New Zealand vs Namibia LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and reaction as All Blacks dominate in Toulouse
New Zealand 71-3 Namibia: All Blacks bounce back from France loss by hammering Namibia
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Your support makes all the difference.New Zealand shook off any lingering negative thoughts from their opening round defeat to France by hammering Namibia in Toulouse to get their first victory of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Ian Foster’s men started as they meant to go on with Cam Roigard, making his World Cup debut, finishing off a wonderfully sharp and slick move to get over the line with one minute gone on the clock. The No. 9 added a second try to his tally five minutes later as New Zealand showed just how they intended to play this match.
They wanted a big total and got one. 11 tries were scored in total with Damian McKenzie (x2), Leicester Fainga’anuku, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ethan de Groot, Dalton Papali’i, David Havili, Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane driving the All Blacks to a comfortable 71-3 victory.
It wasn’t a perfect night for New Zealand though as De Groot was shown a red card with the TMO bunker upgrading his initial yellow after reviewing the incident late in the game.
Relive all the action from the Stadium de Toulouse below.
TRY! New Zealand 24 - 3 Namibia 24 mins
And another one! Retallick wins the lineout, and Fainga'anuku darts through the defence, doing a superb job of keeping hold of the slippery ball thanks to the heavy downpour in Toulouse and he dots down just in time. New Zealand have a bonus point before 25 minutes! McKenzie’s conversion hits the posts and is unsuccessful.
TRY! New Zealand 19-3 Namibia 18 mins
Quick thinking from New Zealand catches Namibia unaware and McKenzie glides through the Namibian defence who were slow to react. He converts his own try.
New Zealand 12 - 3 Namibia 17 mins
A slight pause due to what looks to be a nasty injury for Namibian centre Le Roux Malan. The crowd give him a standing ovation as he is stretchered off the pitch. Good to see him give a thumbs up to the crowd but a horrible way for his match to end. He’s replaced by JC Greyling. Wishing him all the best in his recovery!
NO TRY! New Zealand 12 - 3 Namibia 16 mins
Scratch that, no try. Obstruction from Ofa Tuungafasi and Samuel Whitelock wipes New Zealand’s try after a review from referee Luke Pearce and TMO Brian MacNeice.
TRY! New Zealand 17 -3 Namibia 15 mins
New Zealand get a third and it’s Samisoni Taukei'aho who dots down after a dominant rolling maul, the New Zealand pack really showing their strength here.
PENALTY New Zealand 12 - 3 Namibia 10 mins
Contact in the air from Whitelock gives a penalty away and Namibia opt for the posts. Tiaan Swanepoel gets Namibia on the scoresheet from the tee.
TRY! New Zealand 12 - 0 Namibia 6 mins
Roigard gets a second! A massive scrum from New Zealand and the pass from number eight Savea sets the scrum half up perfectly in a gap. McKenzie misses the conversion as the rain falls.
NO TRY! New Zealand 7 -0 Namibia 6mins
McKenzie almost makes it to the line but is slightly early in the grounding as confirmed by TMO. Restarting with a scrum to Namibia on 5ms.
TRY! New Zealand 7 - 0 Namibia 1 min
Scrum-half Cam Roigard is the first to score after a period of play created from a crossfield kick from Barrett to Leicester Fainga’anuku. David Havili receives the pass from Fainga’anuku, before offloading to Roigard.
Damian McKenzie adds the extras as the All Blacks get off to a perfect start.
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