A rampaging second string New Zealand ran over hapless Italy 101-3 in their Group B clash here on Thursday to record the highest score of the tournament to date.
With only four players from the team that beat England on show, New Zealand confirmed that no matter what team they put out, they are a match for anyone.
Full-back Jeff Wilson wrote himself into the All Black record books by running in three tries to make himself the country's highest try scorer, overtaking the 35 scored by legendary winger John Kirwan. "It was really exciting for me. My mum was in the stand. To be up there with people like John Kirwan is something special. The guys got excited and it was all ours. It was pleasure to be out there with them," said Wilson.
Out-half Tony Brown, playing in his seventh Test scored more points -- 36 -- than he had in his previous six appearances added together. He also scored his first try in an All Black jersey when he intercepted a loose pass in the first-half.
Also stamping his authority was Jonah Lomu, the destroyer of England, who showed he was as good a forward as he was back.
In the dying minutes of the first half Lomu came into the scrum, picked up the ball like a true number eight and charged over from 10 meters out, dragging three Italians over with him. In the second-half he collected the ball on the wing and ran half the length of the field with no one to stop him piling on the misery for a shell-shocked Italian side.
It also made Lomu the greatest try scorer in World Cup history, moving him ahead of previous record hold Rory Underwood of England. Lomu, clearly with more to come, has now scored 12 World Cup tries.
Italy had hoped to test the All Blacks and prove that they derserved their place in the new Six Nations next year. Instead, they found themselves totally outclassed by New Zealand's second fifteen. Flanker Dylan Mika, captain Taine Randall, Daryl Gibson, Scott Robinson, Christian Cullen, Glen Osborne and hooker Mark Hammett all went over for tries.
Italy's best moment came in the opening minute of the match when they managed to get to within less than a meter of the New Zealand line thanks to a clever attack launched by full-back Matt Pini but then they wasted the opportunity by giving away a penalty.
The desperate Italians tried to halt that New Zealand attack by going offside when the opportunity arose but Scottish referee Jim Fleming was having none of it. In the end he warned the Italians that he would send off the next offender if it continued.
Italy's only points came from the boot of their kicking machine Diego Dominguez when New Zealand were caught going over the ball early in the first-half.
New Zealand: 1 Craig Dowd, 2 Mark Hammett, 3 Greg Feek, 4 Ian Jones, 5 Royce Willis, 6 Andrew Blowers, 7 Dylan Mika, 8 Taine Randell (c), 9 Byron Kelleher, 10 Tony Brown, 11 Jonah Lomu, 12 Pita Alatini, 13 Daryl Gibson, 14 Glen Osborne, 15 Jeff Wilson
Reserves: Robin Brooke, Christian Cullen, Rhys Duggan, Kees Meeuws, Scott Robertson
Unused: Andrew Mehrtens, Anton Oliver
Italy: 1 Andrea Castellani, 2 Andrea Moretti, 3 Alejandro Moreno, 4 Carlo Checchinato, 5 Mark Giacheri, 6 Massimo Giovanelli (c), 7 Stefano Saviozzi, 8 Carlo Caione, 9 Alessandro Troncon, 10 Diego Dominguez, 11 Paolo Vaccari, 12 Sandro Ceppolino, 13 Cristian Stoica, 14 Nicolas Zisti, 15 Matt Pini
Reserves: Orazio Arancio, Walter Cristofoletto, Francesco Mazzariol, Nicola Mazzucato, Alessandro Moscardi, Franco Properzi-Curti
Unused: Giampiero Mazzi
Attendance: 22032
Referee: Fleming j
Points Scorers:
New Zealand
Tries: Brown T.E. 1, Cullen C.M. 1, Gibson D.P.E. 1, Hammett M.G. 1, Lomu J.T. 2, Mika D.G. 1, Osborne G.M. 2, Randell T.C. 1, Robertson S.M. 1, Wilson J.W. 3
Conv: Brown T.E. 11
Pen K.: Brown T.E. 3
Italy
Pen K.: Dominguez D. 1
No comments:
Post a Comment