YOKOHAMA, Japan, October 26 – New Zealand warmed up for next week’s Test against England with a comfortable 64-19 victory over Japan in Yokohama.
Scott Robertson’s inexperienced side ran in seven of their 10 tries in the first half.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu, number eight Wallace Sititi and winger Mark Tele’a impressed, while fly-half Damian McKenzie kicked seven conversions.
The All Blacks face England at Twickenham on 2 November before games against Ireland, France and Italy.
New Zealand fell behind to an early Jone Naikabula try before Tele’a and Tuipulotu responded.
Although Faulua Makisi cut the gap for Eddie Jones’ Japan, Billy Proctor and Sam Cane and Samipeni Finau crossed in the space of eight minutes to keep the visitors in control, and Pasilio Tosi and Tamaiti Williams also went over before half-time.
Cam Roigard, back in the New Zealand team after injury, touched down after the break, while replacement Opeti Helu marked his Japan Test debut with a fine try.
New Zealand debutant Ruben Love crossed twice in the final two minutes.
“We started quite rough,” said captain Tuipulotu. “We didn’t get our set-piece right and let them in for an early try.
“We managed to get some retention of the ball. As long as we held the ball, we managed to get some good payout and ended up with some tries.”
Japan: Yazaki, Naikabula, Riley, McCurran, Tuitama, Tatekawa, Fujiwara, Okabe, Sakate, Takeuchi, Waqa, W. Dearns, Fakatava, Himeno, Makisi. Replacements: Harada, Mohara, Helu, Uluiviti, Shimokawa, Koyama, Osada, Matsunaga.
New Zealand: Perofeta, Reece, Proctor, Liernert-Brown, Telea, McKenzie, Roigard, Williams, Aumua, Tosi, Darry, Tuipulotu, Finau, Cane, Sititi. Replacements: Bell, Tu’ungafasi, Newell, Lord, Lakai, Perenara, Havili, Love.
