New Zealand run amok against USA but may count cost of injuries

A rugby pitch is 24 yards wider than an NFL field, as could be told from the lines on the turf at the home of the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately for the US Eagles, that was quite enough space for the All Blacks to run riot.

The world champions scored 12 tries to none. There were concerns, though, before their match against England on Saturday. Hooker Nathan Harris, wing Cory Jane and multisport megastar centre Sonny Bill Williams left the game injured.

“The guys are fine,” said New Zealand’s head coach, Steve Hansen. “One has a hamstring [Jane], one has an ankle [Harris] and one [Williams] has a bit of a corked thigh.

“Cory Jane has pulled a hammy, grade one, so I’d think he’ll be out for a couple of weeks.”

Asked about the value of the trip to Chicago, Hansen, who made an opening statement thanking his American hosts, said: “It was a great opportunity to put in some guys who have not started a lot and put them under a bit of pressure, which was about setting the tone for the rest of the tour. I think they’ve done a good job of that.”

By kick-off for what was meant to be a watershed for rugby in the US, a notion not entirely swept away by the subsequent flood, the Halloween snowstorm that raised 20ft waves on Lake Michigan had passed. Soldier Field, full to the brim, was bathed in sunshine. Rockets, synchronised to the Star Spangled Banner, shot into a bright blue sky. Then a black cloud rolled in.

Either side of the All Blacks’ first two tries, scored by Harris and Jane, the Eagles did close to 5-3 and 12-6, through one-out raids and two penalties from fly-half Adam Siddall. But as their coach, Mike Tolkin, said afterwards: “One team’s going to crack, and the world champions didn’t.”

The Eagles had other moments, mostly through Samu Manoa’s offloads and a team-wide appetite for work. But if the ball went loose or was kicked away, Kieran Read, Israel Dagg, Ryan Crotty and others started counters and supplied spectacular offloads. In the first half, Patrick Tuipulotu, Williams (twice), Charles Piutau and Julian Savea got on the end of them.

The second half began with a try by the prop Joe Moody during which the Eagles pack seemed punch-drunk. Poor kicking from Aaron Cruden, another try-scorer, may have contributed to his withdrawal after 50 minutes. Alas for the Eagles, his replacement was Dan Carter. He set up a try for Dagg and nailed the conversion. Captain Read also went off, smiling, to be replaced by Liam Messam. Hey-ho. The flanker Sam Cane and Savea, again, went over the line.

The many thousands of American fans who attended can say they saw an exhibition, not unlike something involving the Harlem Globetrotters, if with slightly less spangly shorts. The All Blacks were, of course, lethally entertaining.

Tolkin, pondering lessons, said: “It’s only helpful to us if our guys respond to it. What we saw out there was ruthless efficiency. Every mistake was punished.”

For New Zealand, however, punishment may yet come from the treatment room.