KEY POINTS:
There was a lot to like about the Kiwis' come-from-behind 36-24 win over England in their last pool game at the World Cup, but the coaching staff will be wondering what they need to do to get them running from the start.
As in all tests against decent
opposition since their 2005 Tri Nations win, the New Zealanders started slowly and conceded early points, England up 12-0 early and 24-14 at halftime.
Right wing Jason Nightingale went in at the corner just before the break to start a run of 24 unanswered points, England denied any ball for the early part of the second half and falling away as they tired from tackling. The Kiwis were sparked by Isaac Luke from hooker and it is hard to see how coach Steve Kearney could leave the Souths rake out of the next starting line-up.
Nathan Fien wore nine on his back but won man-of-the-match from halfback, his kicking game good, his delivery of the ball sharp and his cutting runs incisive, the effort maintained despite receiving a broken nose in a head clash with a teammate. It's easy to see Kearney sticking with Fien at seven and leaving Thomas Leuluai out as the Wigan half has failed to fire.
Finally, the Kiwis managed to get ball to Manu Vatuvei on the right flank and he stormed the English defence for a World Cup record of four tries.
Vatuvei has 21 touchdowns in 22 top-grade games this year and 10 from 14 tests, an awesome points-scoring achievement. The English could not handle him out wide, just as they couldn't handle big Aussie backs Israel Folau and Greg Inglis. That is a clear avenue of attack for the Kiwis in the knock-out semifinal at Suncorp Stadium next weekend, despite the English knowledge of Vatuvei's power.
Krisnan Inu shapes as the likely centre replacement for Steve Matai, should he be ruled out for the rest of the tournament; Nathan Cayless will come back as captain with Evarn Tuimavave the likely drop-out; and Sam Perrett is likely to push Nightingale off the wing because of his seven tests to the Dragons winger's two.
They will go in with some confidence that they can handle the Englishmen, although they will also bring back rested first-choice players Leon Pryce, James Roby and James Graham next week.
A perceived lack of respect for their haka will motivate the Kiwis after the England ignored it in a huddle.
"To be honest I thought it was a bit disrespectful and a few of the boys said that as well," said Kiwis captain Benji Marshall.
Lions coach Tony Smith said it was standard practice for them to get in a huddle before any game. "Where we come from, we get in huddles, that's what we do. In some cultures some people may find getting a tongue poked out at them quite offensive as well."
The English scored easy tries at six and 10 minutes to Mickey Higham from dummy-half and when Keith Senior made a break to put Rob Burrow away.
New Zealand replied through Vatuvei, then Lance Hohaia but Matai could not convert either try, and centre Martin Gleeson put England further ahead before Higham scored again.
When Nightingale scored, Luke goaled from the sideline to make it 24-14 at the break and it was a Luke goal that gave them the lead at the 70th minute after the hooker received a penalty for a late tackle shot.
There was suspicion he stayed down unnecessarily, but the Kiwis demolished any sense the Poms were robbed by running in late tries to Fien and Vatuvei.
The Kiwis copped a major verbal from Kearney at the break and came out to run four repeat sets of six fired by goal-line drop-outs. And England never recovered, simply running out of steam, and left devoid of attacking ideas.
"It was not [a talk] you like giving, but I thought the circumstances warranted an animated one," Kearney said.
