KEY POINTS:
New Zealand scored 17 tries to overwhelm Japan 107-6 at the under-19 rugby world championship in Northern Ireland today.
The result lifted the New Zealanders to the top of their division A standings following their opening win over Wales in Belfast last week.
New Zealand wasted little time imposing themselves, scoring four tries in the opening 10 minutes.
Flanker Luke Braid scoring the first of his three tries in the sixth minute, with Daniel Kirkpatrick kicking the conversion, the first of seven the first five-eighth landed.
Together with a try in each half, that gave Kirkpatrick a personal haul of 28 points.
New Zealand's superior firepower in both the forwards and back line proved too much for the Japanese.
Further tries followed in the first half by Jackson Willison, Liukanasi Manu, Sean Maitland, Israel Dagg, captain Winston Stanley, Braid, Paea Fa'anunu and Zach Guildford.
New Zealand led 64-3 at halftime, but that did not stop the 2005 and 2006 runners-up attacking at every opportunity against a Japanese side who battled to stem the flow of points.
Seven second-half tries followed with Kirkpatrick, Maitland and Manu claiming their seconds of the match, Braid completing his hat-trick, Kade Poki grabbing a double and Quentin MacDonald also crossing the tryline.
New Zealand next play England on Saturday (NZT) in their final pool match.
New Zealand coach Kieran Crowley had little to fault his team on.
"We were always looking to attack and possession from the restart was vital.
"We did that well. We did not expect to win by that margin, but we lost our way during a five-minute spell towards the end of the game. We must work on that."
- NZPA
