BRISBANE - The perfect goalkicking performance of Leon MacDonald in the 91-7 win over Tonga will not affect the All Blacks' backline selection thinking, according to coaching co-ordinator Robbie Deans.
MacDonald, usually a fullback but an impressive performer at centre against the outgunned Tongans on Friday night, nailed all 12 of his conversion attempts, many from wide positions.
His 29-point haul also included a try, capping a performance which will give Deans and coach John Mitchell plenty to think about.
With first five-eighth Carlos Spencer not regarded as a consistently accurate goalkicker, MacDonald's effort with the boot creates plenty of discussion points. Deans said MacDonald's perfect record was no surprise and would not affect selection for the tougher tests in coming weeks.
"We've always been aware that Leon's a good goalkicker," Deans said. "These guys do a lot more goalkicking during the week than they do at the weekend. We've been aware of all of their skills.
"It was great for Leon to get the opportunity to kick in a game.
"That would have been good for him, it would be a deposit in his confidence bank."
Deans felt MacDonald handled the change in position well and that the backs around him also adjusted nicely.
MacDonald, 25, underlined by his performance what a big loss he will be to New Zealand rugby after announcing last week that he will begin a two-year contract for Japanese club Yamaha next year.
He revealed in the build-up to the game that he was itching for a chance to kick after months of doing it at practice.
He is rated the fourth goalkicker with Canterbury and the Crusaders, behind Andrew Mehrtens, Ben Blair and Daniel Carter.
He became the first All Black centre to place-kick a goal since Bryan Williams against South Africa in 1970.
His effort equalled the 12 conversions kicked by Tony Brown, also against Tonga, at Albany three years ago.
In All Black test history they are bettered only by Simon Culhane, who kicked 20 conversions in the 145-17 win over of Japan at Bloemfontein in the 1995 World Cup.
The 56 points in the second spell is the third-highest New Zealand have scored in any half of an international.
Both halves in the romp against Japan were more productive - 84 in the first and 61 in the second.
It was the All Blacks' fifth-largest winning margin and their third-best at a World Cup behind the Japan test and the 101-3 win over Italy at Huddersfield four years ago.
- NZPA
Mr Perfect stakes his kicking claim
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