Sonny Bill Williams returned to the New Zealand All Blacks for the first time in two years and gave the sold-out crowd at Soldier Field a show Saturday as the Eagles fell to the Rugby World Cup champions, 74-6.
Williams scored two tries in a hectic first half, which saw the Eagles keep their opponent to 19 points in the first 20 minutes before a four-try blitz put the match out of reach.
The scoring began in the third minute after the All Blacks kicked off the match to a raucous 61,500 fans. Despite the energy and excitement, the Eagles were unable to keep up with the speed and efficiency of the All Blacks. Nathan Harris finished off one of the visitors’ first attacks in the corner. World Cup Final referee Craig Joubert asked the T.M.O. for a second look as the corner flag was knocked off of its moorings, but the try was indisputable.
Aaron Cruden’s conversion from the touch line sailed wide, but he was allowed to take another due to the Eagles jumping off of the line early. Without pressure, the Cruden missed the second opportunity.
The Eagles did not let the early setback phase them and immediately worked to move down the pitch. After a few phases inside their opponents’ 22, the All Blacks committed a penalty, giving captain Todd Clever an important decision: gamble on open play or take the easy bet on Adam Siddall’s boot. Three points are better than a zero-point option, and Siddall rewarded his captain’s trust with a successful penalty kick to bring the score to 5-3.
Scott Lavalla knocked the restart back to a teammate a minute later to keep the All Blacks away from the try zone. The leading team found a way to regain possession, however. Siddall and Phil Thiel combined for a big hit at midfield, but the All Blacks were able to move the ball wide to Israel Dagg, who offloaded to Cory Jane on the touch line. The winger dummied a pass to the inside to gain the extra step needed to fend Blaine Scully – the final defender – to dot down in the corner. Cruden extended the lead to 12-5 with a successful conversion.
Scully caught the ball from the restart in full stride and was supported by three teammates, drawing a penalty in the process. Siddall stepped up to kick his second penalty and nailed it to keep the Eagles within a converted try at 12-6 18 minutes into the match.
Lavalla made sure the Eagles started with the ball from the restart, but Siddall was forced to kick to the middle of the park as the Eagles failed to gain ground in two phases. Dagg caught the high kick and was followed by his wingers forward. TJ Perenara found Ryan Crotty at the Eagles’ 22, and the center was able to make the final pass to Patrick Tuipulotu in front of the uprights for the third try of the match and a 19-6 All Blacks lead.
Siddall’s restart found the hands of Samu Manoa, but the “Blockmonstah” was knocked around a bit in the air, losing the ball. Charles Piutau crossed midfield on the wing to push his team forward before moving the ball wide the other way. Kieran Read’s pass to Crotty may or may not have traveled forward, but play continued and Williams scored his first try of the match.
Down 26-6 with 60 minutes to play, the Eagles were not necessarily out of the running for a ‘W.’ It was the way in which the All Blacks asserted their dominance, however, that kept the Eagles from the win.
Within five minutes, Cruden was setting up for another conversion kick. Chris Wyles’ kick at midfield following a quick throw gave the All Blacks an attacking platform, and Piutau raced down the touch line for the try. The conversion from the fly half was wide, but his team still led big, 31-6.
A few more phases from the home team gave the crowd a bit of energy, but an ill-advised, American football pass from Lavalla in touch squirted around the middle of the pitch before Seamus Kelly beat a New Zealander to it. Wyles followed his own grubber kick along the touch line on the All Blacks’ side of the pitch, but Perenara was able to keep it in play to begin another scoring cycle. Dagg received the pass at the hash marks and fed Cruden, who had no choice but to take contact from Lavalla. Before that, however, he fed Williams on the wing. The inside center outran Siddall before making a move past Manoa. Williams’ second try extended the lead to 36-6 before Cruden’s successful conversion.
Julian Savea, an All Blacks substitute, found his name on the scoresheet in the 34th minute after an Eagles’ put-in to the scrum. The All Blacks forced a second scrum and Read flicked a pass out to the substitute, who only needed a few steps to reach the corner of the try zone. Cruden was unable to kick his fourth conversion, though his team extended the eventual half-time lead to 43-6.
Despite the score, the Eagles had more time with the ball than the All Blacks in the opening frame.
Less than five minutes into the second half, Cruden sent a chip kick that bounced once into the hands of Savea on the wing. The youngster’s pass to Williams in open space was forward, keeping the former Rugby League star on two tries.
The Eagles dodged a bullet and forced the All Blacks back a bit before Folau Niua picked off a pass on the opposite wing in the 45th minute. With his rugby sevens endurance, Niua would have reached the try zone nearly 90 meters on the opposite side of the pitch. Instead, the All Blacks were awarded a penalty and kicked to touch for a lineout. Joe Moody dove over the try line in the ruck for the first try of the second half.
Cruden missed the opportunity to add the two extra points, but made up for it with five points from a try two minutes later. Following his score, the fly half was replaced by Dan Carter.
The Eagles struggled to get anything going on offense and were kept in their own half for the remainder of the match. Dagg and Sam Cane rounded out the scoring with tries in the 56th and 64th minutes, respectively.
When the sun rises over Soldier Field Sunday, the final scoreline of 74-6 will not be the central focus of rugby fans. The power of a sold-out, NFL stadium will send the Eagles off to their November Tour with images of support and frenzy.
“Unbelievable scenes to come out here in front of 60,000 people, playing against the best team in the world,” Wyles said as the Eagles thanked the fans around the field. “We fought. At the end of the day, we played against the best team in the world. A lot to learn for us, but an amazing experience to come out here in front of 60,000 fans.
“What an experience for the younger guys,” he continued. “I’ve been around the team for a long time and to play in this kind of game, it’s just an amazing experience. I know these boys will go on now for the rest of our tour, draw on this game, and have some good games against Romania, Fiji, and Tonga.”
The Eagles will leave for Romania Sunday for their next match. During Head Coach Mike Tolkin’s first tour in charge, the Clever-led Eagles defeated Romania and Russia for a 2-1 series win. With IRB Rugby World Cup 2015 less than a year away, Tolkin will be testing out numerous young players to flesh out a Cup-challenging squad.
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