New Zealand scored 10 tries to Scotland’s two to seal a comfortable win at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh in the WXV Global Series conflict, how they build up to England next weekend.
The world’s second-ranked team has never played Scotland earlier and occasionally they showed their class in a 66-14 triumph.
It took just two minutes for New Zealand to get on the scoreboard, with stalwart Mo’omo’oga Palu curling a try under the posts and fullback Braxton Sorensen-McGee converted.
Six minutes later second row Maama Mo’onia Vaipulu scored her second try and the visitors led 12-0.
Scotland then started to defend with a bit more structure and until the end of the first quarter the score remained the same.
Home fullback Chloe Rollie then intercepted a pass from her opposite number Sorensen-McGee and ran 70m. The Scots showed good patience and after several phases in the 22nd minute, No.8 Evie Gallagher scored a try and opposite Helen Nelson added the extras
It was 12-7 but soon after it was 17-7 when New Zealand put the ball wide and wing Justine McGregor scored the third try.
Try number four came for the Black Ferns on the half hour through Elinor-Plum King in the back row. Sorensen-McGee’s conversion made it 24-7.
However, Scotland were more physical than against at times Canada the last time out, and Gallagher scored her second try in the 33rd minute.
New Zealand back row Layla Sae and center Amy du Plessis’ fifth and sixth tries made it 38-14 at half-time.
The Black Ferns came firing out of the blocks in the second half, with converted tries coming via substitute Amaranta Sititi, scrum-half Tara Turner – who was later named man of the match – and Sae with her second to make it 59-14.
The rest of the game was poor as the conditions worsened and New Zealand center Alena Saili tried to finish things off.
These are the main talking points in the game…
New Zealand’s speed too tough for Scotland to handle in the first half
Six tries came from the Black Ferns in the first 40 minutes and while a number of their big carriers such as Mo’omo’oga Palu and Layla Sae put them on the front foot, the speed with which their forwards and backs played in unison really stretched Scotland.
Their passing was generally very accurate and when you have those basic skills, along with strength and most importantly pace, it’s very difficult to stop.
The Black Ferns also managed to step things up whenever Scotland threatened to get back into things in that half and that’s a quality top teams like them possess.
Two good tries for Scotland in the first period when they brought the physicality
Scotland had a lull in the first half and periods where the Black Ferns were in complete control, but when they played with a bit more sharpness and physicality, they threatened New Zealand.
It resulted in two tries for their best player on the park, Evie Gallagher, both of which were largely due to the careers of the likes of Lana Skeldon, Emma Wassell and Holland Bogan.
Indeed, Bogan is only young but has really impressed in her international career so far and has a toughness and fearlessness to her game that fans adore.
Five tries in 11 minutes either side of half-time showcase New Zealand’s relentless streak
The best teams can get things going when they need to, and that’s what New Zealand did between the 36th and 47th minutes.
Layla Sae, Amy du Plessis, Amarante Sititi, Tara Turner and Sae again scored tries in that short spell either side of the interval and when Braxton Sorensen-McGee kicked all five conversions suddenly things went from 24-14 to 59-14 in the blink of an eye.
They scored 35 points during that run, but will only be frustrated that they didn’t score any in the final 33 minutes.
New Zealand can take heart from Canada’s draw with England
With Canada drawing 26-26 against England in Exeter to snap a 39-game winning streak, New Zealand will face the Red Roses and head coach Whitney Hansen and her charges will be looking forward to the challenge of playing at Allianz Stadium.
They will be watching the game in hindsight and will be able to take points from the way the Canadians handled things for John Mitchell’s side.
They will also take a lot of heart from their recent wins against Australia, South Africa, France and now Scotland and Hansen and her coaching staff will have some really positive selection decisions this week.
The game on Saturday promises to be a cracker.
Australia is a big one for Scotland
Realistically, a rebuilt Scotland team was always going to find it difficult to compete with the might of Canada and New Zealand in the last two weeks.
However, they will be judged by how they perform against Australia in a winnable game next Saturday.
Scotland need to take the positives from the last two games, shake off the dust and field the best team they can for that game, as they are the world’s seventh team in the world compared to ninth in the world.
Captain Rachel Malcolm will have her troops for it.
