Eight-try New Zealand cruise to tour victory over Sharks / Photo: © AFP
Eight-try New Zealand cruise to tour victory over Sharks
Wing Fehi Fineanganofo scored a try in each half as New Zealand cruised to an eight-try 54-0 victory over the Sharks on Tuesday in the second match of a South Africa tour.
Severely depleted by Springbok call-ups and injuries, the Durban franchise were competitive in the opening half and restricted the All Blacks to a 14-0 lead at half-time.
But the gulf in class showed after the break before a small crowd at a cold, wet Kings Park stadium and the tourists scored a further six tries.
The other try scorers were full-back Damian McKenzie, winger Caleb Clarke, centre Jordie Barrett, scrum-half Kyle Preston, substitute flanker Timoci Tavatavanawai and lock Sam Darry.
Ruben Love, the likely starting fly-half for the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on August 22, slotted seven of eight conversions, many from difficult angles.
Ma'a Nonu, a double Rugby World Cup winner with New Zealand, came off the bench in the second half for the Sharks, but was unable to halt the dominance of the tourists.
The centre joined the Durban outfit from Toulon as a player mentor last month after, at 44, becoming the oldest player to compete in the French Top 14 championship.
A possible concern for All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie will be the forced retirement of McKenzie with a knee injury before half-time.
New Zealand have already lost two of the original 44-man squad with hooker George Bell and centre Billy Proctor returning home.
Bell strained a calf during training in Cape Town ahead of a tour-opening 38-21 victory over the Stormers last Friday. He was replaced by Bradley Slater, who came off the bench in Durban.
Proctor suffered a fractured shoulder blade during the Stormers match. No replacement has been named.
Next up for the All Blacks is a potentially much tougher match against the Bulls franchise in Pretoria on Saturday.
Q.al-Nuaimi--BT
