Tries come easily for All Blacks in hitouts
No major injuries, that was the important news for the All Blacks.
The All Blacks’ involvement in the ‘‘Game of Three Halves’’, an exercise in which the national side played 40 minutes respectively against Otago and a Cantabrians XV in Christchurch last night, probably did enough to satisfy coach Steve Hansen without causing any serious heartburn.
The All Blacks beat Otago 32-0 in their first hitout, with Rieko Ioane, playing at centre, bagging a hattrick in front of 19,600 fans.
After a 10 minute break the All Blacks then loaded up on the energy drinks to defeat the Cantabrians 40-5. In the earlier ‘‘half’’ Otago beat the Cantabs 28-12.
If Wallabies coach Michael Cheika had any spies in attendance at AMI Stadium he would surely scan whatever intelligence was gathered, and sling it into the bottom of a filing cabinet alongside other useless materials such as the dated bus timetables and chipped ashtrays.
Cheika, in other words, would be wise enough to know Hansen was never going to be reckless enough to reveal his hand before Bledisloe I in Sydney next Saturday night.
The All Blacks, playing in grey shirts without numbers and only requiring one Crusaders player – loosehead prop Tim Perry for a few minutes in the latter outing – scored six tries against Otago and first fiveeighth Beauden Barrett, having kicked one of his three conversation attempts, decided against trying to add the extras thereafter.
There were some nervous moments when wings Waisake Naholo (ribs/shoulder) and Nehe Milner-Skudder (mouth) required medical attention, but both completed the hitout.
Ioane looked powerful in the midfield, relishing the glut of possession that was quickly shifted into this big mitts and unlike his tenure at No 13 at the Blues there were no horrible moments.
Barrett was solid enough, setting up a try for Naholo with a cross-kick and not shy of any contact. With Crusaders locks Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett rested, Jackson Hemopo – a man the All Blacks selectors want to build into a blindside flanker – started in the second row and Liam Squire was lodged at No 8 in the absence of captain Kieran Read.
There was a lighthearted moment prior to the start of the final hitout against the Cantabrians, with the referee several minutes late to arrive on to the field.
It didn’t do much to stall the All Blacks’ momentum, even with Jordie Barrett on the wing in place of Milner-Skudder, Ngani Laumape joining the midfield while Ioane was spelled and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (later making way for TJ Perenara) got a run at halfback.
After 10 minutes Barrett was replaced by Damian McKenzie and Ardie Savea was on for No 7 Sam Cane; not that it did much to slow the national team’s desire to keeping hunting for points, with a total of eight tries rushed in.
The biggest cheer of the night was reserved for a man in red and black. Cantabs No 7 Tom Christie plunged over in the 26th minute after a prolonged build-up, just reward for his side’s tenacious efforts against such a glitzy lineup.
All Blacks 32