The All Blacks concluded their pre-series preparations with a commanding 50-19 victory over the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria, extending their unbeaten run across three warm-up fixtures and sending a clear statement ahead of next weekend's opening Test at Ellis Park.
Leroy Carter was the standout performer, capping a blistering display with a hat-trick. The wing finished with a game-high 16 carries and 68 metres, repeatedly troubling the Bulls defence with his pace and awareness. His evening began with a superb injection of quality to create Josh Moorby's opening try, coming off his wing to operate almost as an additional centre, and only set the tone for the rest of his work. Carter's performance, following a similarly impressive outing against the Stormers, has strengthened his case for Test selection, particularly with Caleb Clarke sidelined through injury.
Rieko Ioane was equally destructive, making more metres than any other player on the field and interchanging seamlessly between centre and wing. His try in the 49th minute capped a display of awareness and support play that will have pleased head coach Dave Rennie. Moorby also completed a brace, showcasing the footwork and finishing that has made him a try-scoring threat throughout the tour.
Scrum dominance sets platform
The All Blacks scrum delivered its most complete performance of the series, with the starting front-row of Xavier Numia, Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax winning several penalties and establishing dominance at every turn. The improvement was marked, particularly after a difficult outing against the Stormers, and the replacements—Samisoni Taukei'aho, George Bower and Siale Piutau—maintained that standard in the latter stages. Lomax led the attacking intent from the run-on front-row, while Numia's powerful follow-through gained good change.
The Bulls, deep in pre-season, trailed 24-0 at half-time before rallying with three second-half scores. Captain Marcell Coetzee acknowledged the scheduling challenge but refused to use it as an excuse. "We wanted this game," Coetzee said. "We wanted to play against the second-best team in the world."
Taylor's measured response suggested New Zealand are under no illusions about the step up required. "No disrespect to the Bulls," Taylor said. "But I imagine the Springboks are looking at this and thinking we are going to lift up the tempo and lift up the physicality. That's what Test match footie is all about."
The All Blacks have now completed 120 minutes without conceding a point across three halves, scoring 78 in that span. Yet the memory of their record defeat to the Springboks in their most recent meeting, and the World Cup final loss before that, ensures Rennie's squad will approach Ellis Park with caution. The form of Carter and Ioane, combined with the scrum's resurgence, provides genuine selection headaches—and genuine optimism—as the Test series looms.