All Blacks flanker Sam Cane makes a bust against Tonga. Photo / Brett Phibbs
All Blacks flanker Sam Cane makes a bust against Tonga. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Their own national team may already be out of the tournament but the English media has wasted no time in panning the All Blacks' chances of defending the World Cup on the basis of this morning's performance against Tonga.
Here's a round-up of what the English media outlets had tosay immediately after New Zealand's 47-9 victory in Newcastle.
British Independent:
New Zealand should be winning this World Cup without having to engage anything that looks remotely like their highest gear, but it was the uncomfortable grinding sound of metal on metal that characterised a discordant win over a determined Tongan side.
That the most dominant team in sporting history, as the All Blacks like to call themselves, have a tendency to evaporate in the face of the most intense pressure is a tendency from which the reigning world champions are meant to have relieved themselves.
In the second half, they cantered gently off to victory. But for anyone else with designs on lifting the Webb Ellis Cup - and there are a few - this was a thoroughly comforting evening.
The gulf between this, and the energy and execution laid on by Australia against England at Twickenham last week was a class apart. And if Australia live up to last week's highs again in their mouthwatering clash with Wales, they will surely have established themselves as the team to beat.
The All Blacks remain short of their champion best and were rattled by the Tongan forwards before some Nehe Milner-Skudder magic set up their victory. Milner-Skudder scored twice in five minutes midway through the second half at St James' Park to take the stuffing out of a Tonga side that had valiently stayed in touch for the first 50 minutes.
The New Zealanders, having already qualified for the play-offs before the game, were looking to polish their rough edges against Tonga. It was a step up, but still not the completely fluent performance they were looking for as they build towards the business end.
They now know they still have work to do as they wait to find their first sudden-death opponent. There will be particular concerns about how their forwards again buckled under pressure, as they did against Georgia last week, which Australia would have noted after the way their pack excelled when beating England.
Image 1 of 13: Sonny Bill Williams takes a selfie before the Pool C match between New Zealand and Tonga. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Guardian:
New Zealand duly booked their quarter-final place, but the world champions are still to shake of the their ring rust.
Eleven points down at the interval Tonga continued to give the favourites a tough time, reducing the lead by three, but almost immediately the Blacks struck back and two tries in six minutes from the wing Nehe Milner-Skudder ended the game if not the contest.
Bonus point in the bag, New Zealand emptied their bench and finally went through the gears, the most delicate of inside balls putting in Sonny Bill Williams before Sam Cane added a sixth, all converted by Dan Carter before the man of the night Ma'a Nonu finally had his say.
New Zealand now have eight days to put things right - and shake off the bumps and bruises - and no one would write off their chances of retaining their crown.
Times of London:
Predictions that the All Blacks would coast to an easy win certainly proved well wide of the mark during that opening period, and there was something close to panic in their ranks during the middle period of the match when they were reduced to 14 men and Tonga surged forward with confidence, strength and skill.
It had taken the All Blacks, led out by Ma'a Nonu on the occasion of his 100th cap, some time to get in to their stride, and the Tongans delighted the capacity crowd with some bold running in the early stages of the game. But little by little the world champions began to assert themselves, dictating where and how the game should be played.
It was all the invitation the All Blacks needed and they duly twisted the knife as the game approached the hour mark.
