Kiwis post century in Test farce
Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:31
Hat-trick hero: Mills Muliaina scored three of 15 All Black tries
New Zealand scored 15 tries in one of the biggest mismatches of the decade when they strolled past Samoa to a 101-14 win in New Plymouth on Wednesday, a game that was meant to be a warm-up for their Tri-Nations decider against Australia in Brisbane next Saturday, September 13.
All sorts of records were set, including the highest score ever conceded by Samoa, but the question must be asked: "Does this game deserve Test status?"
All Blacks captain Rodney So'oialo admitted that it may not have been the quality of opposition they had hoped for, but felt that not having played as a team for three weeks they needed the hit-out.
"The boys enjoyed it and we achieved some of the stuff we set out," So'oialo said.
One watches and one wonders. One wonders all sorts of things. One sees an enfeebled Samoan team smashed 101-14 and the creation of all sorts of records, including the highest score ever conceded by proud Samoa in a Test, and one wonders what it means. One wonders what it tests.
One listens and one wonders.
"Ten days to go to Brisbane."
"It's far better than just going to Brisbane."
One wonders if these Samoans, some of them new caps, were not just sacrificial lambs, slaughtered in New Zealand's greater cause.
Even the laws used tell the story. They were not the ELVs applied universally since 1 August but the "old" ELVS which applied in Super 14 and apply in the Tri-Nations. This surely was to suit only New Zealand. It was match practice for the All Blacks.
One wonders at the sincerity of some rugby administrators. There is an outcry when sides like France and England send weakened sides South and the South says with great indignation: "We shall not play them again." Now knowing full well that Samoa could not pick a full side, they insist that the game go ahead because "it's far better than going to training".
Pity Samoa. They had just four players who had been to the World Cup less than a year ago - centre Jerry Meafou, who plays club rugby in Samoa, Japan-based forwards Semo Sititi and Filipo Levi, and New Zealand-based scrumhalf Junior Poluleuligaga who was on the bench. There were no Europe-based players, and the strength of Samoan rugby now resides in Europe.
At any rate the match was played and the All Blacks won at a canter in a match that had much that was smooth, constructive and creative and some that was scrappy on a perfect night in New Plymouth with a crowd of over 23 000 to watch the first-ever All Black match in the town below Mt Egmont. New Zealand scored first and last and in between the Samoans got two tries. But what are so few against so many? Two against 15?
Rodney So'oialo, a Samoan by birth, led New Zealand out against Samoa. The Samoans did their manu and the All Blacks, their haka, Daniel Carter kicked off and, after two minutes, New Zealand led 7-0. New Zealand went left with Adam Thomson powerful and then went wide right where Mils Muliaina stepped inside Meafou and got past Esera Lauina to score. The first try against Samoa was by an All Black born in Samoa.
The All Blacks crunched the Samoan scrum several times. They crunched the first Samoan scrum, got the ball and went left where Conrad Smith and Anthony Tuitavake were prominent. From far left they went far right where Thomson just managed to get the ball down in the corner. 12-0 after seven minutes.
All Black hands went awry from a line-out but Tuitavake got the ball, stayed strong on his feet and broke away from some feeble tackling to give Muliaina an overlap and a try. 19-0 after 14 minutes.
Two minutes later it was 26-0. From the far left Carter kicked a perfect diagonal kick to unmarked Tuitavake. He gave inside to Muliaina who gave to Smith who scored.
There was a long period of desperate defence for the Samoans as the All Blacks opted for scrums instead of penalties. That happened three times in quick succession five metres from their line till So'oialo knocked on. Samoa cleared.
The All Black march was temporarily halted. Samoa - deliberately - threw over the top of a line-out on the All Black 22 after Richard Kahui had kicked directly into touch. Scrumhalf Notise Tauafao got the ball and darted ahead. He gave to Meafou who went on and suddenly the Samoans were battering at the line. Quick ball went left where Uale May slipped between Greg Somerville and Ma'a Nonu to score. May converted. 26-7 after 28 minutes.
After that the juggernaut continued crushing Samoans.
The Samoans helped in their own demise. after Nonu had been forced out at the corner, the Samoans threw a defensive line-out over the top where So'oialo knocked the ball back to his side and Smith wandered over under the posts. 33-7 after 35 minutes.
