20 Jul 2024

All Blacks comfortably dominate Fiji in 47-5 victory

4:51 pm on 20 July 2024
Caleb Clarke of New Zealand scores a try. New Zealand All Blacks v Fiji, International Rugby Union Test match at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego.

Caleb Clarke of New Zealand scores a try. New Zealand All Blacks v Fiji, International Rugby Union Test match at Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego. Photo: Photosport

The All Blacks have comfortably cruised past Fiji in San Diego.

New Zealand ran in seven tries to put their Pacific neighbours away 47-5.

The game saw the debuts of six new All Blacks with Pasilio Tosi, Wallace Sititi, George Bell, Sam Darry, Noah Hotham and Billy Proctor earning their first test caps.

The result also maintains coach Scott Robertson's winning start to his tenure which now stands at three from three.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, skipper Scott Barrett told Sky Sport it wasn't as polished a performance as they had hoped.

"We talked about grinding them down, it took a bit of time to do that and we got the rewards in the end of that but Fiji certainly turned up in the physical areas."

He said there were still areas they fell short of their own high expectations.

"We got our noses through a few times but we created enough opportunities to turn into points."

It took less than ten minutes before the All Blacks struck, McKenzie breaking the line and finding Barrett who shifted it smartly to the left for Caleb Clarke to cut back and score.

The second came soon after on the back of a strong carry from Anton Lienert-Brown, with Cortez Ratima then sneaking over from the base for his first test try.

After finally building some phases, the Fijians got themselves on the board courtesy of a cross kick from Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula which was snaffled by Semi Radradra who forced it inside to Vilimoni Botitu.

New Zealand captain Scott Barrett.

New Zealand captain Scott Barrett. Photo: Photosport

Debutant Billy Proctor was over in just his first test, the beneficiary of some more slick hands from the All Blacks backs.

With the All Blacks dominating the Fijian scrum, a free kick was awarded five out which the All Blacks took quickly, Ardie Savea switching to the left and powering to the line.

After a strong half hour in his first start at halfback, Ratima was forced from the field after hitting the deck hard, paving way for the first debutant from the bench in Noah Hotham entering the game.

With halftime looming, one went begging for the Fijians who surged up field with several strong runs, freeing it to Jiuta Wainiqolo but he spilled the ball while attempting to ground it in the tackle of McKenzie to send the sides the the sheds at 26-5.

Just five minutes after the break and the All Blacks were in again, sparked by a storming surge from Savea, and Sevu Reece muscled his way over in the right corner.

Clarke looked to have bagged his second as Reece broke from a ruck, but it was scrubbed after replays showed the gap was created through Scott Barrett taking a player off the ball.

Robertson cleared his bench with Pasilio Tosi, Wallace Sititi, George Bell and Sam Darry became the latest All Blacks. They made an immediate impact, each having a hand in a sixth try for Ethan De Groot.

Another new cap in Bell then burrowed his way over the chalk to bring down the curtain on a relatively dominant All Blacks performance.

Scorers

All Blacks 47 (Clarke, Ratima, Proctor, Savea, Reece, De Groot, Bell, tries, McKenzie 6 cons)

Fiji 5 (Botitu, tries)

Cortez Ratima had his game cut short through injury.

Cortez Ratima had his game cut short through injury. Photo: Photosport

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