Sonny Bill Williams of the New Zealand All Blacks offloads the ball during the Test match between New Zealand and Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium on November 13, 2010 in Edinburgh, Scotland
(November 12, 2010 - Photos by Phil Walter/Getty Images Europe)**
Easy does it for All Blacks
New Zealand ran in seven tries past Scotland to beat their hosts 49-3 in a completely one-sided game at Murrayfield on Saturday.
It was a demoralising defeat for the Scots, who could only look on helplessly as the All Blacks condemned their hosts to a record home defeat.
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The match was over as a contest as early as the 17th minute following four early tries to New Zealand who took control from kick-off and never looked back
If anything, New Zealand's dominance of territory and possession increased in the second half and they added three further tries - through Muliaina, Conrad Smith and Andy Ellis - to cap a dazzling display.
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Man of the match: Hard one after such an accomplished team effort. But it was the distribution of rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams in midfield that particularly caught the eye. Williams, who made his Test debut in the 15-man code in last weekend's win over England at Twickenham, consistently opened holes in Scotland's defence with the timing and vision of his offloads.
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Full report here: http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,9989_6503824,00.html
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Max Evans of Scotland is tackled by Sonny Williams of the New Zealand **
All Blacks ease to victory
An All Black machine that had spluttered through the first two games of this tour, clicked into gear this morning, leaving the Scots screaming for air and still awaiting their first win over New Zealand.
While still a long way short of an 80-minute performance, four tries in the opening half hour, all cleverly constructed, put the game out of reach.
Hosea Gear scored first after the sort of Sonny Bill Williams bust and offload that is fast becoming a trademark.
The ease with which Williams breaks the advantage line at first phase and the difficulty defences have preventing him get the ball away suggests that 12 is a more natural home for him.
He's far from the finished product at this level - when he gets the ball deeper behind the advantage line he looks as if he is thinking too much about what he's supposed to be doing - but the tries he set up to Gear and Muliaina in the second, with a reverse flick pass, point to him being a blue-chip asset ahead of the World Cup.
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This was rugby played at pace and with the sort of precision that had been missing in Hong Kong and London. Scotland, who have impressed recently with their willingness to move the ball and play with width, needed desperately to crunch the game down to its core and for a while they were successful.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10687540
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next test:
20 Nov
Ireland v New Zealand
Dublin
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Scotland v South Africa
Murrayfield
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