RUGBY WORLD CUP.

New Zealand (36) 85
Tries: Sivivatu 2, Masoe, Rokocoko 3, Evans, Mauger, Toeava 2, Hore, Smith, Howlett
Cons: McAllister 4, Evans 6
Romania (5) 8
Tries: Tincu
Pens: Vlaicu

Joe Rokocoko went over for a hat-trick of tries as New Zealand ran in 13 tries to beat Romania in their final Pool C clash in Toulouse.

The All Blacks were in dominant form with two tries apiece for Sitiveni Sivivatu and Isaia Toeava.

Chris Masoe, Aaron Mauger, Andrew Hore, Nick Evans, Conrad Smith and Doug Howlett also went over.

Romania tried hard but their only try came after 31 mintues through hooker Marius Tincu.

The All Blacks set out their intentions from the start with the first of Sivivatu's tries coming with less than a minute on the clock.

From then on it was one-way traffic as the Romanians had no answer to New Zealand's fast attack and the All Blacks built up a 31-0 lead after 25 minutes.

Romania showed some determination to take more from the contest early in the second half but the relentless All Blacks could not be contained.

Rokocoko completed his hat-trick in the second half and his side finished with a flourish with replacement Doug Howlett stretching his all-time New Zealand try scoring record to 49.

Sale-bound Luke McAllister kicked four goals with Evans notching six. With four wins out of four, the All Blacks will travel to Cardiff next weekend in confident mood to play France, Argentina or Ireland in the quarter-finals.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry
"Romania played with a lot of passion and were very physical. They lived on the offside line but we scored some great tries.

"Overall we're pretty pleased, and we had no injuries, which is a pretty big plus.

"There is obviously still room for improvement."


Romania captain Sorin Socol
"We're happy, especially with the fact we scored a try. Everyone knows New Zealand are the best team in the world.

"I think for a while we kept our heads together, but then we had five or six minutes out of the game and boom, we conceded five or six tries."

New Zealand:
Evans, Rokocoko, Toeava, Mauger, Sivivatu, McAlister, Ellis, Tialata, Mealamu, Somerville, Thorne, Robinson, Collins, Masoe, Lauaki.
Replacements:
Hore, Woodcock, Jack, McCaw, Leonard, Howlett, Smith.

Romania:
Dumitras, Ciuntu, Gal, Gontineac, Brezoianu, Dimofte, Sirbu, B. Balan, Tincu, Florea, Socol, Petre, Corodeanu, Manta, Tonita.
Replacements:
Mavrodin, Ion, Ursache, Ratiu, Calafeteanu, Vlaicu, Dascalu.

RUGBY WORLD CUP.

Scotland (0) 0

New Zealand (20) 40
Tries: McCaw, Howlett (2), Kelleher, Williams, Carter
Cons: Carter (2)
Pens: Carter (2)

Scotland failed to score against a dominant New Zealand in a one-sided World Cup encounter at Murrayfield.

The All Blacks ran in tries from Richie McCaw, Doug Howlett - his two making a new All Black career record 48 - Byron Kelleher, Ali Williams and Dan Carter.

The tournament favourites eased off after the break and did not fully capitalise on their superiority.

A Scotland side featuring 13 changes to the side which defeated Romania failed to create anything of note.


Scotland had failed to beat the All Blacks in their previous 25 attempts.

But they placed a higher priority on beating Italy next Saturday - a result which is vital if they are to come second in their group - and named a second-string side with new caps.

Only Chris Paterson, who moved to fly-half, and Simon Webster on the wing, were retained from that game.

The All Blacks welcomed back captain Richie McCaw and fly-half Dan Carter.

Centre Conrad Smith, Chris Masoe and lock Williams were the only survivors from the Portugal game.

New Zealand, wearing silver and black instead of their famous black shirts, looked razor sharp from kick-off.

McCaw touched down in the fifth minute after collecting a clever inside pass from Rodney So'oialo at the back of the scrum.

Carter kicked his first conversion of the day, as the Scots looked set for a long afternoon.

