Rugby: Rampant All Blacks thrash Scotland

Sun, 14 Nov 2010

Click photo to enlarge

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw, left, battles his way past Scotland's Dan Parks. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

Murrayfield plunged into darkness to commemorate Armistice Day, and when illuminated it was Scotland who surrendered as the All Blacks sauntered to a 49-3 victory, keeping their Grand Slam quest alive. Any ambitions of Scotland's rugby renaissance continuing with a historic success against New Zealand following 105 years of defeat were soon revised to damage limitation as the All Blacks hushed an expectant crowd of 56,807 with a clinical first half display that yielded four tries.
The tone was set as the first strain of a lone piper's "Scotland the Brave" reverberated, only to be silenced by a classical Sonny Bill Williams offload to Hosea Gear in ninth minute.
Williams, in his second test and first alongside centre Conrad Smith, scythed through the Scottish line with ominous ease before the alert Gear collected a one-handed flick to cross between the posts for the first of his double.
Three minutes later Dan Carter completed a 60-metre catch and pass exercise that had the Scots literally grasping at shadows.
Mils Muliaina probed the right hand flank, fed Isaia Toeava who freed Carter to coast to the line unimpeded.
The All Blacks first five-eighth might have had a second inside the opening quarter but unselfishly passed to Muliaina to mark his record-equalling 92nd test in style.
Captain Richie McCaw, who also joined illustrious predecessor Sean Fitzpatrick on 92 caps, was unable to score but was still typically effective at the breakdown -- another area where the All Blacks exerted superiority.
Gear, among the All Blacks' best during the 26-16 triumph at Twickenham last weekend, then compounded Scotland's woes after they botched a close range lineout -- a rare attacking opportunity from a penalty in the 25th minute.
Barely two minutes later, after the All Blacks had turned over possession, quick hands from Williams and Smith put Gear in enough space to flummox three defenders before he cruised over for his second -- to provide the All Blacks with an insurmountable 28-3 advantage at the break.
After Dan Parks capped Scotland's rousing, though brief, beginning with a penalty in the third minute, it was to be a night of minor victories for the hosts.
Although the scoreline from their last three encounters against New Zealand now amounts to a distressing 121-9 margin in the All Blacks' favour, Scotland at least avoided the ignominy of expunging the 49-point thrashing inflicted at Carisbrook a decade ago from the record books.
All Black head coach Graham Henry's predictable decision to empty his bench -- looking ahead to Ireland in Dublin -- with a quarter remaining also assisted Scotland's desperation to avoid a record-breaking rout.
Carter was the first to depart in the 50th minute with the All Blacks up 35-3 to facilitate Stephen Donald's public rehabilitation process after his distressing cameo in the tour-opening Hong Kong Bledisloe Cup loss to the Wallabies.
Donald had one grim moment when kicking a penalty dead -- a rare All Blacks indiscretion to enthuse a home crowd dumbfounded at the abrupt end to Scotland's four-match unbeaten run.
There was also a dominant scrum in the 54th minute which buckled the All Blacks formation, though in keeping with Scotland's inability to profit from the rare opportunities they received, possession was lost at the next engagement.
McCaw earned his rest in the 57th minute so Daniel Braid finally logged his first minutes on tour while Andrew Hore made a safe return from shoulder surgery when he was introduced for solid debutant Hika Elliot with 19 minutes remaining.
Despite the changes, the All Blacks still managed three more tries in the second half -- another Williams offload put Muliaina in the corner for his second and probably sealed the rookie's man of the match award.
He was also prominent with ball in hand before Smith crossed in the 67th minute and then Donald has a positive impact when his break gave reserve halfback Andy Ellis a stroll to the posts with two minutes remaining.
The All Blacks head to Dublin tomorrow; there in no respite for the Scots -- world champions South Africa loom next weekend.
New Zealand 49 (Hosea Gear 2, Mils Muliaina 2, Dan Carter, Conrad Smith, Andy Ellis tries; Carter 5 conversions, Stephen Donald 2 conversions), Scotland 3 (Dan Parks penalty), HT: 28-3.