New Zealand v Uruguay LIVE: Rugby World Cup 2023 result and reaction as All Blacks secure quarter-final spot
New Zealand 73-0 Uruguay: The All Blacks are through to a World Cup quarter-final after thrashing Los Teros
New Zealand sealed their place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a 73-0 bonus-point victory in their final pool game against Uruguay.
A hat-trick from Leicester Fainga’anuku led the way for the All Blacks, who overcame a sticky start to display their attacking firepower again to produce another sizeable scoreline.
Their final place in the pool will depend on France’s final Pool A fixture against Italy in Lyon tomorrow.
The hosts will top the group with a win of any kind, while the Azzurri could also force their way into the last eight with an upset win.
For Uruguay, though, this is the end of the road, though Los Teros again gave a good account of themselves in their first ever meeting with the All Blacks to cap an encouraging tournament in which the South Americans have pushed for more opportunities against the world’s top rugby nations.
Relive the match below, get all the Rugby World Cup odds here and the latest tips and free bets on the World Cup here.
New Zealand 0-0 Uruguay, 1 minute
Cam Roigard immediately boxes a clearance away, hooking off his left foot up towards his own ten-metre. A scowl from the scrum half reveals his disappointment at the lack of distance achieved. Uruguay have a platform.
KICK OFF!
Uruguay in blue, New Zealand in black - one last pool game for each with both (in theory) still with a quarter-final chance.
Wayne Barnes whistles, and we are up and runing in Lyon!
Match officials
There were a few boos earlier as Wayne Barnes’ name was read out on the public address system - surely New Zealand fans aren’t still hung up on the forward pass that wasn’t in 2007?...
Anyway, here’s a reminder of the officiating team tonight:
Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)
ARs: Matthew Carley (Eng) & Jordan Way (Aus)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)
Haka
Codie Taylor is leading the haka tonight in the absence of Aaron Smith, the All Blacks starting in a huddle and then breaking out into formation with Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett joining their captain Sam Cane at the front. It’s the “Kapa o Pango” tonight, this side’s own routine, and a mark of respect for Uruguay, facing the All Blacks for the first time. The Uruguay players watch on respectfully.
Anthems
Two strong renditions of the anthems, the more sedate procession through “God Defend New Zealand” followed by a singing of “Himno Nacional de Uruguay” full of gusto.
New Zealand vs Uruguay
Down through the tunnel come the Uruguay players, joining the All Blacks as the two sides ready themselves to step out into OL Stadium. Sam Whitelock will have the first trudge as he brings up another milestone, the lock strictly business as per even as the crowd given him a grand ovation. It looks a full house, or near enough, in Lyon.
Mr 150 is ready to go
It really is quite the achievement for Sam Whitelock to hit 150, with only Alun Wyn Jones ahead of him on the all-time list of international caps. Whitelock will be hoping he’ll have at least three more added to his tally before this tournament is over.
New Zealand vs Uruguay
Assuming Uruguay don’t achieve mission impossible tonight, this will be their World Cup farewell for another four years, and that means there are probably a couple in the squad that we won’t sight on this stage again. Gaston Mieres, for example, is unlikely to make another tournament - it’s the back three man’s birthday today, and he’d love to sign off with an 18th Test try. Could this also be the end of Andres Vilaseca’s involvement at the World Cup? The Uruguay skipper will be 36 come Australia in four years’ time.
The centre is the second Vilaseca to captain Uruguay at the tournament, and Santiago has sent his well wishes to his little brother ahead of another proud night for the family.
“He is very mature,” the former lock said of Andres. “He has a lot of experience in the game. He has been an international player for almost 10 years. He is able to be focused, not nervous. Since he’s been captain, I think he is trying to enjoy every minute of the games obviously, but (also) in the hotel, practice. He has a very good head (on his shoulders).
“I don’t give him any advice at all, just to enjoy it and have fun because this is once in a lifetime. When you blink your eyes, it is already gone.
“Me, as a brother, I enjoy everything that is happening for him. For him to be captain of the first team that is playing New Zealand is only pride for me. I am enjoying very much my position here on the side. Now I am old, I am enjoying this position very much.
“We were talking across the whole World Cup, especially these days before the game. He is very excited.”
Is Sam Cane’s starting place in danger?
It’s an odd situation that Sam Cane finds himself in, an All Blacks captain not universally popular in New Zealand and a flanker approaching his 100th caps who still seems as if he has plenty to prove. There is no doubt that the back row went well without him last week, with Shannon Frizell’s return hugely beneficial in balancing the trio, but I did think that Ian Foster’s side missed Cane’s calm and leadership in the opener against France.
Dalton Papali’i complements Ardie Savea so nicely, though, with his ability to do plenty of the unseen work effectively and offer an extra bit of height and carrying mass valuable. While it would be a massive call from Foster, perhaps not a man naturally inclined to make such a move, it is perfectly conceivable that the head coach decides using Cane as a stabilising foce from the bench might be the best approach come the quarter-finals - if they get there, of course...
Where can Uruguay try to test the All Blacks?
It’s a pretty tough assignment for Uruguay tonight, at the end of a busy few weeks of tournament action and against a group of All Blacks players still keen to prove a point. But the South American side are smart and will have recognised opportunities to test New Zealand - I thought Italy were surprisingly uncompetitive at the breakdown last week, a situation not helped by losing so many collisions early on, but you’d imagine that arch scavenger Manuel Ardao will be keen to get his paws on the ball as often as possible at the breakdown to try and disrupt the All Blacks’ rhythm. Youngster Lucas Bianchi is good over the ball, too.
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