New Zealand 71-3 Namibia: All Blacks bounce back from France defeat at Rugby World Cup with rout
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Updated 15/09/2023 at 22:51 GMT
New Zealand lost their opening match of the Rugby World Cup to France. However, the All Blacks bounced back with a 71-3 rout of Namibia at Stadium de Toulouse in their second match of the tournament. The three-time World Cup winners ran in 11 tries in what was their 50th win at the Rugby World Cup. New Zealand next face Italy in Pool A in a fortnight.
New Zealand's inside centre David Havili, New Zealand's outside centre Anton Lienert-Brown, New Zealand's wing Caleb Clarke and New Zealand's fly-half Damian McKenzie celebrate after a try which was later disallowed during the France 2023 Rugby World Cup
Image credit: Getty Images
New Zealand bounced back from their opening Rugby World Cup defeat to France by destroying Namibia 71-3 in Pool A - the All Blacks' 50th victory at the sport's greatest tournament since winning the first edition in 1987.
Ian Foster's side went down 27-13 to the tournament hosts in the heat of Paris last Friday, but looked much more like themselves in the driving rain of Toulouse.
Facing an opponent who they walloped 58-14 in 2015 in London and 71-9 in Tokyo four years ago, Namibia - who have never won a match at the tournament since 1999 - could not cope with the pace, power and purpose of the three-time champions.
The African team also lost centre Le Roux Malan to a suspected leg break midway through the first half with the match delayed for several minutes after he apparently slipped in trying to tackle Beauden Barrett before being applauded off the pitch by fans and the players.
As it was, the All Blacks were ruthless in securing the bonus-point victory before the break with tries from Cam Roigard (2', 7'), Damian McKenzie (20', 39'), Leicester Fainga'anuku (25') and Anton Lienert-Brown (35') putting their opponents to the sword.
Ethan de Groot (48'), Dalton Papali'i (54'), David Havili (58'), Caleb Clarke (67') and Rieko Ioane (77') added further scores in a similarly one-sided second half.
The match saw iconic lock Sam Whitelock earn his 148th Test cap for New Zealand to equal Richie McCaw as the most capped All Black in history.
New Zealand - who lost Ethan de Groot to an upgraded red card for a dangerous shoulder challenge on Adriaan Booysen late on - next face Italy in a fortnight, a match which is likely to decide who joins France in reaching the quarter-finals from Pool A.
TALKING POINT: Did De Groot deserve red card?
Ethan de Groot scored a try early in the second half after coming off the bench, but endured a trying time when he became the first New Zealand player to receive a red card for dangerous play at a World Cup.
De Groot's shoulder challenge on Adriaan Booysen was an example of poor technique in trying to make a tackle at head height without wrapping his arms around the opponent.
It also resulted in an injury to the Nambia player. So he can have few protests in mitigation about having his yellow upgraded.
But other players have not been punished under similar rules when you recall South Africa's Jesse Krie escaping any punishment from the TMO after his head-on collision with Jack Dempsey of Scotland last weekend.
The rules not being applied consistently is the most frustrating aspect of implementing the recommended guidelines for safety to the head.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Damian McKenzie (New Zealand)
McKenzie is a fairly eye-catching figure with his glorious mullet, but his omnipresent performance was the outstanding aspect of his side's big night out in saturated Toulouse.
The energised and inventive full-back got through a power of work, but also kept the scoreboard ticking over with two tries and 16 points kicked via conversion.
PLAYER RATINGS
New Zealand: B Barrett 7; Clarke 7, Leinert-Brown 7, Havili 7, Fainga'anuku 7; McKenzie 8, Roigard 8; Tuungafasi 7, Taukei'aho 7, Laulala 7; Retallick 7, Whitelock 7; Jacobson 7, Papali'i 7, Savea 7
Namibia: Loubser 6; Mouton 6, Deysel 6, Malan 6, Rossouw 7; Swanepoel 7, Stevens 6; Benade 6, Van Jaarsveld 6, Coetzee 6; Retief 6, Uanivi 6; Conradie 6, Gaoseb 6, Hardwick 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
70' LOOKS LIKE A YELLOW CARD Ethan de Groot has been hit with a yellow card for a shoulder challenge on Adriaan Booysen. Will that be a red? Could well be when they study it.
67' ALL BLACKS EXTEND LEAD While Nambia are busy trying to score one try, the All Blacks continue to tot up the scores at the other end. Caleb Clarke is a fair old unit to stop. And he isn't stopped there as he gets the ball down from the Mo’unga chip through. A 10th try for New Zealand tonight. 64-3 they lead.
54' SCRUM POWER LEADS TO MORE JOY New Zealand lead 50-3 heading for the 54th minute of what has been an absolute thumping. Barrett with some lovely handling skills before Papalii is on hand to race over the line for another score. All too easy.
48' AND THERE IS THE LATEST ALL BLACKS TRY A 43-3 lead as prop Ethan de Groot takes over from Ofa Tu'ungafasi before finishing off another move that began with the driving maul of the All Blacks. Left to apply the finish with white shirts splattered all the place.
25' THERE IS THE BONUS POINT TRY! Leicester Fainga'anuku decides to join the party with the storm hitting Toulouse. Seemed like he was tailed like he was a bank robber there, but Namibia's players still couldn't bring him to ground in time. So much power. The lead moves to 24-3 after McKenzie wallops a post with conversion.
8' NEW ZEALAND HAVE THEIR SECOND TRY The underdogs all over the show with the set-piece on their own line and the power of the All Blacks turn it over before Cam Roigard goes over for his second try. A 12-0 lead inside the first 10 minutes. The rain suddenly hammering down.
KEY STAT
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