.95pts; Llyr Jones 12m 2s, 51.3pts). Wales won the series 2-1.
Corwen Shears Open All-Nations final (20 lambs): Gwion Evans (Wales) 12m 19s, 47pts, 1; Toa Henderson (NZ) 11m 51s, 47.2pts, 2; Richard Jones (Wales) 13m 21s, 47.55pts, 3; Alun Lloyd Jones (Wales) 11m 55s, 48.5pts, 4; Jack Fagan (NZ) 12m 13s, 49.15pts, 5; Gethin Lewis (Wales) 11m 57s, 54.35pts, 6.