In the first half the Samoans were much penalised - 10 times to one. They were spoken to. When Tauafao kicked the ball out of a scrum five metres from the Samoan line, the referee sent Tauafao to the sin bin. Jimmy Cowan then fed a scrum which was running forward and then went round to the right to take a pass from So'oialo. Lauina got Cowan's ankle but still the All Black scored. 40-7 after 39 minutes.
There was time for one more. Samoa were attacking, the siren went and they lost the ball at a tackle. The All Blacks raced down the right with Kahui making great ground,. He gave inside to Muliaina who completed his hat-trick of tries.
New Zealand led 47-7 at half-time.
There were many changes right from the start of the second half. Most obviously Stephen Donald was on for Carter.
The All Blacks scored from a scrum when they went right - So'oialo to Cowan to Isaia Toeava to Kahui who scored though the last pass looked dubious. 52-7 after 52 minutes.
From the kick-off the All Blacks came strong back. Tony Woodcock charged and they went right with good, short passing till Donald went outside of Jerome Kaino for an easy try, which he converted. 59-7.
Samoa had the ball but Smith intercepted it on the half-way and sent Nonu flying. He played inside to Ali Williams who galloped off to the posts to score. 66-7 after 52 minutes.
Samoa kicked out of desperate defence and Toeava ran at them in counter and Kaino was over in the left corner. 73-7 after 55 minutes.
After Rudi Wulff had had a scything run, the All Blacks had a five metre scrum which they were shoving at the line as the Samoans peeled away and were offside. The referee awarded a penalty try. 80-7 after 60 minutes.
The All Blacks attacked again and Toeava made the best of a poor pass by Nonu to beat May on the outside and score. 87-7 with eight minutes to play. Those eight minutes produced 21 points.
Samoa broke out promisingly and swept downfield but Junior Polu lost the ball when they were well on the way to scoring and the All Blacks countered and Piri Weepu scored down the other end. 94-7 with six minutes to play.
The All Blacks grubbered ahead and inside his own half May gathered and broke down the touch-line on his right before playing inside to flank Alafoti Faosiliva. He gave to Polu who gave back to Faosiliva who scored a splendid try. Roger Warren converted. 94-14 with three minutes to play.
The Samoans had the ball after the siren went and were trying to score from a long way out. They chipped and tall Thomson plucked the ball out of the night sky and set up an All Black attack of many phases which ended with a try by Kahui. Donald ended the scoring with the conversion.
Man of the Match: Ali Williams had a most impressive match.
Moment of the Match: The try by Alafoti Faosiliva was as good as any.
Villain of the Match: The organisers of such a match did not have to play.
Scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: Muliaina 3, Thomson, Smith 2, Cowan, Kahui 2, Donald, Williams, Kaino, Toeava, Weepu, penalty try
Cons: Carter 6, Donald 7
For Samoa:
Tries: Mai, Faosiliva
Cons: Mai, Warren
Yellow card: Notise Tauafao (Samoa, 37 - repeated infringements, offside)
Teams:
New Zealand: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Richard Kahui, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Anthony Tuitavake, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So'oialo (captain), 7 Adam Thomson, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Neemia Tialata, 18 Sione Lauaki, 19 Piri Weepu, 20 Stephen Donald, 21 Isaia Toeava, 22 Rudi Wulf.
Samoa: 15 Alatasi Tupou, 14 Reupena
Levasa, 13 Pale Toelupe, 12 Jerry Meafou, 11 Esera Lauina, 10 Uale Mai, 9 Notise Tauafao, 8 George Stowers, 7 Alafoti Faosiliva, 6 Semo Sititi, 5 Chad Slade, 4 Filipo Levi (captain), 3 Heroshi Tea, 2 Loleni Tafunai, 1 Simon Lemalu.
Replacements: 16 Lafoga Aoelua, 17 Roysiu Tolufale, 18 Maselino Paulino, 19 Simaika Mikaele, 20 Junior Poluleuligaga, 21 Roger Warren, 22 Romi Ropati.
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Touch judges: James Leckie (Australia), Paul Marks (Australia)
TMO: Geoff Acton (Australia)
