Rampant All Blacks outclass Fiji 47-5 in San Diego Test
An All Blacks side featuring six players on debut cut loose against Fiji with seven tries to win their one-off Test 47-5 in San Diego on Friday.
New Zealand led 26-5 at halftime, appreciating the chance to play with freedom on a warm California evening after two bruising home Test wins over England.
Fly-half Damian McKenzie landed six off his seven conversion attempts and was a central figure as the All Blacks' backs feasted on dominance of possession and the forward pack's ability to win quick breakdown ball.
Fiji nevertheless restricted New Zealand to the lowest score in their eight Test encounters, with the average score in those meetings being 69-12 to the All Blacks.
New Zealand captain Scott Barrett said a Fiji side at close to full strength proved combative.
"We talked about grinding them down, it took a bit of time to do that and we got the rewards on the end of that," Barrett said.
"Fiji certainly showed up tonight in the physical areas. It wasn't fully polished, we have pretty high standards in this team.
"Fiji were able to get their hands on the ball to turn it over at times but we created enough opportunities to turn into points."
Fijian skipper Waisea Nayacalevu admitted his 10th-ranked side were outplayed.
"They made it hard for us and put us under pressure," he said.
"It was tough when we were losing momentum, we couldn't get back to do what we wanted to achieve as a team on our defence. Credit to the boys for fighting for the whole 80 minutes."
It was mission accomplished for New Zealand coach Scott Robertson, who made it three wins from three since taking charge while introducing a host of new faces.
There were 11 changes from his team who beat England 24-17 in last week's second Test in Auckland, with centre Billy Proctor the only starting new cap.
Five players debuted off the bench -- scrum-half Noah Hotham and forwards Wallace Sititi, Sam Darry, Pasilio Tosi and George Bell.
Fiji made two backline changes from team who beat Georgia 21-12 in Batumi two weeks ago, with Vilimoni Botitu shifted from fly-half to fullback.
Winger Caleb Clarke and scrum-half Cortez Ratima scored converted tries inside the opening 15 minutes before Fiji struck back through Botitu, the Castres back receiving an inside pass from Semi Radradra after the impressive winger claimed a cross-kick.
Proctor scored following a half-break from McKenzie before No.8 Ardie Savea bagged a try from a New Zealand quick tap as the half-time break loomed.
New Zealand's Fijian-born winger Sevu Reece opened the second-half scoring before front-rowers Ethan De Groot and Bell barrelled over for the last two tries.
Both teams lost their scrum-halves to injury in the first half -- Fiji's Frank Lomani to an apparent shoulder blow and Ratima to a head knock in his first Test start.
It could add to a mounting scrum-half injury problem for the All Blacks, with leading candidate Cam Roigard out for the season and veteran TJ Perenara sidelined by a knee knock sustained against England.
New Zealand's next Test is an opening-round Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Wellington on August 10.
Fiji face Samoa in their first Pacific Nations Cup pool match in Suva on August 23.
