Nick Evans is currently the third highest points scorer at the World Cup. Photo / Brett Phibbs
TOULOUSE - New Zealand are once again the flat track bullies of a rugby World Cup, eclipsing all comers in compiling tries and points in pool play.
The All Blacks took advantage of the weakest of the four pools, scoring a tournament record 309 points from four pool
matches.
It was nearly 100 more than Australia's 215 points, with South Africa scoring 189 and France 188, while New Zealand's record 46 tries was 16 clear of the Wallabies.
It was the same story four years ago in Australia when the All Blacks set the previous best marks of 282 pool points and 42 tries.
They were also the pool points scoring leaders in 1995 and 1987 although the honours went to Scotland in 1991 and England in 1999.
The All Blacks had the second best defence, conceding 35 points. They were just pipped in that department by Argentina's 33.
"If going into the tournament we thought we were going to win these games by the amount that we have scored, the number of tries we've scored and the margins of the games, we'd have been exceptionally happy," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said.
In individual scoring, backup All Blacks first five-eight Nick Evans' 50 points is third behind the 67 of South African fullback Percy Montgomery and 53 from Argentina's Felipe Contepomi.
The top echelon of tryscorers is dominated by New Zealand wingers.
Australian winger Drew Mitchell leads the way with seven tries but Doug Howlett (six), Joe Rokocoko (five) and Sitiveni Sivivatu (four) are all nipping at his heels while four more New Zealanders are on three tries.
Howlett has climbed to 13 tries at World Cups, two short of overall record holder and compatriot Jonah Lomu.
Of all current players, Rokocoko and Australian fullback Chris Latham are next closest to Lomu's mark, on 11 Cup tries.
Helping New Zealand's scoring cause at this tournament has been their 28 line breaks, more than double that achieved by any other team, according to final pool statistics.
The All Blacks lead another less desirable category - errors - having made a tournament high 58.
- NZPA
