New Zealand romp home against Portugal

New Zealand 108 Portugal 13

World Cup favourites New Zealand ran in 16 tries in a humiliating mauling of plucky Portugal to make it two wins out of two in Pool C.

Joe Rokocoko, Aaron Mauger and Conrad Smith scored two tries apiece, while 10 other players touched down in a mismatch at Lyon’s Stade Gerland.

Portugal, dominated from the first whistle, took comfort from scoring a converted try through Rui Cordeiro, and adding a penalty and a drop-goal into the bargain.

Replacement Andrew Ellis fed off good work again from Collins down the right to canter in for a converted score in the 61st minute.

And Mauger’s neat dummy lent himself room to pierce the Portugal defence five minutes later for his second try of the afternoon.

The 100-point mark was looming and MacDonald brought it closer with a converted try to make the score 87-10.

Conrad Smith became New Zealand’s 12th different try-scorer of the game, but the way he finished his 72nd-minute try – jinking his way round a defender in the in-goal area to ground under the posts – brought a round of boos from the crowd.

Carl Hayman was the player to bring up the century, adding further insult to injury for Portugal, while Smith doubled his tally for the afternoon late on.