The All Blacks have delivered their messiest performance yet at the Rugby World Cup, stuttering to a 43-10 win over Georgia in Cardiff.
The defending champions scored 22 points in the first 22 minutes, including a spectacular opening try to Waisake Naholo and a double to fellow wing Julian Savea.
However, the four early tries were followed by just three more in a stuttering performance in front of a sold-out crowd at Millennium Stadium.
It was a third unconvincing pool display following wins over Argentina and Namibia, although it's enough to guarantee New Zealand's place in the quarter-finals.
Their first-ever game against world No.13 Georgia was an error-ridden effort, dotted by loose passes and handling mistakes.
Captain Richie McCaw, whose demands that his team lift their performance on Friday went unanswered, limped out of the game in the 60th minute. Sporting two ice packs on his right leg, he said the injuries weren't of major concern.
Coach Steve Hansen's team lacked physicality against the muscular Europeans, who chose to field a largely second-string team.
The All Blacks were often the architects of their struggles, making 19 handling errors as they attempted to play at speed against an obdurate defence.
"It wasn't one of our better ones. It will give us plenty to go home and think about," Hansen said.
"We've got a bit of work to do but at the same time we scored some fine tries and we weren't too far away. If we get those little bits of our game right, we'll be fine."
McCaw says the handling errors which dogged the All Blacks possibly came from a lack of patience.
"We created a lot of opportunities in the first half, but it was trying to finish it without actually taking another phase or another tackle and taking the space that was on," he said.
"We were only a pass away so we don't need to panic too much but certainly we will need to get those things better."
Naholo made a memorable start in his first Test since fracturing his leg on Test debut against Argentina 11 weeks ago.
The 24-year-old used sheer speed and strength in a sizzling 60m solo run with his first touch of the ball in the second minute.
Georgia struck straight back through an opportunistic try to fullback Beka Tsuklauri off a New Zealand turnover.
New Zealand established control through Savea's early double and another to hooker Dane Coles before errors began to permeate their game.
Up 22-10 at halftime, they finally pushed clear through No.8 Kieran Read before late tries to Savea and replacement back Malakai Fekitoa.
Savea's hat-trick gives him a tournament-leading five following a double against Namibia.
New Zealand's pool campaign finishes against Tonga in Newcastle next Friday before a return to Cardiff for their quarter-final.
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