New Zealand have opened their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a 38-8 win over Samoa in their opening match of the tournament in Auckland.
Photo: Photosport
While the score line will please fans, the Kiwis coaching staff will be wanting a better performance from their side heading into their second match against Scotland next week.
The Kiwis were the first to open the scoring down the right flank when winger Jordan Rapana broke his way through the line on the halfway mark.
He linked up with Shaun Johnson on the inside before Johnson repaid the favour, giving Rapana an open run to the try line.
Johnson was the next Kiwi to find his way in the in goal line after second rower Simon Mannering showed his light footwork to make his way around Samoa's defensive.
Mannering's display was an example of the style of football coach David Kidwell wanted the Kiwis to play - a high risk, high reward style that was as successful as it was problematic.
New Zealand's attack moved laterally for large parts of the first half to negate Samoa's big pack but made several handling errors while trying to make a play out of nothing.
Shaun Johnson breaks away to set up the first try. Photo: Photosport
After the first half the Kiwis' completion rate hovered just over 50 percent.
On defence the Kiwis pack showed they weren't afraid of their counterparts but gave away silly penalties at the ruck.
Samoa were the last to score in the first half after playing deep in the Kiwis half. Winger Ken Maumalo, a man not unfamiliar to Mt Smart Stadium, found an overlap just five metres short of the line on the left hand side of the field to score Samoa's opening try.
Maumalo's try was unconverted, leaving the score at 10-4 at the end of the first half.
Like the first half, New Zealand were first to strike in the second half off a Samoa error in their own goal line.
Maumalo, Samoa's hero in the first half, fumbled the ball right on the try line, giving Kiwis centre Bradley Takairangi an easy touchdown in the right corner.
Just a few minutes later Kiwis five eighth Kodi Nikorima joined in on the spoils when he chased down a Shaun Johnson grubber to put the score at 20-4 just 10 minutes into the second half.
Nikorima's try was followed shortly after by a try to Isaac Liu when he barrelled his way over the tryline from right in front.
While comfortably in front and deep within Samoa's half, the Kiwis found injury trouble. Centre Gerard Beale went down out of play with what appeared to be an Achilles injury. The Warriors new recruit's injury was so bad, he had to be stretchered from the field.
It took New Zealand another 10 minutes to find the tryline after the stoppage in play for Beale's injury but the wait was worth it. Five eighth Kodi Nikorima made a break down the left-hand side of the field from within his own half before linking up with fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who finished the job off with a canter to the try line.
Moments later prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona showed his strength close to the line, powering his way over for his first try on debut for the Kiwis.
The Kiwis' completion rate improved slightly in the second half, getting over 60 percent but it was New Zealand's defence and territory that won them the game.
Samoa barely had a chance to score in the second half as they struggled to get themselves out of their own 50. Warriors prop Bunty Afoa did his best to try and bully the Kiwis' forward pack through the middle but lacked support to break New Zealand's line.
However right on full time, Samoa showed plenty of heart, scoring a consolation try through Joseph Paulo - their only one of the second half.
New Zealand now head to Christchurch for their next match of the tournament against Scotland while Samoa head to Hamilton to face Tonga.