New Zealand'will have to wait at least another year for a shearing series win over Wales in Wales after losing the first two tests of a four-test series on their CP Wool UK tour.
While Wales has never beaten New Zealand in a shearing test in New Zealand, new World champion John Kirkpatrick and stand-in team member Jack Fagan saw their hopes of the first black-singlets series win in Wales since 2011 disappear when beaten by Welsh World championships representatives Gwion Lloyd Evans and Ian Jones in the second match at the Lampeter Shears.
Following a defeat in the opening match at the Cothi Shears on Friday, the Shearing Sports New Zealand team can now do no better than claim a drawn series, when 2014 World champion Rowland Smith rejoins Kirkpatrick for an all-Hawke's Bay team assault on the last two tests at the Royal Welsh Show on Wednesday and the Corwen Shears on Saturday.
Evans, from Dinbych, North Wales, and Jones, of Llandrindod, Powys, complemented each other well in the test of 20 sheep each, Evans claiming fastest time and best shearing points on the competition board, and Jones clearly the best pen-judging points. It was the latter that made the difference as Wales won by 1.35 penalty points.
The Welsh won the Cothi test by 1.85pts despite a gallant effort by Te Kuiti shearer Fagan who was the top individual in his first official test, extending the Fagan heritage in New Zealand teams, after uncle John Fagan, cousin James Fagan and father Sir David Fagan.
