Fijian flyer Sevu Reece scored the opening try for the All Blacks in their 16-15 victory over England at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin last night.
Playing for the first time under coach Scott Robertson, the All Blacks displayed some attacking fluency in the first half, scoring tries through Reece and Ardie Savea.
Maro Itoje had initially given the Red Rose a 7-5 lead before Savea’s try restored the hosts’ advantage. However, Marcus Smith’s penalty brought the scores level at halftime.
Smith then struggled with his kicking, missing two relatively simple attempts, but he played a key role in attack and assisted Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s try.
Those missed kicks proved costly for England as successive Damian McKenzie penalties secured a win for New Zealand, marking a successful start to the Robertson era.