Paterson looked to reply immediately for the Scots, but his drop-kick missed right of the posts.

The Scots were unable to make any headway into New Zealand territory in the opening quarter.

Howlett had a simple run-in for New Zealand's second try when he took Leon McDonald's pass, moving clear of Christian Cullen's previous record of 46 tries for New Zealand.

Scotland's frantic defending was struggling to keep the relentless New Zealand attacks at bay.

Hugo Southwell's kick was then charged down as the home fans in the stands groaned.

Carter added a penalty after 24 minutes to make it 15 for the All Blacks as the Scots prayed for some respite.

But the All Blacks were showing no mercy and Kelleher got the third try of the first half after Masoe tenaciously broke through a couple of tackles.

Carter was uncharacteristically poor with the boot as he missed another conversion but the number 10 added another penalty minutes after the re-start.

Carter then saw a penalty rebound off the upright and Howlett failed to capitalise when he looked set to score his second try of the game.

There was controversy after 55 minutes when McCaw passed to Carter for a kick at goal - a decision which did not go down well with the Murrayfield crowd.

Williams raised the try count when he held off three spirited challenges on the right before touching down.

Carter's miserable day with the boot continued, but he offered some cheer when he pounced on Nikki Walker's handling error and sprinted under the posts.

He made no mistake with the conversion as the Scots must have longed for full-time.

The All Blacks offered a glimpse of their best when Howlett raced away from the leg-weary Scots for his second try of the day and 48th for his country.

Carter missed the conversion to ensure the margin of victory did not creep nearer the half century.

Scotland:
Southwell, Walker, Di Rollo, Henderson, Webster, Paterson, Cusiter, Dickinson, Lawson, Smith, MacLeod, Murray (capt), Brown, Callam, Barclay.
Replacements:
Thomson, Kerr, Hamilton, Hogg, Lawson, Parks, Dewey.

New Zealand;
MacDonald; Howlett, Smith, McAlister, Sivivatu; Carter, Kelleher; Woodcock, Oliver, Hayman, Thorne, Williams, Masoe, McCaw (capt), So'oialo.
Replacements:
Hore, Tialata, Jack, Lauaki, Leonard, Evans, Toeava.

RUGBY WORLD CUP TEAM NEWS:

New Zealand welcome back captain Richie McCaw and fly-half Dan Carter for the decisive World Cup Pool C match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

Both players sat out the 108-13 romp against Portugal and All Blacks coach Graeme Henry makes 12 changes in all.

Chris Masoe starts at number six in place of Jerry Collins, while Leon MacDonald plays at full-back.

Doug Howlett starts on the wing while Reuben Thorne plays in the second row, with Chris Jack on the bench.

Centre Conrad Smith, Masoe and lock Ali Williams are the only survivors from the Portugal game, which saw the tournament favourites run in 16 tries.

Lock Keith Robinson and full-back Mils Muliaina are currently unavailable because of injury.

However, New Zealand coach Graeme Henry expects Robinson to be fit for the final pool game against Romania on 29 September, and Muliaina is slowly returning to training after tweaking his hamstring against Portugal.

The winner of the match will be on course to top the group and All Blacks' coach Graeme Henry is not expecting an easy ride at Murrayfield.

"We expect our toughest match of the pool against Scotland. We're looking forward to it," said Henry.

"The test is well-timed for us, coming two weeks out from the quarter-finals.

"If we can play well against Scotland, we can build some momentum ahead of the knock-out round."

New Zealand;
MacDonald; Howlett, Smith, McAlister, Sivivatu; Carter, Kelleher; Woodcock, Oliver, Hayman, Thorne, Williams, Masoe, McCaw (capt), So'oialo.
Replacements:
Hore, Tialata, Jack, Lauaki, Leonard, Evans, Toeava.

Pool C Table
Team P W D L F A BP PTS
1 New Zealand 2 2 0 0 184 27 2 10
2 Scotland 2 2 0 0 98 10 2 10
3 Italy 3 2 0 1 69 99 0 8
4 Romania 2 0 0 2 18 66 1 1
5 Portugal 3 0 0 3 28 195 0 0

RUGBY WORLD CUP.

