All Blacks: Stage fright on opening night

Conrad Smith celebrates his try after winning the race against Ma'a Nonu to get the bouncing ball. Photo / Getty Images

All Blacks 60
Fiji 14

The All Blacks spluttered to victory, dodged any injury dramas and offered all sorts of curiosities about their pedigree.

Some of their play last night was sharp, some strange, and there was lots of earnest action without significant results.

The opening act of the All Blacks' search for a second World Cup title began as the international rugby curtains were drawn on Carisbrook. It was the third farewell to international rugby at the 'Brook after similar au revoirs against France in 2009 and Wales last year.

It had been pitched as as benefit night for Canterbury but that noble cause could not attract more than a modest crowd of 17,000 to the park.

The All Blacks are not heading to Dunedin in the World Cup but the locals knew this was no more than a practice match, they were not keen to part with their cash.

Not at Carisbrook anyway, not when they could save their loot to pitch up in a few weeks for the opening of their splendid new sports citadel at the other end of the city.

As an exercise, the test went well enough in the opening spell when the All Blacks gathered four tries and 32 points while not conceding any.

They were also able to report a minimal casualty list.

However the All Blacks stagnated in the third spell as Fiji got some ball. No 8 Sakiusa Matadigo collected a loose ball, sprinted away and lobbed a pass for halfback Nemia Serelevu to score a wonderful try.

It was a very crisp but calm night for the middle of winter in Dunedin, but the nerves would have been jangling for a clutch of All Blacks.

Debut lock Jarrad Hoeata should have been edgy, Ali Williams too on his return after a two-year gap and there must have been nerves for Colin Slade, Zac Guildford, Liam Messam, Ben Franks and Wyatt Crockett who are not deep into their test careers.

Senior men Sitiveni Sivivatu, Andrew Hore and Mils Muliaina needed find some form fast.


The All Blacks were comfortable on the scoreboard, but the grumbles will be about their inability to kick on after the interval, when they should have taken the sting out of the Fijians.

Fiji were fractured in formation, brittle at the scrums and punctured at the breakdowns where All Black captain Richie McCaw showed flickers of his old form. He has had little rugby this year because of a pesky foot injury and concussion.

However this hit-out will have been just the tonic for him and several other frontliners beforethe Tri-Nations defence starts next week against the Springboks in Wellington.



Last night was Sivivatu's 44th test, one he claimed after getting a reprieve because of injuries to several first-choice wings.

He made the most of his fortune, showing an energy and vitality which he had been missing.

Play ran his way, but not so much for Muliaina and Guildford who had little action in the first half.

Williams offered a couple of lame forward passes in general play and did not connect on a couple of kickoffs, but like his mates was energetic in their first hit out of the season.

Hooker Hore fitted into that category, leading a strong scrum, hitting most of his lineout targets and dummying his way over for a try.

New man Hoeata bashed away, up the core of Carisbrook, doing hard metres so his teammates could profit until, with Sivivatu and Jimmy Cowan, he was subbed at 52 minutes.

It took the All Blacks until the last quarter to find the tryline again. Substitute Piri Weepu chipped from a scrum and Conrad Smith beat Ma'a Nonu in the race to the ball.

Spotlight on

JARRAD HOEATA
Lock

Took the first lineout cleanly, which would have given him a confidence boost. A couple of big defensive hits rattled some Fijian ribs. Restarts a mess, but look at his senior lock partner in that regard. Kudos for throwing last pass to Andrew Hore when he might have crossed himself. Subbed in the 54th minute.

COLIN SLADE
First five-eighths

Showed good skills in scoring a chip-chase try and kicked most of his goals. Organised his backline well, though at times it looked a little automated rather than instinctive. Perhaps his most notable feat was getting through the evening without breaking something. Fifty lines, though: "I must not miss touch on penalties." Subbed in the 64th.

SITIVENI SIVIVATU
Wing

Almost inevitable that he would score the first try. Very busy and productive until subbed in 51st minute. It might just be that the black jersey is the only motivational tool that works for Sivivatu. Maybe about 10 per cent short of real sharpness. When that returns, the question is whether you can really afford to leave him out?

All Blacks

Tries: S Sivivatu, C Slade, A Hore, A Thomson, C Smith, P Weepu, M Muliaina, pen try
Conversions: C Slade 4, D Carter 3
Penalties: C Slade 2

Fiji

Tries: N Serelevu, V Gonevin
Conversions: S Baikeinuku
Halftime: 32-0