Enough.
Japan, as a nation, is nothing if not game, but the recent sledging by the Baby Blacks, a 67 – 0 win, in World Rugby U20 Championship play in France was nothing but an excuse for Kiwi players to scout locations for places to live when they abandon New Zealand to play French Top 14 football.
“We will be very happy with that,” New Zealand captain Tom Christies said after the win. “We will review it but on the whole I’m really happy.”
Time to pick on someone your own size.
Christies actually had the temerity to suggest that Japan had given his side a challenge.
What, by holding the BBs to under 100?
NZ needed under a minute to score its first try, and then added 10 more in the rout. They led 38 – 0 at halftime.
The good news is that the Baby Blacks held their shape and structure as the gassed Japanese gathered at midfield to perform Seppuku.
New Zealand faces Wales next, followed by Australia over the next week. Wales beat Australia 26 – 21 in an opening day upset. Italy beat Scotland 27 – 26, South Africa got past Georgia 33 – 27, England beat Argentina 39 – 18 and the hosts enjoyed a narrow 26 – 24 victory over Ireland.
Baby Black graduates are used to populate the roles of the Super Rugby sides. Twelve players from last years’ champion team moved up in class, which is not hard to do, given the total lack of class they showed in their merciless demolition of the Japanese teenagers.
Some who might be seen soon playing professional football are fullback Vilimoni Koroi, halfback Xavier Roe, first-five Kaleb Trask, centre Bailyn Sullivan and wings Leicester Faingaanuku and Jamie Spowat.
Trask led the way for the Baby Blacks with five tries, something he can hold onto when he is old and gray.