After defeating Tonga last Saturday, New Zealand won again, but to a lesser extent, against Fiji this Saturday in Dunedin, 57-23, in a match at twelve tries.
Another big victory for the All Blacks! In the second of their ten games on the program until October 2, the New Zealanders beat Fiji 57-23 in Dunedin. Last Saturday, they had beaten Tonga 102 to 0 (Tonga still beaten this Saturday, 42-13 in Samoa), but this time the adversity was more important, Fiji occupying the eleventh place in the World Rugby rankings (Tonga are 13th and the Blacks second). However, there was no suspense during this meeting with twelve tries, marked by the first captaincy of Aaron Smith, for his 98th selection. The New Zealanders won the first half 21-11, with three tries scored against one. Jordie Barrett opened the scoring in the 8th, after a carried ball, an extraction of Smith and several quick passes. Then David Havili scored nine minutes later, after a touch on the right side and a lot of work from Codie Taylor. The center of the Crusaders, for his fourth selection, offered himself a double three minutes later, on a ball carried and a quick exit from Smith (21-6, 21st). The Fijians raised their heads in the 28th by scoring their first try of the game by the third line Albert Tuisue, after a touch, a ball carried and a lot of work from the forwards.
Heck of a clash against @fijirugby ??#NZLvFIJ #SteinlagerSeries pic.twitter.com/Y6vQQt7ujh
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 10, 2021
Four tries for Coles
The second half, won 36-12 by the All Blacks, was an offensive festival. George Bridge scored three minutes after returning from the locker room, following a penalty and a pass from Havili, who found him in the left corner. But the Fijians were quick to react, with a try from Mesulame Kunavula four minutes later after a touch, and a pass from Temo Mayanavanua, present at the start of the line-up (26-16, 49th). The Blacks took advantage of Kini Murimurivalu’s yellow card to score another try in the 52nd by Dane Coles after a ball carried, but Fiji closed the gap thanks to a penalty try, which saw Havili get a card yellow in turn (31-23, 60th). But these are the last points scored by the Whites. Because the Blacks have scored four tries in the last twenty minutes, with a hat-trick from Coles (63rd, 72nd and 75th) and a new try from Will Jordan, author of a quintuplet last week and scorer again this Saturday, on his first ball (69th). As of next Saturday, Fiji will have the opportunity to take their revenge, since they will face the Blacks again, this time in Hamilton. But it will undoubtedly take a miracle to tame the New Zealand offensive armada.
THE ALL BLACKS PROGRAM THIS SUMMER
TEST-MATCH
July 3 : New Zealand – Tonga : 102-0
July 10: New Zealand – Fiji: 57-23
July 17: New Zealand – Fiji
August 7: New Zealand – Australia
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
August 21: Australia – New Zealand
August 28: New Zealand – Australia
September 11: New Zealand – Argentina
September 18: Argentina – New Zealand
September 25: New Zealand – South Africa
October 2: South Africa – New Zealand
