All Blacks hit top Gear

The All Blacks maintained a perfect record in Tests against Scotland with a seven-try rout of their hosts at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Hosea Gear and Mils Muliaina each bagged a brace as the visitors' back division was altogether too hot to handle during the 49-3 success.

New Zealand took control with four early tries in the space of 17 minutes, helped by the midfield distribution of rugby league convert Sonny Bill Williams.

Williams, who made his Test debut in the 15-man code in last weekend's win over England at Twickenham, consistently opened holes in Scotland's defence with his direct running and the timing and vision of his offloads.

If anything, New Zealand's dominance of territory and possession increased as the game wore on and they added three further tries in the second-half - through Muliaina, Conrad Smith and Andy Ellis - to cap a dazzling display.

Graham Henry's men are now halfway through their Home Nations tour as they seek a third Grand Slam in five years, following the successes in 2005 and 2008, and meet Ireland in Dublin next weekend.

Overwhelmed

Dan Parks slotted a third-minute penalty from long-range to give Scotland the opening points - comfortably the high point of their evening.

But the Murrayfield faithful's hopes of witnessing their country's first win over the All Blacks in 28 attempts spanning 105 years were soon wiped out as the tourists raced into a 25-point lead by half-time.

Gear opened the floodgates in the ninth minute, crossing under the posts after Williams had straightened the angle of attack and found the winger out of the back of his hand.

Daniel Carter converted and was soon crossing the whitewash himself as turnover ball was ruthlessly exploited close to the halfway line.

With Scotland's defence out of position, full-back Muliaina and wing Isaia Toeava combined down the left flank to give Carter a free run to the line.

The stand-off then turned provider, his inside pass releasing Muliaina before Gear took advantage of a mismatch with Scotland hooker Ross Ford to add his second in the 27th minute.

Carter slotted the extra two points to put his side 28-3 up and, at that stage, they had scored at a rate of a point-per-minute.

Blair exit

Scotland suffered a further blow just before the interval when skipper Mike Blair was forced off by a head injury and Greig Laidlaw came on for his first cap.

New Zealand continued to dominate after the break and it was no surprise when another Williams offload allowed Muliaina - who along with skipper Richie McCaw was equalling Sean Fitzpatrick's All Blacks record of 92 caps - to squeeze over in the right corner in the 48th minute for his second try, and his team's fifth.

Carter's conversion took his personal tally to 15 points but it was also his final act as Stephen Donald was brought on for the final half-hour.

It took until the 66th minute for New Zealand to create their sixth try, Smith applying the final touches after Scotland's overworked defence was outnumbered on the left.

Replacement scrum-half Ellis added a seventh late on before the match finished amid worrying scenes as Scotland centre Max Evans, whose brother Thom was forced to retire after breaking his neck in last February's Six Nations encounter with Wales, was stretchered off.

It was later revealed Evans had suffered a "stinger" to his shoulder and the problem was not as bad as first feared.