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NZ 57 Scotland 0
NZ - Holmes 2, Hirinui, Mikaele-Tu'u, Fitzpatrick, Wickliffe 2, Roos & Leti-I'iga tries; Holmes 6 conversions
Second half
40th minute - Big Ferns scrum pushes the Scots off the ball for a tighthead. NZ have one last scoring chance, but Fitzpatrick can't find her teammates in midfield and Scotland break out of their 22.
Eventually, the ball goes loose and Ferns kick the ball into touch to end the game with another bonus-point victory.
39th minute - From the scrum, Fitzpatrick loses the ball forward and Scots will feed a defensive scrum.
38th minute - Konkel runs off the back of the Scottish scrum on their 22, but Thompson can't handle the offload, so Ferns have an attacking scrum with time winding down.
37th minute - Wickliffe challenges the defence down the right, but Kalounivale loses the ball in a scything midfield tackle.
36th minute - Kalounivale and Hirini return to the field, Rule leaves. Roos surges to halfway and Kalounivale has a big carry.
35th minute - Scotland win a penalty just outside their 22 and Thompson kicks to touch.
34th minute - Roos claims the kickoff and Ferns look to bust up the middle of the park. They win a penalty and take a quick tap...
32nd minute - TRY to Holmes
Ferns win the lineout and Chelsea Bremner batters the centre of the defence. Brunt makes a break to within metres of the line, before finding her fullback looming outside her.
Holmes' sideline conversion stays left, NZ 57-0
30th minute - Scots' scrum is under pressure and Ferns steal the ball with the line in sight. Fitzpatrick's long pass is picked off, but the Scots can't take full advantage.
29th minute - From the scrum, Wickliffe makes a midfield break, but her loopy pass to du Plessis is spilled and Scotland clear their line
28th minute - NZ win a free-kick, as Scotland fails to feed the scrum in a timely fashion. The Ferns take the scrum, because they need the practice.
27th minute - Hirini leaves the game, replaced by Rule, so the scrum can proceed without Kalounivale. Cocksedge clears the scrum quickly, but Fitzpatrick's pass to Wickliffe is forward.
26th minute - Roos steals the ball at the lineout and Ferns shift right, where HOlmes kicks ahead. Scotland knock on and NZ have a scrum inside their half.
25th minute - Scotland win the lineout, but Ferns steal the ball and try to run from their goal-line. Tubic loves a kick ahead, but the ball bounces into touch.
24th minute - Scotland win the lineout and Thompson surges up centrefield. There's a double blast of the whistle and Kalounivale is shown a yellow card.
Thompson kicks to the corner...
23rd minute - Scotland win a penalty on halfway and Cocksedge, who has taken over as Ferns captain, is officially warned for constant infringing of her team. Discipline continues to be an issue for NZ.
22nd minute - Scotland scrum feed on the NZ 10. Ferns scrum is gaining some ascendancy.
21st minute - Reynolds replaces Alana Bremner, as the game gets untidy. Ferns knock on again, after stealing a Scottish lineout throw.
20th minute - Kalounivale is on the field for Rule, but she is penalised and Scotland clear their half.
19th minute - Ferns turn the ball over and Cocksedge snipes from the ruck to halfway. Tubic kicks to Wickliffe, but her pass to Holmes goes astray.
18th minute - Scots have a scrum feed in midfield, but Ferns push them off the ball. Konkel runs off the back and Scotland launch a promising attack down the left.
16th minute - Chelsea Bremner replaces Ngan-Wood in the Ferns second row. From the scrum on halfway, NZ surge into Scotland territory, but Brunt can't handle a pass from Cocksedge.
15th minute - Scots kick off, but the ball doesn't travel 10 metres - that's the third botched kickoff from Thompson.
13th minute - TRY to Roos
Rule rumbles into the 22 and the Ferns are looking for a way through the Scottish defence. Delamere finds a chink in the armour and offloads to Roos for the try.
Holmes converts, but the Ferns have fallen behind the clock, NZ 52-0
12th minute - Tubic kicks to touch and NZ have a lineout just outside the Scotland 22. Delamere throws and Ngan-Woo wins the ball.
