EXETER brought a side with a number of players with first team experience, while the All Blacks put out a First XV short of half a dozen regulars for this 'friendly' which was 'fiercely contested.'

Both teams played an open game, which was reflected in the fact that every penalty award was tapped not kicked for points. All the scoring came in the first quarter with two converted tries.

Exeter threw down the gauntlet from the start, running it at every opportunity, and All Black full back Jon Fabian had plenty of chances to show the power of his tactical kicking having to face waves of attacks from the visitors in his 22.

It was some time before the All Blacks mounted anything like a sustained attack. That said, their number eight Toby Freeman almost got a touchdown in the corner in the 14th minute after the ball had been neatly hacked on down the wing.

However, by now Exeter were in the ascendant, producing some inter-passing and threequarter moves. In the 17th minute their pack mounted a drive out on the right in the home 22 and lock and skipper Chris Bentley drove over with fly half Emyr Lewis converting.

Five minutes later the visitors scored again. The All Blacks looked to have snatched possession from a half-maul on halfway but somehow Exeter's Lewis wrestled the ball from his opposite number, Jake Murphy, swerved through a bunch of defenders and raced clear to the posts and then added his second conversion.

The rest of the first half was largely Exeter on the attack with the All Blacks defending well and occasionally breaking.

It was a different matter after the interval. The home pack, which had been under some pressure, came out a significantly stronger force. Just before the hour they were laying siege to the Exeter line and only very good defending in turn kept the All Blacks out. They should have scored and if they had it it would have been only deserved.

They battled on and with 15 minutes remaining left wing Kieron Lewitt, released at pace on the left wing, for a moment looked to have broken clean away; but Exeter kept countering and running to the finish. The All Blacks never once stopped looking for a score but just couldn't escape the whitewash.

One reporter claimed this fixture proved that the gulf between Championship and National One rugby is considerable — some at Polson on Friday night might disagree!

All Blacks: J Fabian; J Luff (T Preece 76), R Westren L Paterson, K Lewitt; J Murphy (A Collings 69), L Webb (M Luxton 76); J Bolt (K Brooking 79), J Salter (M Rawlings 56), N Bayliss (B Pow 56); N Hannay (T Hurdwell 56), B Jenkins (G Fleming 67); J Lord (L Duke 79), T Rawlings (capt) (S Roberts 79) and T Freeman (J Tripcony 79).

Exeter: S Marsden; P McKenzie, D Locke, T Bedford, M Canty; E Lewis, R Bolt (B Spencer 75); B Moon ( S Kingsland 74), S Nelson (K Britton 54), R Murphy (L Fairbrother 74); S Tomes, C Bentley (capt)(A Lockley 68); D Ewers, J Fleming and H Stupple. Replacements not used: T Popham, T Borrow, J Nowell, T Sargent and D Mugford.

Scorers: Tries, C Bentley, E Lewis; cons, Lewis 2.

Referee: Mr Simon McConnell (RFU).