All Blacks: Welsh seething over Carter tackle

All Black Dan Carter puts a big tackle on Martin Roberts of Wales during this morning's test in Cardiff. Photo / Getty Images

Yet another perceived injustice was added to the litany already committed by the All Blacks against Wales.

Get ready to hear about the 'Dan Carter' incident just as they still haven't managed to get over the 'Andy Haden' saga of 1978.

To be fair, as they did with Haden, the Welsh have a legitimate gripe. Carter did tackle reserve halfback Martin Thomas around the throat when Wales were building a promising attack in the All Black 22.

The officials missed it and Carter avoided sanction. "They should have had 14 men for the last 10 minutes," was the sole and no nonsense post-match input from Welsh defensive coach Shaun Edwards.

The former rugby league man was clearly seething while head coach Warren Gatland tried to keep his rage at simmer rather than boil.

He did make the rather intriguing comment, however, that: "It was a head high tackle. You feel if the guy had made the break in the other 22 it would have been a yellow card and penalty..."

That was toned down from Gatland's initial outburst to the TV cameras immediately after the game where he went as far to suggest that referees don't like being involved in upsets. It wasn't so much an inference as a direct statement really that when the pressure comes on, referees are afraid to penalise the All Blacks; to treat them the same way as every other team.

'Absolute rubbish," was Henry's response to all that. "That's a huge stretch. I don't even think Warren believes that.

"I jut saw the tackle at the moment it happened and thought he [Carter] hit him around the chest and then slid up and the guy ducked."

Whether the incident denied Wales a draw is a debate the home side will no doubt keep alive for years to come. They had built some impressive momentum coming into the last 10 minutes and where threatening. But for the previous 70 minutes they had not shown enough composure at the critical junctures to score tries.

"That's something we have talked about. The best sides in the world take their opportunities when they come and we need to be able to do the same," said Gatland.