11th minute - Scots lose the ball and du Plessis breaks out of the NZ 22. Ferns keep the ball in hand, before Fitzpatrick kicks through, Scotland gather, but are penalised in the ruck.
10th minute - Campbell runs the ball back for Scotland into the 22.
Ninth minute - Ferns turn the ball over and the forwards carry from their line. Tubic offloads to Bremner and then kicks to Brunt on the left wing.
Eighth minute - Brunt comes on for Leti-I'iga, as Scotland win a lineout and charge towards the line. Desperate defence needed here by NZ.
Seventh minute - Scots kick to touch and win the lineout. Konkel runs at the defence and Scotland have another penalty advantage. Nelson kicks ahead, but they come back for the penalty.
Malcolm complains about the infringements and the Ferns must be close to a warning here.
Sixth minute - Scots stringing together more phases and win another penalty in midfield. Subs for NZ, with Murray, Delamere and Cocksedge replacing Love, Ponsonby and Marino-Tauhinu.
Fifth minute - Scots win the lineout, but are mauled back. They release to the backs and Konkel-Roberts rumbles up the middle fo the park.
Fourth minute - Scotland have strung together 12 phases and reach halfway, winning another penalty advantage. Thompson kicks for touch.
Third minute - Mikaele-Tu'u thumps Campbell in the big tackle and Scotland lose more ground, almost back to their 22. They win penalty advantage.
Second minute - Solid Ferns scrum, but the backs get offside, as they try to run it down the left. Scotland kick for touch, but can't reach halfway.
Scotland win the lineout, but lose ground.
First minute - Thompson kicks off the second half for Scotland, but barely clears halfway, so Ferns have a scrum. They need more scrum practice, so good signs.
Halftime
40th minute - Halftime siren sounds, as Thompson kicks off and Ferns have one last chance to add to their score. Tubic kicks to Wickliffe, but NZ knock on to end the half at better than a point a minute.
38th minute - TRY to Wickliffe
Solid Ferns scrum and Leti-I'iga runs an inside line to lure three defenders. The ball shifts right and du Plessis puts Wickliffe over in the corner for her second in quick succession.
Holmes converts from the sideline, NZ 45-0
37th minute - Tubic kicks the ball over the Scottish defence and it bounces awkwardly for Campbell. Ferns win a scrum feed.
36th minute - NZ control the kickoff and move the ball back out to Wickliffe down the right.
34th minute - Scotland overthrow their lineout again, Ponsonby tidies up and Tubic kicks downfield.
TRY to Wickliffe
NZ field a return kick and Ngan-Woo surges over halfway, before Wickliffe shows searing pace and footwork to beat the defence and score. Last pass from Tubic looked marginal and sure enough, it's reviewed, but stands.
Terrible call, Holmes converts, NZ 38-0
33rd minute - Scotland feed to the scrum, but Ferns shove them off the ball. Scotland have a lineout, but that was promising from the NZ eight.
32nd minute - Thompson kicks off and Hirini runs it back. Ferns shift right and reach halfway, but knock on.
30th minute - TRY to Fitzpatrick
Ferns shift the ball left, where Bremner offloads to her centre, who juggles as she falls backwards and somehow maintains possession to score. Holmes slots her conversion, NZ 31-0
29th minute - Tubic finds touch inside the Scotland 22, Bremner wins the lineout and launch another attack.
28th minute - Big scrum from NZ, but the Scots clear it eventually and launch an attack in midfield. Big tackle from Fitzpatrick sends them backwards and Ferns win a penalty.
27th minute - Ferns knock on and Scotland can't gain an advantage, so here comes another scrum. NZ need to start bossing these set-pieces.
26th minute - Better scrum from NZ, but Scotland clear into the Ferns half. They try to run from their own 22.
25th minute - Scotland win a free-kick at the scrum and they opt for another scrum. NZ can use the practice.
24th minute - Scotland called for balking at the lineout and Ferns have a free-kick. Marino-Tauhinu taps, but NZ suddenly have a case of the dropsies.
