All Blacks beat England 37-20 - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

All Blacks beat England 37-20

14/06/2008 08:27:05 PM Comments (0)

Flyhalf Daniel Carter scored 22 points, passing 700 points in Test rugby, as New Zealand beat England 37-20 in the first of two Tests.

Carter scored a first-half try and kicked four conversions and three penalties - seven goals from seven attempts - to give the All Blacks a comprehensive win over a disorganised and often negative England team.

Centre Conrad Smith, fullback Mils Muliana and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu also scored tries for New Zealand. Muliaina and Sivivatu's tries, in the first six minutes of the second half, snuffed out an attempted comeback from England who scored their first try, to debuting winger Topsy Ojo, immediately before the break.

Ojo, who was the only new cap in the England starting lineup, scored a second try 10 minutes before fulltime to make the margin of New Zealand's victory less convincing.

For Ojo it was two tries from his first two touches in Test football.

"The boys agree this was the most physical game of the year so far," All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said.

"It was a tough Test. Parts of our game were good. We took some opportunities when we got them and overall we're happy."

England's scrum, built around the giant loosehead prop Andy Sheridan - the only remaining member of their starting lineup in last year's Rugby World Cup final - was expected to stretch New Zealand, but the All Blacks were superior in scrums and lineouts.

New Zealand's 58-Test veteran Greg Somerville easily matched Sheridan, who spent 10 minutes in the sin bin either side of halftime.

The All Blacks seemed surprised by England's vigorous loose play in the first quarter of the match but gradually asserted themselves in that area and won a surplus of loose possession. Their quicker ball, when England was unable to delay it, created space for their backline and New Zealand's strong runners targeted England's weaker defenders.

England led 6-3 after 20 minutes, but Smith's try, from a deft chip kick by Carter, gave the All Blacks a 10-6 lead and they never again surrendered their advantage.

Carter's try in the 29th minute cracked the 700-point barrier and gave New Zealand a 23-13 halftime lead.

Muliaina scored in the second minute of the second half and Sivivatu touched down only four minutes later when New Zealand quickly exploited an England turnover.

Ojo, who ran 80 metres to score an intercept try moments before halftime, pursued a kick for his second try on debut in the game's final minutes.

"We made a few too many errors and New Zealand was very clinical in that period before and after halftime," England captain Steve Borthwick said.

"I felt the effort of our boys was brilliant. What we have to do now is analyse this game and work very hard to be better next week."

The win was New Zealand's 23 in 30 Tests against the English stretching back to 1905 and leaves the 2003 English team as the most recent visiting team to win on New Zealand soil.

The second Test is at Christchurch next Saturday.

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