All Blacks power past Fiji
New Zealand warmed up for the forthcoming Tri-Nations series with a workmanlike 60-14 win over Fiji in bitterly cold Carisbrook.
Last Updated: 22/07/11 12:33pm
New Zealand warmed up for the forthcoming Tri-Nations series with a workmanlike 60-14 win over Fiji in bitterly cold Carisbrook.
The All Blacks failed to dominate in the way they would have hoped in Dunedin, but will take huge encouragement from the performance of Colin Slade on his first Test start.
The 23-year-old fly-half, who missed most of the Super 15 season after breaking his jaw twice, staked a bold claim to be part of Graham Henry's World Cup squad as understudy to Dan Carter.
Slade was supremely confident in the number 10 shirt, notching up19 points with four conversions, two penalties and try before he was replaced by Carter on 64 minutes.
The Highlanders' stand-off booted the Blacks into an early lead with a penalty in the third minute and six minutes later provided the pass that led to the opening try.
Pressure
Slade put Sitveni Sivivatu into space with a quick ball out to the right and the Fijian-born winger easily outpaced the visitors defence to fly over in the corner.
The young debutant missed the conversion but slotted another penalty on 20 minutes before benefiting from a kind bounce off the post to gather up his own kick and score under the posts.
This time he made no mistake in adding the extras and then played a part in the next try with a slick pass out wide that saw Andrew Hore rumble over after great work by Sivivatu.
Slade again added the extras to put the hosts 25-0 up after 36 minutes and two minutes later pressure from the forwards paid off when Adam Thomson burrowed over after Richie McCaw had been held up.
The half ended with the Fijians yet to core a point but they finally got on the board on 52 minutes as the All Blacks their momentum.
Plucky
Scrum-half Nemia Serelevu was on hand to collect and finish off after a lung-bursting 50m run down the touchline by number eight Sakiusa Matadigo
Conrad Smith then raced onto Piri Weepu's grubber for the Kiwis fifth try and Slade converted in what was his last act before he was replaced.
Weepu then helped himself to five points on 68 minutes after he was set up by Ben Smith and Carter converted to extend the lead to 46-7.
Three minutes later though Fiji hit back through replacement Vereniki Goneva, who showed great football skills to chip over the All Black defence and touch down for a second try by the plucky Islanders
But the Black juggernaut had the final say with a penalty try and Mils Muliainia's touchdown in the final minute to close the game out .