23rd minute - Konkel-Roberts surges into the 22, but loses the ball and Marino-Tauhinu kicks downfield into touch.
22nd minute - Thompson looks for the corner with her touchfinder and Scotland have an attacking lineout. Scots win the lineout, but make no ground with their maul, so they release it to the backs.
21st minute - Roos taps the ball loosely from the lineout and Skeldon hacks the ball downfield for Scotland. They chase and recover the ball to mount an attack, earning a penalty in midfield.
20th minute - NZ win a penalty in midfield, just outside the Scotland 22, and Tubic looks to touch.
19th minute - Thompson kicks off deep again, but Fitzpatrick has to run it from her own goal area. The Ferns lose the ball in midfield and Scotland have their first attacking opportunity.
Du Plessis snatches the ball on the right touchline and surges into Scotland half.
16th minute - TRY to Mikaele-Tu'u
Ferns win the lineout, but keep the ball out right. Mikaele-Tu'u surges through the ruck to score. Holmes converts from just right of the posts, NZ 24-0
15th minute - From the scrum, Leti-I'iga breaks into Scotland half and the forwards rumble up the middle. Ferns win a penalty at the breakdown and Tubic kicks to the corner.
14th minute - Thompson kicks off long for Scotland... too long. The ball bounces dead and the Ferns will have a scrum on halfway.
12th minute - TRY to Hirini
Hirini claims the kickoff and Roos surges towards halfway. Love offloads to Mikaele-Tu'u, then Ngan-Woo breaks the defence, before finding Hirini running support up the middle of the park to score.
Holmes converts from in front, NZ 17-0
Ninth minute - TRY to Leti-I'iga
Scotland overthrow their lineout and Ponsonby charges around the back. The ball shifts right, where the forwards soack up some phases, before the ball is released left and Fitzpatrick throws a long pass to her winger to score.
Holmes' conversion goes close, but no cigar, NZ 10-0
Seventh minute - Fitzpatrick goes close down the right, the movement stalls in midfield and Scotland steal the ball at the ruck, winning a clearing penalty for a high tackle by Roos.
Sixth minute - First scrum of the game, this will be telling. Neither team budge, as the Scots try to clear, but Ferns win a penalty at the breakdown and tap.
Fifth minute - Tubic finds touch inside Scottish half and Ponsonby throws to a lineout on the 10. Roos wins the ball, but Bremner has the ball stripped near the left touchline.
Fourth minute - Thompson kicks off for Scotland and NZ take the ball into the forwards to rumbled a few metres. They win a penalty at the breakdown.
Second minute - TRY to Holmes
After a few forward exchanges, the Ferns shift left, where Leti-I'iga draws the fullback and puts her own No.15 across out wide. Holmes leaves her conversion wide right, NZ 5-0
First minute - Referee today is Aurelle Groizeleau of France and Hazel Tubic will kick off for NZ.
Thompson traps the kickoff with her foot and then hoofs the ball upfield, but Tubic immediately breaks over halfway to put the Ferns on attack. Tubic then kicks across field for her fullback Holmes...
4:41pm - Both teams have sung their anthems and the Scottish are now facing the Black Ferns haka. They advance almost to halfway, but not quite, in a show of defiance.
Fairplay to them.
*****
Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Rugby World Cup pool clash between the Black Ferns and Scotland at Whangārei's Northland Events Centre.
The NZ women have already clinched a spot in the quarter-finals and can't be headed in their pool, after two opening bonus-point victories over Australia and Wales.
Coach Wayne Smith has taken the opportunity to ring the changes, naming hometown hero Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu as skipper for this occasion, with co-captain Ruahei Demant consigned to the bench.
Perhaps the biggest talking point is the make-up of the back three, where sevens stars Portia Woodman and Ruby Tui have starred so far, but have been given this fixture off. Instead, Smith will unleash powerful wing Ayesha Leti-I'iga, probably the standout player from New Zealand's tournament build-up, but limited by injury so far.
The forward pack sees five changes from the unit mauled by the Welsh, with Roos, hooker Georgia Ponsonby and flanker Alana Bremner the only players retaining their starting spots. They will want an improved showing, with bigger challenges looming in knockout stages.
