OMEN
09-15-2007, 04:07 PM
http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/325343.jpg
Ouch. The All Blacks thumped Portugal 108-13 in their second match or the Rugby World Cup in Lyon this morning.
It took only a couple of minutes for the carnage to start.
The All Blacks piled on eight tries in the first half and led by over 50 points at half time.
A Nick Evans conversion, his 13th and last for a match haul of 31 points brought up the century with five minutes to go.
By this stage the All Blacks were taking tickets and standing in line for tries.
They scored 16 in all raising the question about the wisdom of pitting amateurs against professionals at the cup all over again.
No need to dwell on that.
The raw scoring statistics tell the story good enough on their own.
For the All Blacks fan there was as much interest in the internal battle within the team than that against Portugal.
The race to win test jumpers in this All Blacks team that's never had such playing riches is well and truly on.
Coach Graham Henry will probably be no more closer to settling several of the more thorny selection dilemmas exercising his mind than he was before kick off.
Earlier this week he indicated he would select his top side for next week's match against Scotland in Edinburgh. It will decide which team finishes top of the Pool C.
Aaron Mauger and Luke McAlister are locked in the tightest struggle for a starting position in the team. The more experienced Mauger played last night while McAlister watched from the grandstand. Mauger had a sound match but the hardly set the world on fire.
Joe Rokocoko has a busy game on the wing and scored a couple of excellent tries. But you would expect nothing less against such the calibre of player he was up against.
Henry warned his team would be rusty before they steam rolled Italy. This week he fielded what was effectively his second tier team (with the odd exception).
But after a slow start the All Blacks cranked into gear in the second quarter. The only minor blip of the first half was an injury.
Mils Muliaina limped off after just seven minutes of action. The All Black fullback landed awkwardly in the first attack of the game got back to his feet gripping his left leg. Leon MacDonald replaced Muliaina.
On a more positive front Conrad Smith, who has been plagued with hamstring problems in recent months, ran freely for the duration of the match.
Joe Rokocoko scored the opening two tries, the second a spectacular solo effort from a quick lineout about 40 metres out from the Portugal line.
Portugal first five Goncalo Malheiro delighted 45,000 fans at Stade de Gerland when he score his side's first points with a drop goal from about 40 metres.
The pot appeared to sting the Kiwis into action. Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Aaron Mauger, Jerry Collins and Chris Masoe scored tries all within 10 minutes of each other in a purple patch for the All Blacks. Hore added the team's eighth just before half time. Many years ago in junior rugby there was a rule that said if a team led by 50 points or more at half time the game should be called off.
And when Portugal took an age to come out of their dressing shed after the half time break was up their were a few snide remarks from the press bench that perhaps they had wave the white flag. However, it was the Portuguese who fired the opening salvo scoring their only try of the match. Rui Cordeiro crashed over in a forward surge becoming an instant hero in Lyon.
Normal service soon resumed. Brendon Leonard, Nick Evans, Andy Ellis, Mauger, MacDonald, Smith, Hayman and then Smith again rounded out the rout.
So what insights into the All Blacks can we glean after such a one-sided match? To borrow a phrase from another scribe: not many, if any. Greg Somerville will have benefited greatly from the run having been out of action for so long. His last test was in South Africa a year ago.
Sione Lauaki is another who has played very little rugby this year and the big No 8 looked in good touch while on the park.
But none of the team staked a bold claim for a test jumper and realistically was never going to.
Nothing less than a comprehensive win would have been acceptable against Portugal. So the All Blacks stood a greater chance of playing their way out of a test position than vice versa.
New Zealand 108 (Joe Rokocoko 2, Aaron Mauger 2, Conrad Smith 2, Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Andrew Hore, Brendon Leonard, Nick Evans, Andrew Ellis, Leon MacDonald, Carl Hayman tries; Evans 14 con).
Portugal 13 (Rui Cordeiro try; Duarte Cardoso Pinto pen, con, Goncalo Malheiro dropped goal).
