Taylor scores two tries in winning debut as New Zealand captain

Veteran hooker Codie Taylor celebrated his debut as New Zealand captain with two tries in a 50-19 victory over the Bulls in a tour match on Saturday in Pretoria.

Wingers Leroy Carter and Josh Moorby also scored a brace each, and centre Rieko Ioane and replacement loose forward Wallace Sititi both crossed the whitewash.

Full-back Beauden Barrett took the first two conversions, succeeding with one. Fly-half Josh Jacomb then took over the goal-kicking duties, slotting four conversions from six attempts.

Lock Ruan Vermaak, winger Stravino Jacobs and captain and loose forward Marcell Coetzee scored a try each for the Bulls. Fly-half Curwin Bosch kicked two conversions.

Taylor missed the first two matches of the tour, which delivered victories over the Stormers and the Sharks, due to injury.

With the first of four Tests against world champions South Africa in Johannesburg next Saturday, New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie replaced Taylor at half-time as a precautionary measure.

"It was good, it was another tough game. The Bulls really turned up in patches and it was a pretty physical game," Taylor told reporters.

"No disrespect to the Bulls, but I am sure the Springboks will look at this game and say we are going to lift the intensity and physicality.

"Our execution is something to work on, we created some special moments, but then there were a few mistakes. However, I think we are set up nicely for some Test matches now."

Former Springbok Coetzee said: "We had a wonderful crowd here tonight supporting us. I think we gave them a good spectacle and we lived off them.

"I thought we had a few more scoring opportunities, but did not get rewarded. I am proud that we stayed in the fight.

"The All Blacks are a different level of intensity and we have to get used to that. They came with a system that obviously works for them.

"It is just our fourth week of pre-season preparations. You can make all the excuses that you want, but you have to front up against the second best team in the world."

By the break the All Blacks had built a 24-0 lead, which was never threatened in the second half at Loftus Versfeld stadium.

The Bulls held out for just 14 minutes before Moorby scored his first try. He took a pass from Beauden Barrett and cut inside, slipped past past two tackles and dotted down.

New Zealand impressed at scrum time, in the line-outs, won many turnovers, and quick, slick handling often carved huge holes in the Bulls defence.

The South African franchise were handicapped by the lack of eight regulars, who are with the Springboks preparing for the Test series.

They are also only in the middle of a pre-season build-up for the United Rugby Championship kick-off in late September.

Bulls coach Johan Ackermann admitted before the encounter that his team "would not be at their peak for the match".