Effectively, Australia and Wales will play off in the early game for the second guaranteed spot in the quarter-finals, but a draw and Scottish victory would throw a cat among the pigeons. None of them can catch New Zealand to top the pool.
Join us at 4:45pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: NZ $1, draw $51, Scotland $18
New Zealand: 1-Phillipa Love, 2-Georgia Ponsonby, 3-Amy Rule, 4-Joanah Ngan-Woo, 5-Maiakawanakualani Roos, 6-Alana Bremner, 7-Sarah Hirini, 8-Liana Mikaele-Tu'u, 9-Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (c), 10-Hazel Tubic, 11-Ayesha Leti-I'iga, 12-Theresa Fitzpatrick, 13-Amy du Plessis, 14-Renee Wickliffe, 15-Renee Holmes.
Reserves: 16-Natalie Delamare, 17-Krystal Murray, 18-Tanya Kalounivale, 19-Chelsea Bremner, 20-Kendra Reynolds, 21-Kendra Cocksedge, 22-Sylvia Brunt, 23-Ruahei Demant
Scotland: 1-Molly Wright, 2-Lana Skeldon, 3-Christine Belisle, 4-Emma Wassell, 5-Sarah Bonar, 6-Rachel Malcolm, 7-Rachel McLachlan, 8-Jade Konkel-Roberts, 9-Caity Mattinson, 10-Helen Nelson, 11-Hannah Smith, 12-Lisa Thomson, 13-Emma Orr, 14-Rhona Lloyd, 15-Shona Campbell
Reserves: 16-Jodie Rettie, 17-Leah Bartlett, 18-Katie Dougan, 19-Lyndsay O'Donnell, 20-Louise McMillan, 21-Mairi McDonald, 22-Meryl Smith, 23-Liz Musgrove
Black Ferns unleash weapon wing Leti-I'iga, as World Cup crunchtime looms
By Stephen Foote
The Black Ferns have the luxury of welcoming back one of test rugby's premier wrecking balls for their Rugby World Cup pool finale at Whangārei on Saturday.
Sidelined for two months with injury, winger Ayesha Leti-I'iga has been named to make her tournament debut against Scotland.
Leti-I'iga, 23, was in explosive form in the build-up to the event, running riot during the Pacific Four in June, with her unique blend of pace, skills and raw power.
In fact, coach Wayne Smith went as far as to label his not-so-secret weapon the "best player in the world" during that series.
"You don't hear that often, so it's pretty special," Let-I'iga said. "True or not, it actually gives me confidence."
A grade-one calf tear suffered during the Laurie O'Reilly Cup against Australia in August scuppered her chances to take the field against the Wallaroos and Wales, but she'll make her highly anticipated return at Northland Events Centre.
"When I got told [I was playing] I was a bit emotional and overwhelmed," she said.
"I've played a couple of games in the black jersey, but I haven't played in the World Cup yet, so this one means so much more to me."
The Wellington prodigy has run in nine tries in 17 tests in her young international career and admits her enforced absence has made her appreciate representing her country even more.
Leti-I'iga initially had doubts she could participate at all at the pinnacle event, facing replacement in the squad altogether.
"I was gutted at the time, but I think if anything, it was a blessing in disguise," she noted. "I learnt how to serve my team off the field.
"I think that's made the bond so much stronger and it made being black in the jersey so much more worth it."
Although Smith claims he's yet to settle on a first XV, shifting Ruby Tui across to fullback was likely part of his vision to field a lethal back trio of powerhouse wing Portia Woodman, Tui and Leti-I'iga, when the knockout stages begin next week.
After watching Woodman and Tui tear opposition defences apart through the first two weeks of the competition, Leti-I'iga is itching to get in on the act.
"It's so exciting," she added. "For me to step out on that field tomorrow, I'm taking my family with me.
"I'm just going out there and giving it my all for this team."
Check out the Rugby World Cup live on Spark Sport or free-to-air on Three, or join us for live updates of the Black Ferns' title defence
