DURBAN, South Africa – New Zealand’s All Blacks have secured their second consecutive victory on their 2024 South African tour, delivering a lopsided 54-0 defeat to the Sharks at a rain-soaked Kings Park stadium on Tuesday. The dominant win comes as a promising confidence boost for the side 11 days ahead of their upcoming test series, though a first-half injury to starting fullback Damian McKenzie has cast a small shadow over the result.
McKenzie, who was already playing with a heavily strapped left ankle, suffered a re-aggravation of the injury early in the match when he landed awkwardly while taking a mark. The test regular crossed for a try in the 28th minute, but was pulled from the pitch shortly after in what coaching staff confirmed was a precautionary substitution to avoid further damage ahead of the high-stakes test series.
Played under gloomy, wet conditions that left the pitch saturated from persistent rain right up to kickoff, the match pitted a half-strength All Blacks test XV against the Sharks, the lowest-ranked of the four South African provincial sides the New Zealand side is scheduled to face on tour. Even with a mixed lineup, the All Blacks outclassed their hosts from the opening whistle, fixing the clear tactical flaws that were on display during their tighter 38-21 win over the Stormers in Cape Town last Friday.
The All Blacks showed marked improvement across all key areas of the game: their maul defense successfully shut down two early five-meter lineout drives from the Sharks, their scrum held solid against constant pressure, and on-field discipline saw a major upgrade. The side finished the match without conceding a single yellow card, and cut their penalty count significantly from the Stormers game, even on a slippery pitch that complicated ball handling and defensive positioning.
The match delivered a memorable pre-game moment before kickoff: after the All Blacks performed their traditional pre-match haka led by Ruben Love, the Sharks responded with an unprecedented solo haka from 44-year-old rugby legend Ma’a Nonu. Nonu, a former All Black who earned 104 caps for New Zealand between 2003 and 2015, only signed with the Sharks one week prior, and the match marked his first time facing his former national side. The veteran came off the bench for a late cameo appearance when the All Blacks already held a commanding 42-0 lead in the final quarter.
After weathering an early spirited push from a heavily depleted Sharks side, the All Blacks opened their try account in the 19th minute, when winger Fehi Fineanganofo crossed the line after a high bomb from Jordie Barrett. McKenzie had a try ruled out minutes later for an accidental knock-on, but five minutes on, he scored a legitimate try in the right corner, diving through a puddle after a kick-pass from Barrett to Fineanganofo set up the opportunity. He exited the pitch immediately after the score.
New Zealand took a 14-0 lead into halftime, and gradually extended their advantage through the second half, overwhelming the Sharks’ defense with consistent attacking pressure. Second winger Caleb Clarke scored from a long miss-out pass from No. 8 Wallace Sititi, then turned provider to offload for Fineanganofo’s second try of the night. First-time All Blacks captain Luke Jacobson set up a try for Jordie Barrett, and a break from Quinn Tupaea was finished off by scrumhalf Kyle Preston. Late tries from Timoci Tavatavanawai and Sam Darry pushed the All Blacks past the 50-point mark, with Ruben Love converting seven of the side’s eight total tries – including four difficult sideline conversions and one that bounced off the post and through.
The All Blacks will next face the Bulls in Pretoria this coming Saturday as they continue their preparation tour ahead of the upcoming test series against South Africa.