New Zealand full-back Ben Smith has said that it was good to be tested by Tonga in Friday's Rugby World Cup Pool C match in Newcastle.
The All Blacks, who are favourites to defend their title this year, made it four wins out of four in the pool stage with a 47-9 win at St James' Park, but five of their seven tries arrived in the final half-hour as Tonga put up a good fight in the opening 50 minutes.
Smith, who scored New Zealand's first try on the night, said that it was good to have been involved in a competitive match ahead of next weekend's quarter-final against either France or Ireland in Cardiff.
"Tonga put us under a lot of pressure in that first half," Smith told Sports Mole. "I wouldn't say it surprised us, we knew they were going to do that. We just used the ball a bit better and held on to the ball a bit better in the second half, which then put them under pressure.
"It was good to be tested by Tonga and I think we've been tested in every pool game which is going to help us going into the quarter-final. As a team we're excited and as a player they're the games you really want to play in."
New Zealand, who have now won 11 World Cup matches on the trot, finished top of Pool C with 19 points and will face the loser of Sunday's Pool D decider between France and Ireland.
Pascal Lemesre
