Rugby: Junior All Blacks beat 13-man Fiji

New Zealand opened the Junior Rugby World Cup with a 59-6 win over Fiji. Photo / Michel Renac - IRB.com

The New Zealand under-20 rugby team have begun their Junior World Cup campaign with a relatively easy 59-6 victory over a Fiji side who were at one point were reduced to just 11 men.

Fiji had two players red carded and three yellow carded in the match as New Zealand ran in nine tries at Stade de la Rabine in Vannes, France.

New Zealand scored their first after just 20 seconds when captain and Hurricanes flanker Ardie Savea ripped the ball from a Fijian player in their first phase and ran 25 metres to the tryline.

Michael Collins and Fa'asiu Fuatai scored doubles while Lolagi Visinia, Leroy van Dam, Scott Scrafton and Jordan Manihera also crossed the tryline.

The four time champions next face Australia on Monday, who lost their opening match to Ireland 19-15.

Fiji were reduced to 14 men in the 30th minute when Sevanaia Galala was sent off for a tip tackle. Six minutes later they had just 13 men on the field when Nasoni Kunavore was yellow carded.

It got even worse after halftime when Sunia Tamani and Timilai Rokoduru were both also sin-binned for a swinging arm and a late tackle respectively.

That left them with 11 men for a couple of minutes as New Zealand ran in another try by simply spreading the ball out wide. Just as Kunavore re-entered Fiji were left with 11 men once again when Viliame Rarasea become the second Fijian sent off, for a high tackle.

New Zealand made the most of the tiring Fijian defence scoring four tries in the final 25 minutes.

NZ U20 59 (Tayler Adams 2 con, 2 pen. Tei Walden 2 con. Tries: Fa'asiu Fuatai 2, Micheal Collins 2, Ardie Savea, Lolagi Visinia, Leroy van Dam, Scott Scrafton, Jordan Manihera) beat Fiji U20 6 (2 pen)

- nzherald.co.nz