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All Blacks score 100 against Tonga as Will Jordan bags five tries

(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Winger Will Jordan scored five tries as the All Blacks opened their 2021 campaign with a record-equalling 102-0 trouncing of an inexperienced Tonga side on Saturday at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium.

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Looking to make a statement after managing only a 50 per cent win record last year, New Zealand ran in 16 tries against a team boasting fewer combined Test caps than All Blacks skipper Sam Whitelock alone.

Tonga, featuring 13 debutants in their matchday 23 after COVID-19 travel restrictions deprived them of their Europe-based players, were simply outgunned and outsmarted in a mismatch of a contest.

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Quinn Tupaea named to start for the All Blacks and partners Rieko Ioane in the midfield

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Quinn Tupaea named to start for the All Blacks and partners Rieko Ioane in the midfield

Beauden Barratt, back in the famous black shirt after a sabbatical in Japan, converted the final try after coming on as a replacement to equal the score in the mauling the Tongans suffered at Albany in 2000.

Jordan came up one short of the All Blacks record for most tries in one match, which was set by Marc Ellis in the 145-17 win over Japan at the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.

“It was good to get out there,” said Whitelock, who was playing his 123rd Test.

“The Tongan team were here to play and it wasn’t easy out there.”

Fullback Damian McKenzie crossed for the first try in the second minute and, after Dalton Papalii had touched down and Will Jordan and Brad Weber had grabbed a brace of tries each, the All Blacks were 38-0 up in the 20th minute.

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Tonga managed to stem the torrent of tries temporarily by abandoning the tactic of kicking away possession but flanker Papalii grabbed his second try in the 37th minute to give the home side a 43-0 lead at the break.

No.8t Luke Jacobson crossed soon after the restart with winger Jordan and scrumhalf Weber completing their hat-tricks before the 50th minute.

The Tongans, many fresh out of quarantine, started to tire and the All Blacks backs put on an exhibition with Richie Mo’unga crossing, Jordan adding his fourth and fifth tries and centre Rieko Ioane racing away to touch down.

Lock Patrick Tuipulotu burst through the defensive line to take the score into the 90s with three minutes remaining and winger George Bridge crossed on the overlap after the fulltime siren to take them to the century mark.

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“We didn’t get the result tonight but I’m very proud of my brothers here,” said emotional Tonga captain Sonatane Takulua.

All Blacks 102 (Tries to Damian McKenzie, Dalton Papalii (2), Brad Weber (3), Will Jordan (5), Luke Jacobson, Richie Mo’unga, Rieko Ioane, Patrick Tuipulotu and George Bridge; 7 conversions to Mo’unga, 4 conversions to Beauden Barrett)

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AM 5 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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