Baby steps turned eventually into giant strides for Steve Hansen's greenhorn All Blacks in Tokyo on Saturday.
Hansen's latest incarnation of the Baby Blacks, with eight debutants in a second-string line-up and nine others with single-figure caps, got the job done against Japan with an entertaining, if slightly flawed, 69-31 victory at a mostly full Ajinomoto Stadium.
Dress rehearsal: Richie Mo’unga runs through the Japanese defence at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo.Credit:AP
That they conceded five tries in an entertaining Baabaas-style contest was probably this young group's only black mark. Never mind. The rest was decidedly positive as they unleashed the full gamut of their attacking skills with some sublime running rugby that had even the big home crowd roaring their approval by match end.
The New Zealanders ran in 10 tries in total as they continued to find creative ways to punch through a flagging Japanese defensive line. It was entertaining and, with a view to the future, just a little enlightening.
"There was a fair amount of risk going into this game but we felt that the rewards were going to be a lot bigger than the risk if we got things right," Hansen said.
"A number of players tonight have done themselves very proud."
"People keep asking us how we keep finding the talent. It’s the programs back home and also because we give them opportunities."
"We have learnt a lot about people this week."
Indeed, the post-2019 cycle looks like it is in excellent hands.
Ngani Laumape, that outstanding inside-centre who is surely only biding his time before he inherits the No.12 jersey in the top line-up, was the star of the show for the New Zealanders with a hat-trick of tries in a typically powerhouse display, mixed with a dash of creativity.
But plenty of others shone. It wasn't a contest for tight forwards to showcase their skills, but Jackson Hemopo made the most of his opportunities, Dane Coles enjoyed his return to Test footy and Patrick Tuipulotu got through the grunt work that allowed the flashy stuff wider out.
Dalton Papalii was excellent, on debut, in the loose and, off the bench, Gareth Evans and Dillon Hunt had big impacts over the second half. The depth in positions 6, 7 and 8 looks just fine, thank-you very much.
The backs had a field day. Richie Mo'unga was his incisive self on the run and kicked well, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi was everywhere, Matt Proctor had a fabulous debut with a series of strong bursts and, off the pine, George Bridge confirmed with an explosive two-try introduction after half-time that he almost certainly is the second coming of Ben Smith.
This was a potentially awkward hitout for the All Blacks, with their top 23 already dispatched to London, but in the end it was handled excellently. The Japanese had the chance to bring their flair to the occasion – and showed plenty of it with their highest tally against the All Blacks – and the next wave of All Blacks got themselves some valuable experience.
Heir apparent: George Bridge scores on debut for the All Blacks.Credit:AP
The first half demonstrated the best and, possibly, worst of this inexperienced New Zealand line-up as they scored five tries, but coughed up three en route to a 38-19 half-time lead. Their attack was sharp; their defence just a little lacking in terms of this team's high standards.
The big crowd at least got something to cheer about as the Brave Blossoms ran in that trio of first-half tries.
Lock Samuela Anise had the first, in just the fourth minute, when he charged down Jordie Barrett and won the chase with the help of a little shove on the New Zealand fullback; No 8 Hendrik Tui doubled their tally in the 33rd minute when, off turnover ball, he stepped and managed to wriggle over in Tuipulotu's tackle; and just before the break inside-centre Tim Lafaele just clipped the line out wide after Japan had gone close off the lineout drive option.
Around that the All Blacks found plenty of cut-through as they made five clean linebreaks for the half and forced 14 missed tackles from the home side.
Coles opened the All Blacks account in his return to Test footy after good contributions from Nehe Milner-Skudder and Hemopo; Mo'unga broke two tackles to double the try tally at the 20-minute mark; and then Laumape crashed over twice, either side of a Tahuriorangi touchdown off a nice Waisake Naholo kick-through.
The tries kept coming in the second spell.
The classy Bridge had two of them, finishing a Mo'unga break in the 47th minute with his first touch, after coming on for Milner-Skudder, and adding another later with a nice toe-through of a Laumape grubber.
Waisake Naholo, Proctor and Laumape also got on the board as the game opened up in the second spell, while Jamie Henry and Lafaele, with his second, gave the crowd something to celebrate as they added to the home tally.
Power game: Ngani Laumape finds a gaping hole in a barnstorming performance.Credit:AP
All told an entertaining affair that confirmed that not only do the All Blacks have remarkable depth in their talent, but that Japan still have a way to go to compete with the top-tier nations.
On to London for some, and home for the add-ons. Mission accomplished.
All Blacks 69 (Dane Coles, Richie Mo'unga, Ngani Laumape 3, Te Toira Tahuriorangi, George Bridge, Waisake Naholo, George Bridge 2 tries; Mo'unga pen, 7 cons; Jordie Barrett con), Japan 31 (Samuela Anise, Hendrik Tui, Tim Lafaele 2, Jamie Henry tries; Yu Tamura 3 cons). Ht: 38-19.
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