Scotland 0 New Zealand 40:New Zealand right wing Doug Howlett scored a record 47th try for his country on Sunday during a untroubled 40-0 win over an under-strength Scotland side in their World Cup Pool C match at Murrayfield.
Howlett overtook the tally he shared with Christian Cullen in the 15th minute when he scored in the corner after Luke McAlister and Leon MacDonald had swung the ball wide on the right.
He extended his mark to 48 seven minutes from fulltime when he veered left from broken play to score 15 metres from the left touchline.
The All Blacks' task was made easier by Scotland coach Frank Hadden's decision to make 13 changes to his side in preparation for next Saturday's match against Italy, which will decide who finishes second in the group.
Chris Paterson, one of the two survivors from the team who beat Romania 42-0 last Tuesday, lasted only 21 minutes after Hadden had switched him from wing to flyhalf, before he was replaced by Dan Parks.
Captain Richie McCaw, who scored New Zealand's opening try of the tournament against Italy after only 64 seconds, was on the board in the fifth minute after a scrum near the Scots' line. Number eight Rodney So'oialo surged right and fed McCaw who cut through on the inside to score by the posts.
The New Zealand pack, anchored by the first choice starting front row of Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver and Tony Woodcock, demolished the Scotland eight in the scrum but simple handling errors after Howlett's try kept the Scots in contention before scrumhalf Byron Kelleher darted over the All Blacks' third try in the 33rd minute.
New Zealand, who led 20-0 at halftime, increased the tempo after the interval. Dan Carter kicked a second penalty and the All Blacks went back on the attack with McCaw prominent in a sweeping passing movement.
The Zealanders appeared to have scored when Woodcock barrelled over in the corner after a Carter penalty rebounded from the right-hand upright but the final pass was ruled forward.
They finally crossed the Scots' line in the 61st minute when their tall athletic lock Ali Williams rampaged down the right touchline and dived over the near the corner flag. Three minutes later Carter swooped on a loose ball and ran half the length of the field to score under the posts.
