New Zealand destroyed Scotland 74-6 in Christchurch to seal their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Despite the sides drawing 18-all in Workington last year, the Kiwis were expected to run up a big score in Christchurch and they didn’t disappoint.
Significantly weakened from that team 12 months ago, the Bravehearts could not cope with the relentless speed and power of the hosts who have impressed in both World Cup games.
The Kiwis broke the deadlock after nine minutes when prop Martin Taupau delivered a superb short pass for Kenny Bromwich to ease over from close range.
That lead was extended almost immediately as Nightingale went over in the corner before Joseph Taphine added a third to make it 14-0 after just 17 minutes.
Playing some slick rugby and offloading at every opportunity, the Kiwis were too good for their opponents and Nightingale grabbed his second soon after.
Steve McCormack’s side did manage a 10-minute spell without conceding, but two tries before half-time from Peta Hiku and Te Maire Martin made it 28-0 at the break.
The game continued in the same pattern after the restart and they went over again within the first four minutes as big Russell Packer barged his way over after great work from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Nightingale was denied his hat-trick moments later for a forward pass before Hiku just missed out on his second after missing the ball by a finger tip.
They weren’t to be denied in the next attack though as the impressive Martin broke though and pushed off several defenders to score under the posts.
Scotland were now struggling massively and the Kiwis came through again on the next set with Dean Whare scoring before Hiku got his second on the hour mark.
It was attack after attack from Dave Kidwell’s side and another break from Tuivasa-Sheck put Shaun Johnson over with the half-back’s four-pointer making him the Kiwis all-time top try scorer.
It was now a race to see who could complete their hat-trick first and it was former Warrington man Hiku that got it as he won the race to Johnson’s kick to touch down.
Scotland would not be nilled though as with time running out, Oscar Thomas put on a superb right-foot step from close range to get the Bravehearts on the board.
The Kiwis would have the last laugh though as Martin completed his hat-trick with a show and go from 10 metres out and Elijah Taylor completed the try scoring with a similar score two minutes later.
Johnson kicked his ninth goal of the afternoon from out wide to make the final score 74-6 as the Kiwis put last year’s nightmare in Workington firmly behind them.
Kiwis: Tuivasa-Sheck, Nightingale, Whare, Takairangi, Hiku, Martin, Johnson, Taupau, Taylor, Waerea-Hargreaves, Bromwich, Tapine, Blair. Interchange: Asofa-Solomona, Packer, Fonua-Blake, Levi.
Scotland: Walker, Tierney, Hellewell, Stein, Russell, Brough, Thomas, Douglas, Addy, Kavanagh, Anderson, Ferguson, Bell. Interchange: Bentley, Brooks, Wilkinson, Walker.