New Zealand: (52) 108
Tries: Rokocoko 2, Toeava, Williams, Mauger 2, Collins, Masoe, Hore, Leonard, Evans, Ellis, MacDonald, Smith 2, Hayman
Cons: Evans 14


Portugal: (3) 13
Tries: Cordeiro
Cons: D Pinto
Pens: D Pinto
Drop-goals: Malheiro

New Zealand ran in 16 tries as they brushed aside Portugal in Lyon.

Joe Rokocoko (2), Isaia Toeava, Ali Williams, Aaron Mauger, Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe and Andrew Hore went over for the All Blacks in the first half.

They then added further scores through Nick Evans, Brendon Leonard, Andrew Ellis, Mauger, Leon MacDonald, Conrad Smith (2) and Carl Hayman.

Portugal managed a converted Rui Cordeiro try to add to Goncalo Malheiro's earlier drop goal.

The Portuguese, 22nd in the world, had eagerly awaited their opportunity to meet the world's top ranked team and they visibly relished the chance to face the haka.

Italy had spurned the challenge when they met the All Blacks and conceded a try within two minutes, but Portugal held out twice as long before Rokocoko scythed through to score.

The winger soon added a second try, but the next score went to Portugal as Malheiro, their all-time record points scorer, drilled over a fine drop-goal.

The All Blacks, the tournament favourites, said they would be "sensitive" up against a largely amateur team, but conceding points was not part of the deal and the drop-goal had the same effect as poking a wasps' nest.

New Zealand started to swarm over Os Lobos and, in the last 18 minutes of the first half, added further tries by Toeava, Williams, Mauger, Collins, Masoe and Hore.

Amazingly, the first score of the second half went to Portugal as Cordeiro finished off a series of close-range drives.

Duarte Pinto duly kicked the conversion to put the minnows within 42 points.

But Leonard rapidly hit back for the All Blacks and, although Portugal defended bravely, Evans, Ellis, Mauger, MacDonald, Smith, who grabbed a double, and Hayman all crossed as the floodgates opened once more.

Evans converted 14 tries and claimed a personal haul of 33 points as New Zealand finished well short of the record 145 points they ran up against Japan in 1995.

New Zealand coach Graham Henry:
"I think it was a really good occasion. The crowd really enjoyed the rugby, we're pleased with our guys.
"We started a little slower than last week and that was credit to the Portuguese but we got into a rhythm.

"I'm delighted the way the guys handled this particular game. They didn't get over-physical, they showed their skills and treated the opposition with a lot of dignity.

"I think it was a pretty good game all round and I hope the Portuguese are pleased. They seemed to be happy after the game."


Portugal coach Tomaz Morais:
"It is an excellent day for rugby in Portugal and rugby across the world.
"Rugby has to evolve and only by playing the best can teams like Portugal do that. I don't think it was a disappointing game, it was a good spectacle and there was a great atmosphere in the stadium.

"Our goals for the game were very clear we knew we were playing against New Zealand, the greatest team in the world in recent years.

"They have beaten good teams by 70 or 80 points, but we scored a try and played very well. All the players that came back today came as survivors, we couldn't resist their physicality but we played rugby from the first to last."

New Zealand:
Muliaina; Toeava, Smith, Mauger, Rokocoko; Evans, Leonard; Tialata, Hore, Somerville, Jack, Williams, Collins (capt), Masoe, Lauaki.
Replacements:
Oliver, Woodcock, Hayman, So'oialo, Mealamu, Ellis, MacDonald.

Portugal:
Leal; Aguilar, Portela, Mateus, Carvalho; Malheiro, Pissarra; Silva, Correia, Spachuck, d'Orey, G Uva, Murinello, Coutinho, V Uva (capt).
Replacements:
Cordeiro, Ferreira, Penalva, Girao, J Uva, J Pinto, D Pinto.

RUGBY WORLD CUP.

