New Zealand's crushing 68-18 win over their neighbours Fiji could prove costly after injuries to four of their key men. Fullback Leon MacDonald, centre Tana Umaga, flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens, and loose forward Taine Randell were all injured during the physical encounter at Wellington's WestpacTrust Stadium.
All Black coach John Mitchell intends on naming a 26-man All Black squad on Monday for New Zealand's up-coming Tri-Nations campaign and the injuries will be of major concern to him.
Umaga was forced from the field in the 20th minute with a reoccurrence of a knee injury and MacDonald, his replacement in the midfield, found himself stretchered off the field shortly before the final quarter after a head clash.
MacDonald was involved in a clash of heads with Stormers captain and flanker Corné Krige during the Super 12 and he may well need a smallish break to recover from this one even if he is not concussed. The sickening sound the clash made suggests that he is concussed, while play was held up for five minutes to allow him to be removed from the field of play.
Mehrtens, who like MacDonald and Robertson started the match on the bench, replaced MacDonald, and he was then forced to leave the field when Fijian flyhalf Nicky Little hit him in the face while he was attempting to block a pass from Christian Cullen.
Randell, meanwhile, strained his calf muscle just after half-time and the Crusaders' Scott Robertson replaced him at the base of the All Black scrum. A calf muscle injury delayed Randell's start to the 2002 Super 12, but it remains to be seen if this injury is related to that.
Besides all the injuries, there was some excitement for in-favour fullback Christian Cullen, who celebrated his Test recall with a hat-trick of tries.
Cullen, who is just 26 years of age, has now scored 46 Test tries in only 54 appearances for the Kiwis, the most by any other New Zealander. Jeff Wilson, who retired from rugby after this season's Super 12 in order to pursue a cricket career, was the previous record-holder.
New Zealand, who scored 10 tries to Fiji's two, led 32-6 at half-time, but Fiji must be commended for their two five-pointers -- the most scored against New Zealand in one match this season -- in the second period.
Fiji's tries were scored by live-wire right-wing Norman Ligairi, who rounded Jonah Lomu for his first try, before intercepting a loose Aaron Mauger pass for his second try. Nicky Little converted one of Ligairi's tries to add to his two first-half penalties.
Ligairi had the better of his battle with Lomu, one of the most feared wingers in world rugby, while the other Kiwi winger, Doug Howlett, was in fine form, with one of his mazy runs leading to a try for Cullen.
Howlett also scored a fine try of his own -- a brilliant chip-and-chase -- suggesting perhaps that he should start the Tri-Nations in the No.14 jersey with Lomu and Caleb Ralph battling it out for the No.11 jumper.
Forwards Norm Maxwell (lock) and Kees Meeuws (prop) scored a brace of tries each, while replacement No.8 Robertson also scored a try from a pushover scrum. Maxwell had an industrious game and Meeuws was powerful in the scrums, while his support-play was also superb.
Aaron Mauger also proved that there is life after Mehrtens with an assured performance at first five-eight. His wild pass that led to Ligairi's try was all he did wrong on the night. His distribution was sound, tactical-kicking clever, and goalkicking promising.
"There was a few casualties out there and it's always disappointing to see things like that in the game," All Black captain Reuben Thorne told NZOOM after the match.
"There were a few high shots going in and a lot of off-side play ...
"[But] apart from that there was also a few good aspects, we scored 68 points, so it wasn't too bad on a difficult night like that."
The Teams:
New Zealand: 1 Joe McDonnell, 2 Tom Willis, 3 Kees Meeuws, 4 Simon Maling, 5 Norm Maxwell, 6 Sam Harding, 7 Reuben Thorne (c), 8 Taine Randell, 9 Byron Kelleher, 10 Aaron Mauger, 11 Doug Howlett, 12 Daryl Gibson, 13 Tana Umaga, 14 Jonah Lomu, 15 Christian Cullen
Reserves: Leon MacDonald, Justin Marshall, Andrew Mehrtens, Scott Robertson
Unused: David Hewett, Chris Jack, Mark Hammett
Fiji: 1 Billy Cavubati, 2 Greg Smith (c), 3 Richard Nyholt, 4 Sisa Koyamaibole, 5 Simon Raiwalui, 6 Koli Sewabu, 7 Setareki Tawake Naivaluwaqa, 8 Alifereti Doviverata, 9 Jacob Rauluni, 10 Nicky Little, 11 Vilimoni Delasau, 12 Seru Rabeni, 13 Viliame Satala, 14 Norman Ligairi, 15 Alfred Uluinayau
Reserves: Paula Biu, Alfi Mocelutu Vuivau, Joseph Narruhn, Ifereimi Rawaqa, Sami Rabaka Nasagavesi, Isaia Rasila
Unused: Dan Baleinadogo
Attendance: 23938
Referee: Young s.
Points Scorers:
New Zealand
Tries: Howlett D.C. 1, MacDonald L.R. 1, Mauger A.J.D. 1, Cullen C.M. 3, Maxwell N.M.C. 2, Meeuws K.J. 2, Robertson S.M. 1
Conv: Mauger A.J.D. 5
Pen K.: Mauger A.J.D. 1
Fiji
Tries: Ligairi N. 2
Conv: Little N.T. 1
Pen K.: Little N.T. 2
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