All Blacks in grand slam win

LONDON – New Zealand capped an outstanding 2005 by beating Scotland 29-10 on Saturday to claim a grand slam against the home nations on their tour of Britain and Ireland.

A few hours later and across the Channel, France scored two tries in the first 10 minutes to trip up South Africa, the only side to have beaten New Zealand this year, and run out 26-20 winners. Two years before the next World Cup, the All Blacks are in a class of their own even though they were rattled by a courageous Scotland after storming into a 22-3 halftime lead thanks to the first of winger Rico Gear’s two tries.”I guess we always expect perfection and at times we didn’t achieve that,” said New Zealand coach Graham Henry.”But we are delighted with what this side has achieved.”New Zealand beat the British and Irish Lions 3-0 in June and July before winning the southern hemisphere’s Tri-nations against Australia and South Africa.They opened this month’s tour with a 41-3 win over European champions Wales and showed the depth of quality in their ranks by beating Ireland 45-7 with a completely changed starting line-up.Last Saturday, they defeated world champions England 23-19.England completed their November internationals on Saturday by scoring five tries in a 40-3 defeat of Samoa, winger Tom Voyce scoring a try in each half.Ireland centre Andrew Trimble also crossed twice in a 43-12 defeat of Romania while Italy turned up the heat in the second half to beat Fiji 23-8.Wales rediscovered the form that won Europe’s Six Nations title this year in a thrilling 24-22 victory over Australia.The 1999 world champions have now lost eight of their last nine internationals.In four games in Europe, New Zealand have demonstrated the perfect blend of imagination and verve with the ball in hand and suffocating defence when under pressure.They attacked from the opening whistle at Murrayfield and, despite showing 13 changes from the team that beat England, they threatened to crush the home side in the set pieces.Gear, flyhalf Nick Evans – an impressive replacement for 2005’s player of the year Daniel Carter – and number eight Sione Lauaki scored tries and a huge score seemed likely.However, instead of fading in the second half, Scotland bravely took the game to a New Zealand side which was repeatedly pushed deep into their own 22-metre area.As they did against England, the All Blacks kept out all the Scots could throw at them and eventually broke out with six minutes left to give Gear his second try.Scotland’s never-say-die spirit earned them reward with a last-minute try by replacement centre Simon Webster, only the third conceded by the All Blacks in the four internationals.Inspired in Paris by halfbacks Frederic Michalak, who scored a try and kicked a penalty, and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who made a try and kicked eight points, France attacked with flair and kicked with precision, forcing the Springboks to chase the game.Coach Bernard Laporte, looking to build a squad to win the World Cup on home soil in 2007, will have been delighted to take the scalp of the second-ranked team in the world to add to those of Australia, Tonga and Canada this month.The Springboks head home knowing they failed their biggest test of the month after wins over Argentina and an under-par Wales.England, still missing talismanic flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, showed flashes of the backline improvisation they will need to retain their world title in France in 2007 against a Samoa side which tired badly in the second half.The post-match talk was all about a punch-up near the end which led to Samoa winger Alesana Tuilagi and England flanker Lewis Moody – team mates at Leicester – being shown red cards.Moody’s was the fourth red card for an England player and the first at Twickenham.Wales, beaten by New Zealand and South Africa this month, and Australia thrilled the Millennium Stadium crowd in Cardiff with non-stop attacking rugby.Australia led 14-6 early in the second half before their under-powered scrum conceded a penalty try and wing Shane Williams scored the try of the day after he and fullback Gareth Thomas broke out of their own 22-metre area to race clear.-Nampa-ReutersTwo years before the next World Cup, the All Blacks are in a class of their own even though they were rattled by a courageous Scotland after storming into a 22-3 halftime lead thanks to the first of winger Rico Gear’s two tries.”I guess we always expect perfection and at times we didn’t achieve that,” said New Zealand coach Graham Henry.”But we are delighted with what this side has achieved.”New Zealand beat the British and Irish Lions 3-0 in June and July before winning the southern hemisphere’s Tri-nations against Australia and South Africa.They opened this month’s tour with a 41-3 win over European champions Wales and showed the depth of quality in their ranks by beating Ireland 45-7 with a completely changed starting line-up.Last Saturday, they defeated world champions England 23-19.England completed their November internationals on Saturday by scoring five tries in a 40-3 defeat of Samoa, winger Tom Voyce scoring a try in each half.Ireland centre Andrew Trimble also crossed twice in a 43-12 defeat of Romania while Italy turned up the heat in the second half to beat Fiji 23-8.Wales rediscovered the form that won Europe’s Six Nations title this year in a thrilling 24-22 victory over Australia.The 1999 world champions have now lost eight of their last nine internationals.In four games in Europe, New Zealand have demonstrated the perfect blend of imagination and verve with the ball in hand and suffocating defence when under pressure.They attacked from the opening whistle at Murrayfield and, despite showing 13 changes from the team that beat England, they threatened to crush the home side in the set pieces.Gear, flyhalf Nick Evans – an impressive replacement for 2005’s player of the year Daniel Carter – and number eight Sione Lauaki scored tries and a huge score seemed likely.However, instead of fading in the second half, Scotland bravely took the game to a New Zealand side which was repeatedly pushed deep into their own 22-metre area.As they did against England, the All Blacks kept out all the Scots could throw at them and eventually broke out with six minutes left to give Gear his second try.Scotland’s never-say-die spirit earned them reward with a last-minute try by replacement centre Simon Webster, only the third conceded by the All Blacks in the four internationals.Inspired in Paris by halfbacks Frederic Michalak, who scored a try and kicked a penalty, and Jean-Baptiste Elissalde, who made a try and kicked eight points, France attacked with flair and kicked with precision, forcing the Springboks to chase the game.Coach Bernard Laporte, looking to build a squad to win the World Cup on home soil in 2007, will have been delighted to take the scalp of the second-ranked team in the world to add to those of Australia, Tonga and Canada this month.The Springboks head home knowing they failed their biggest test of the month after wins over Argentina and an under-par Wales.England, still missing talismanic flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson, showed flashes of the backline improvisation they will need to retain their world title in France in 2007 against a Samoa side which tired badly in the second half.The post-match talk was all about a punch-up near the end which led to Samoa winger Alesana Tuilagi and England flanker Lewis Moody – team mates at Leicester – being shown red cards.Moody’s was the fourth red card for an England player and the first at Twickenham.Wales, beaten by New Zealand and South Africa this month, and Australia thrilled the Millennium Stadium crowd in Cardiff with non-stop attacking rugby.Australia led 14-6 early in the second half before their under-powered scrum conceded a penalty try and wing Shane Williams scored the try of the day after he and fullback Gareth Thomas broke out of their own 22-metre area to race clear.-Nampa-Reuters