All Blacks Thump Samoans

The All Blacks put up a ton in their midweek test against Samoa in New Plymouth today. New Zealand scored 101 points to 14 - a record winning margin against their island rivals. As the score suggests, it was a one sided match which the All Blacks dominated. They scored a total of 15 tries including a penalty try, while Samoa managed to carry the ball over the try-line twice.

I always feel that the All Blacks Haka is the most fearsome and today was no different. Kevin Mealamu led an intense Ka Mate Kora after the Samoan equivalent, which just not have the same violent intent. Maybe that set the tone of the match, which started at a blistering pace and continued at breakneck speed.

Graham Henry's side seemed to be able to score at will and Mils Muliana scored a hat-trick as New Zealand launched wave after wave of attack against the weak Samoans. Conrad Smith and Richard Kahui got two each as the All Blacks preyed on an extremely poor d! efense. Almost everyone got in on the act, as it rained tries from the opening gambit. Adam Thomson, Jimmy Cowan, Stephen Donald, Ali Williams, Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava and Piri Weepu all got their names on the score-sheet. Dan Carter kicked six conversions and Donald got seven.

For Samoa, tries came from Uale Mai and Alafoti Faosiliva. Mai and Roger Warren successfully converted.

The win was expected, but the ruthless nature of the All Blacks side will worry the Wallabies. The two old enemies meet in Sydney next Saturday in the deciding Tri-Nations match. Winner takes all, and if New Zealand play this kind of rugby against an Australian side that let in 53 points against the Springboks, then Wallaby coach Robbie Deans better do something to get his players in the right frame.