Barrett brothers each score a try as All Blacks turn screw
It was never all about the score for the All Blacks. With respect to Canada, New Zealand had bigger goals in mind for their Pool B match under the roof of the Oita Dome than the handsome win that was expected and delivered with breathtaking blitzes at the start of each half.
It was another good night for New Zealand who scored eight tries, plus a penalty try, against a defence that missed 46 tackles. Their second convincing win from two matches propelled them closer to the quarter-finals and a probable meeting with the runners-up in Pool A – likely to be either Scotland or Japan.
Dual playmakers Richie Mo’unga at stand-off and Beauden Barrett at full-back ran rings around the Canadians. Mo’unga was the maestro, and Barrett was brilliant counterattacking from the back. Their scissors move from a scrum gave replacement scrum-half Brad Weber his second try. Mo’unga landed all eight of his goalkicks.
Barrett ran so much that, when he had a second try in sight after the full-time hooter, he lost control of the ball five metres from the line because he ran out of energy.
Beauden and brothers Scott and Jordie – all starters – supplemented their milestone as the second trio of brothers to play in the Rugby World Cup after the Vunipola brothers of Tonga in 1995, by all scoring tries. “We’re blessed to have them,” coach Steve Hansen said.
The out-of-form Rieko Ioane went looking for work when the ball didn’t come to his left wing and he glided in for his 24th try in his 27th Test just 45 seconds into the second half after a Jordie Barrett jump-catch, and another break by impressive inside centre Sonny Bill Williams.
Williams made a sizeable amount of the All Blacks’ 24 breaks, slicing through the defence at will. He also reminded us that he has a pretty good kicking game: his grubber kick was scored from by Beauden Barrett.
“He’s done that kick four times, and we’ve scored four times from it since 2011,” Hansen said. “He’s injury free and starting to look like the old Sonny.”
The All Blacks’ replacement flanker Ardie Savea became the first player in Rugby World Cup history to play with goggles. The vision in his left eye is diminishing and he wears goggles to protect both eyes. With one of his first touches, he dropped a pass with only grass in front of him, and threw the goggles away.
The first try came in the fifth minute, a penalty try after captain Kieran Read was interfered with while the All Blacks drove Canada’s scrum five metres backwards over its tryline.
That ignited the All Blacks and Jordie Barrett and Williams added quick tries, before Beauden Barrett’s effort from Williams’ grubber.
New Zealand were exhilarating after the break, with five tries in 17 minutes from Ioane, Scott Barrett, flanker Shannon Frizzell and Weber’s brace.