Tony Woodcock’s long Test career is over after he suffered a hamstring injury during New Zealand’s World Cup win over Tonga.
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Ma’a Nonu ce lebrated his 100th New Zealand cap with a try as his side wrapped up a clean sweep of group-stage victories by thrashing Tonga in Newcastle.
As in previous wins over Namibia and Georgia, the New Zealanders veered at times between carelessness and brilliance, especially in the first half.
Hansen said: “It’s obviously gutting and disappointing for Woody”.
“It was a physical game and at times they put us under a lot of pressure”.
They now know they still have work to do as they wait to find their first sudden-death opponent which will be the loser of Sunday’s match in Cardiff between Ireland and France. “For him to have scored tonight is special”, Hansen said. “How you’re playing at the moment means nothing”, he said. “What happens next week, will be”.
“I think Steve [Hansen] and company will be pretty happy with where they are at”.
Faced with a reasonably easy pool, the New Zealand stuttered for much of the opening stage, only really hitting their stride in the second half of their fourth match against Tonga. At halftime, the Tongans enjoyed more territory (55 percent), needed to make fewer tackles, earned more penalties, and had an extra man on the field – but still found themselves 14-3 down.
Outside the All Blacks, the only fully professional teams in New Zealand are the five Super rugby franchises and then the system drops down to a mix of 26 amateur and semi-professional sides in the provincial competitions.
Hansen has been blessed with fortune on the injury front in this tournament, with only niggles or minor problems affecting his players.
In a dramatic end to the half Tonga were unlucky not to win a penalty try when stand-in All Blacks captain Kieran Read was yellow-carded for collapsing a driving maul.
It’s a significant game in the World Cup, with the All Blacks a chance to go unbeaten through the pool.
“The quarter-final is there, there is no hiding from that, but it’s about moving towards it and making sure we are in the right head space, which I’ve got no doubt we are”. Two tries were well deserved.
Sonny Bill Williams and Cane touched down and Nonu was on the shoulder of Milner-Skudder to complete the scoring with four minutes left.
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Fly-half Dan Carter is the all-time leading scorer in test rugby and now has 1552 points to his name after successfully converting six of the seven Kiwi tries in Newcastle.
