New Zealand delivered a clinical performance at a wet Kings Park on Tuesday, running in eight tries to humiliate a weakened Sharks side and claim a 54-0 victory in the second match of their South African tour.
Tourists step up after tight opening half
Severely understrength because of Springbok call-ups and injuries, the Durban franchise kept the scoreboard respectable in the first stanza, trailing just 14-0 at half-time. But the All Blacks’ class told after the break as they tightened the screws and crossed for a further six tries before a small crowd.
Wing Fehi Fineanganofo crossed in each half, while full-back Damian McKenzie, winger Caleb Clarke, centre Jordie Barrett, scrum-half Kyle Preston, replacement flanker Timoci Tavatavanawai and lock Sam Darry completed the try tally. Fly-half Ruben Love converted seven of eight attempts, many from awkward angles.
- Final score: New Zealand 54, Sharks 0
- Tries: 8 (including two from Fineanganofo)
- Conversions: Ruben Love 7/8
The result will give New Zealand confidence ahead of the first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on 22 August, with Love viewed as a likely starter at fly-half for that match, according to the match report.
"It was an awesome game to be part of. We broke them down pretty well in the first half and then reaped the fruits in the second half," the All Blacks' first-time captain, flanker Luke Jacobsen, said after the match, adding that the side had improved their maul and scrum after the previous outing.
Jacobsen also reflected on the conditions and the team's execution: in the wet it becomes about skill, trust and patience, he said, praising the leadership on display. Sharks captain and No 8 Nick Hatton acknowledged the occasion while lamenting how the second half unfolded.
"It was an awesome opportunity to play against the All Blacks, but we are pretty disappointed with how the second half unfolded," Hatton said, adding: "Give them quick ball and they are deadly."
Experience and depth exposed
The match highlighted the gap that can appear when a franchise is stripped of regular starters. The Sharks began the contest competitively but could not maintain intensity as the visitors rotated players and brought on impact options.
Former All Black and two‑time Rugby World Cup winner Ma'a Nonu made a cameo off the bench for the Sharks in the second half. Having joined the Durban outfit from Toulon last month as a player mentor, he was unable to stem New Zealand’s momentum. Before kick-off Nonu performed his own response to the All Blacks’ haka.
The fixture offered the touring side an opportunity to sharpen set-piece and breakdown play after earlier concerns about scrum and maul performance, progress New Zealand’s captain suggested. For the Sharks, the match will be a reminder of squad depth issues and the challenge franchise rugby faces when national duties and injuries bite.
| Scorers | Position |
|---|---|
| Fehi Fineanganofo | Wing (two tries) |
| Damian McKenzie | Full-back |
| Caleb Clarke | Winger |
| Jordie Barrett | Centre |
| Kyle Preston | Scrum-half |
| Timoci Tavatavanawai | Flanker (sub) |
| Sam Darry | Lock |
| Ruben Love | Fly-half (7 conversions) |
The result will sharpen debate about both the All Blacks’ Test readiness and the Sharks’ capacity to cope without their top-end personnel. For New Zealand it was a comprehensive showing of speed and structure; for the Sharks it was a tough lesson in maintaining intensity for 80 minutes against world-class opponents.
For supporters who braved the rain at Kings Park it was a night when the tourists’ depth and clinical finishing were laid bare — and a reminder of how thin the margin can be between an opening half of parity and a one-sided final scoreline.
