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 new coach Scott Robertson, the All Blacks displayed some attacking fluency in the first half, scoring two tries through Reece and Ardie Savea.
Maro Itoje briefly gave England a 7-5 lead before Savea’s try put the All Blacks back in front. However, Marcus Smith’s penalty tied the game at halftime.
Smith then struggled with his kicking, missing two relatively straightforward attempts, but he remained effective in attack and assisted Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s try.
Those missed kicks proved costly for England as successive Damian McKenzie penalties allowed New Zealand to begin the Robertson era with a win.