Halftime: 52-3.
Fairfax
Ouch. The All Blacks thumped Portugal 108-13 in their second match or the Rugby World Cup in Lyon this morning.
It took only a couple of minutes for the carnage to start.
The All Blacks piled on eight tries in the first half and led by over 50 points at half time.
A Nick Evans conversion, his 13th and last for a match haul of 31 points brought up the century with five minutes to go.
By this stage the All Blacks were taking tickets and standing in line for tries.
They scored 16 in all raising the question about the wisdom of pitting amateurs against professionals at the cup all over again.
No need to dwell on that.
The raw scoring statistics tell the story good enough on their own.
For the All Blacks fan there was as much interest in the internal battle within the team than that against Portugal.
The race to win test jumpers in this All Blacks team that's never had such playing riches is well and truly on.
Coach Graham Henry will probably be no more closer to settling several of the more thorny selection dilemmas exercising his mind than he was before kick off.
Earlier this week he indicated he would select his top side for next week's match against Scotland in Edinburgh. It will decide which team finishes top of the Pool C.
Aaron Mauger and Luke McAlister are locked in the tightest struggle for a starting position in the team. The more experienced Mauger played last night while McAlister watched from the grandstand. Mauger had a sound match but the hardly set the world on fire.
Joe Rokocoko has a busy game on the wing and scored a couple of excellent tries. But you would expect nothing less against such the calibre of player he was up against.
Henry warned his team would be rusty before they steam rolled Italy. This week he fielded what was effectively his second tier team (with the odd exception).
But after a slow start the All Blacks cranked into gear in the second quarter. The only minor blip of the first half was an injury.
Mils Muliaina limped off after just seven minutes of action. The All Black fullback landed awkwardly in the first attack of the game got back to his feet gripping his left leg. Leon MacDonald replaced Muliaina.
On a more positive front Conrad Smith, who has been plagued with hamstring problems in recent months, ran freely for the duration of the match.
Joe Rokocoko scored the opening two tries, the second a spectacular solo effort from a quick lineout about 40 metres out from the Portugal line.
Portugal first five Goncalo Malheiro delighted 45,000 fans at Stade de Gerland when he score his side's first points with a drop goal from about 40 metres.
The pot appeared to sting the Kiwis into action. Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Aaron Mauger, Jerry Collins and Chris Masoe scored tries all within 10 minutes of each other in a purple patch for the All Blacks. Hore added the team's eighth just before half time. Many years ago in junior rugby there was a rule that said if a team led by 50 points or more at half time the game should be called off.
And when Portugal took an age to come out of their dressing shed after the half time break was up their were a few snide remarks from the press bench that perhaps they had wave the white flag. However, it was the Portuguese who fired the opening salvo scoring their only try of the match. Rui Cordeiro crashed over in a forward surge becoming an instant hero in Lyon.
Normal service soon resumed. Brendon Leonard, Nick Evans, Andy Ellis, Mauger, MacDonald, Smith, Hayman and then Smith again rounded out the rout.
So what insights into the All Blacks can we glean after such a one-sided match? To borrow a phrase from another scribe: not many, if any. Greg Somerville will have benefited greatly from the run having been out of action for so long. His last test was in South Africa a year ago.
Sione Lauaki is another who has played very little rugby this year and the big No 8 looked in good touch while on the park.
But none of the team staked a bold claim for a test jumper and realistically was never going to.
Nothing less than a comprehensive win would have been acceptable against Portugal. So the All Blacks stood a greater chance of playing their way out of a test position than vice versa.
New Zealand 108 (Joe Rokocoko 2, Aaron Mauger 2, Conrad Smith 2, Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Andrew Hore, Brendon Leonard, Nick Evans, Andrew Ellis, Leon MacDonald, Carl Hayman tries; Evans 14 con).
Portugal 13 (Rui Cordeiro try; Duarte Cardoso Pinto pen, con, Goncalo Malheiro dropped goal).
Halftime: 52-3.
Fairfax