KEY POINTS:
Mils Muliaina's arrival will boost the All Black resources for the next Grand Slam match against Ireland as the tourists look to stiffen their selections for the final three tests of the tour.
When the selectors assessed their end of year tour rivals they gauged that an alternate
XV would be too strong for Scotland.
That assessment proved correct as a side with 12 changes from the team which clawed past the Wallabies in Hong Kong, dealt to Scotland yesterday at Murrayfield. The emphatic scoreline did not indicate the pressure the Scots inflicted for large chunks of the test, more the All Blacks' tenacious defence and their conversion of limited chances.
Two injuries blighted the result with Isaia Toeava not returning after halftime because of a shoulder/arm injury while substitute halfback Andy Ellis was replaced after damaging his rib cartilage, leaving the unusual sight of Daniel Carter filling in at halfback for the last 10 minutes.
Muliaina's scheduled hookup with the squad at Heathrow Airport en route to Dublin, after his paternity leave, will be timely and should have him back in the No 15 jersey at Croke Park while there may be some thought to Jason Eaton and Corey Flynn getting a start to allow Ali Williams and Keven Mealamu a breather.
There will also be ideas about giving Joe Rokocoko another burst on the wing where he was busy against Scotland but naturally, after being out so long, was not as sharp as he can be while Richard Kahui ramped up his claims for a repeat start after a weighty game in Edinburgh.
The All Blacks got the result they wanted to start the tour as their remaining opponents Ireland and England claimed wins while Wales narrowly failed to overhaul the Springboks in a rousing clash.
Defence pleased coach Graham Henry but he was not so taken by his team's lack of ball control and their high penalty concession rate.
"We were a bit rusty, we have got a bit of work to do but this was the first time this team has played together. It was a satisfying result for us, a good way to start the tour and lots of work to be done," he said.
Debut forwards Jamie Mackintosh and Kieran Read received strong mentions from the coaching staff - Mackintosh for his part in a seven man scrum under heat on their own line when Anthony Boric was in the sinbin.
Boric's dispatch, on a night when he showed his growing comfort at this level, was the second in two strange sinbinnings from controversial referee Wayne Barnes who appeared to fire Boric and Scots centre Nick de Luca, without warning, for offences which at worst might have rated a penalty.
Both players offended in their own 22; de Luca lashed out at a ball while he was on the ground while Boric appeared to drive correctly through the gate in a ruck but was given a rest for his effort.
While he was officious in those rulings, Barnes continued to reset interminable scrums without sorting out those issues.
New skipper Keven Mealamu said there was an enormous amount of pressure in those contests as both teams fought for ascendancy and when that occurred there were a number of collapses.
All Black attacks during the game were sporadic because of their own errors and Scotland's surfeit of possession. Assistant coach Wayne Smith agreed that he and the backline would have found that frustrating.
"Their heart was great, the young guys showed a lot of ticker and it was a good win. I think the backline was happy with what they produced but probably wanted to produce a bit more," he said.
Henry gave little away about his selection plans for Ireland other than to say there would be a few changes.
"It will be a big contest again," he said. "I thought they had a good summer tour [in New Zealand] and they will build on that."
