The All Blacks gave a masterclass in modern rugby at Murrayfield on Sunday afternoon. With new rules favouring, if not demanding, quick ruck play, New Zealand showed once again they are well ahead of the curve. It seemed they were playing unopposed at times, such was the speed at which they recycled the ball and crossed the gain line unimpeded.
Dan Carter must have had a bit of sympathy for the Edinburgh faithful in attendance, as he uncharacteristically missed a kickable penalty and then handed a loose pass to Matt Scott, who found johnny-on-the-spot winger Tim Visser on his shoulder to race in for a gift try against the grain. Greig Laidlaw converted and the kilted warriors had an unlikely lead with fifteen minutes on the board.
Carter very quickly redeemed himself as he ghosted through two gaps, the second time putting Israel Dagg over for a routine score. The injuries that had plagued in Cardiff temporarily put a damper on things as first Ross Rennie retired early with a shoulder injury, and then Dagg was forced off after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge.
Rapid-fire tries from Julian Savea, Cory Jane, and Andrew Hore put the game out of reach, but Geoff Cross did manage to bring some credit to Scotland right on the halftime whistle. The purple patch continued following the break, largely thanks to an Adam Thomson yellow card for stepping on the head of Alasdair Strokosch, a move which will no doubt earn him an appointment with the citing commissioner.
With the All Blacks a man short Laidlaw disrupted at a ruck and the ball bounced to Visser who crossed for his second try, but the party ended when a Carter kicked a penalty and then a cross kick found Savea, who stepped Stuart Hogg with ease to score a second of his own. Ben Smith rounded off the game, with the conversion breaking through the 50 point barrier.
Despite the score line Scotland will take some heart from the game, scoring three tries against the best team in the world is no mean feat. For the most part the scrum was solid and even though the game as a contest was well over by the half they never gave up. New Zealand were not quite at their best but will be pleased enough with the result. On this form England are the only side likely to give them a real challenge, but it will take a grand effort indeed to stop McCaw & Co. from completing the calendar year unbeaten.
SCORING
02 mins – Dan Carter pen 0-3
13 mins – Tim Visser try 5-3
14 mins – Greig Laidlaw con 7-3
18 mins – Israel Dagg try 7-8
19 mins – Dan Carter con 7-10
24 mins – Greig Laidlaw pen 10-10
28 mins – Dan Carter pen 10-13
30 mins – Julian Savea try 10-18
31 mins – Dan Carter con 10-20
33 mins – Cory Jane try 10-25
34 mins – Dan Carter con 10-27
38 mins – Andrew Hore try 10-32
39 mins – Dan Carter con 10-34
40 mins – Geoff Cross try 15-34
40 mins – Greig Laidlaw con 17-34
50 mins – Tim Visser try 22-34
53 mins – Dan Carter pen 22-37
63 mins – Julian Savea try 22-42
64 mins – Dan Carter con 22-44
75 mins – Ben Smith try 22-49
76 mins – Dan Carter con 22-51
CARDS
44 mins – Adam Thomson yellow (stamping)
SCOTLAND
Stuart Hogg; Sean Lamont, Nick De Luca (Max Evans 64), Matt Scott, Tim Visser; Greig Laidlaw (Ruaridh Jackson 65), Mike Blair (Henry Pyrgos 75); Ryan Grant (Allan Jacobsen 65), Ross Ford (Scott Lawson 64), Geoff Cross; Richie Gray, Jim Hamilton (Alastair Kellock 58); Alasdair Strokosch, Ross Rennie (David Denton 19), Kelly Brown (capt.).
NEW ZEALAND
Israel Dagg (Beauden Barrett 25); Cory Jane, Ben Smith, Tamati Ellison, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Piri Weepu (Tawera Kerr-Barlow 61); Wyatt Crockett (Tony Woodcock 72), Andrew Hore (Dane Coles 61), Owen Franks (Ben Franks 61); Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock (Ali Williams 67); Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw (capt.), Victor Vito.