New Zealand (43) 76
Tries: McCaw 2, Howlett 3, Muliaina, Sivivatu 2, Jack, Collins 2
Cons: Carter 7, McAlister 2
Pens: Carter

Italy (7) 14
Tries: Stanoevic, Mirco Bergamasco
Cons: Bortolussi, de Marigny

Favourites New Zealand laid down a World Cup marker by destroying Italy in their opening game in Marseille.

Richie McCaw (2), Doug Howlett, Mils Muliaina and Sitiveni Sivivatu (2) scored before Marko Stanojevic crossed for Italy to make it 43-7 at the break.

The All Blacks added further tries through Chris Jack, Howlett (2) and Jerry Collins (2), before Mirco Bergamasco grabbed a consolation try.

Star All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter landed 17 points with the boot.

Italy have a reputation as a physical, abrasive unit but they were taken apart by the All Blacks in a devastating opening quarter.

New Zealand have a history of peaking between World Cups but since losing in the semi-finals of the 2003 tournament they have won 38 of their 43 Tests.

They thrilled the passionate 60,000 crowd at Olympique Marseille's Velodrome stadium by performing their traditional pre-match Ka Mate haka, rather than the Kapa O Panga haka they have used frequently over the past couple of years.

The Italians chose to spurn the challenge by going into a group huddle and they seemed to turn their backs once again just 60 seconds into the game.

All Blacks second row Ali Williams peeled round the back of a line-out and New Zealand captain McCaw romped over untouched from the 22.

McCaw, the IRB player of the year in 2006, added his second try just six minutes later before two Carter conversions and a penalty put the tournament favourites 17-0 up after just 11 minutes.

Italy looked shell-shocked and a panicky kick soon landed in the hands of the lethal Sivivatu, who sparked a sweeping passing move ended by Howlett in the far corner.

The battered Azzurri tried to respond by imposing themselves physically, but twice Carter saw their blitz defence coming, twice he chipped over the thin blue line and twice the All Blacks scored.

Muliania and Sivivatu were the lucky recipients and, with Carter maintaining his 100% success rate with the boot, the tournament favourites had 38 points on the board after just 18 minutes.

With their worst nightmare unfolding before them, Italy finally woke up and they restricted the hosts to just one more try before the interval, Sivivatu finishing off a lightning attack started by Leon MacDonald taking a quick tap in his own 22.

Carter missed the conversion but, with the game already won well before half-time, the All Blacks started to play fantasy rugby.

They duly paid the price as one ambitious break-out ended with Stanojevic intercepting and racing clear to score, with David Bortolussi adding the conversion to make it 43-7 at the break.

Italy's task was made somewhat easier when giant New Zealand tight-head Carl Hayman was sent to the sin bin for a punch a minute into the second half.

It took 10 minutes before towering second row Jack, who will join Saracens after the World Cup, strode over for his side's seventh try and they continued to arrive at regular intervals.

The Munster-bound Howlett grabbed a brace to move level on 46 tries with legendary full-back Christian Cullen as the All Blacks' all-time leading try scorer, while Collins also picked up a double.

Carter and Luke McAlister, who is heading to Sale Sharks, added four conversions between them before the younger of the two Bergamasco brothers went over for Italy, with Roland de Marigny converting.

Marseille may be famed for the Mistral, the strong wind which frequently sweeps over the southern port city, but on Saturday it was the All Blacks who simply blew the opposition away.

New Zealand:
MacDonald; Howlett, Muliaina, McAlister, Sivivatu; Carter, Kelleher; Woodcock, Mealamu, Hayman, Jack, Williams, Collins, McCaw, So'oialo.
Replacements:
Oliver, Tialata, Masoe, Lauaki, Leonard, Mauger, Toeava.

Italy:
Bortolussi; Robertson, Masi, Mirco Bergamasco, Stanojevic; De Marigny, Troncon; Perugini, Ongaro, Castrogiovanni, Dellape, Bortolami (capt), Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, Parisse.
Replacements:
Festuccia, Lo Cicero, Bernabo, Vosawai, Griffen, Canale, Galon.