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All Blacks thunder into last eight
BRISBANE, Australia -- New Zealand became the first nation through to the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup with a 91-7 rout of Tonga in Pool D in Brisbane, the highest score to date. Wingers Caleb Ralph and Doug Howlett and fullback Mils Muliaina scored two tries each while Kees Meeus extended his world record try-scoring tally for a prop to nine. Center Leon MacDonald succeeded with each of his 12 conversion attempts in teeming rain. It was three wins in three games for the All Blacks plus three bonus points. Flyhalf Pierre Hola scored Tonga's only try when he intercepted a pass from All Black scrumhalf Justin Marshall to score beneath the posts. In a pre-match face off filled with drama, the Tongans waited for Carlos Spencer to lead the All Blacks in a haka before beginning their own warrior dance -- the Sipi Dai -- and crossing the halfway line separating the teams. It proved a bad omen for the Tongans, who rarely held possession in the New Zealand half in the match. In the end, winger Howlett crossed for two tries within two minutes while the Tongans had a man in the sinbin and with thunder and lightning threatening in the background. Daniel Braid opened the scoring after New Zealand won a lineout five meters out from and the All Blacks forwards worked a rolling maul across the tryline. MacDonald converted from out wide and then sparked the next tryscoring movement with a break in midfield after Ali Williams won a lineout against the throw. He unloaded to Howlett, who put up a centering kick which Dan Carter regained, then produced two big fends against Sione Fonua and Sila Va'Enuku in a scrambling run for the line. Hooker Corey Flynn showed surprising pace to notch his first test try in the 21st minute, taking the ball on the left flank about 20 meters out and bumping off two defenders to cross in the corner. Ralph gave the last pass to Flynn and then got a touchdown himself and ensured New Zealand a bonus point when he threw a dummy in a four-on-two situation and scooted over from close range for the All Blacks' fourth try. Spencer pounced on a loose ball in-goal in the 33rd minute after Ralph had kicked ahead and then forced Va'Enuku to lose the ball in a tackle across the line. MacDonald landed his fourth conversion from as many attempts to increase the score to 35-0 in the 34th minute as the All Blacks scored at more than a point per minute. It remained 35-0 at the break and, despite light rain falling over the stadium, Ralph opened the second half with a 40-meter solo try a minute after the break. Prop Kees Meeuws burrowed over from the back of a rolling maul on the Tongan line to notch his 9th test try and MacDonald converted and extend the All Blacks' lead to 49-0 in the 46th minute. The All Blacks were awarded a penalty try in the 51st minute before a rare lapse allowed Tongan flyhalf Pierre Hola to take an intercept inside the attacking quarter and race across for a try near the posts. But Mils Muliaina quickly had rebounding, beating eight defenders in a jinking 40 meter run to the line in the 56th minute for his fifth try of the tournament. He scored his sixth try from a kick-chase in the 72nd minute as the All Blacks piled on four tries in 10 minutes while Va'Enuku was in the sinbin for a professional foul. The All Blacks opened their campaign here with a 70-7 win over Italy and then accounted for Canada 68-6 in Melbourne.
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