Details

Date Time Competition Season
15 September 2023 8:00 pm Rugby World Cup 2023/24

Match Report

New Zealand Maul Namibia

Damian McKenzie scored 24 points as New Zealand beat Namibia 71-3 in a ten try rout.

The Chiefs fly-half crossed for two tries and kicked seven penalties as his side ran riot against a Namibia side that lost their 24th consecutive World Cup game.

New Zealand second row Sam Whitelock won his 148th cap and tied Richie McCaw’s all-time All Blacks appearance record.

McKenzie put in a lovely kick pass to Leicester Fainga'anuku, who offloaded the ball to scrum-half Cam Roigard and the Hurricanes scrum-half ran in close to the posts.

After McKenzie was denied a try by the TMO for a knock on, Roigard scored his second as he dummied past his opposite number Damian Stevens from close range.

Namibia hit back with a Tiaan Swanepoel penalty and the All Blacks again had a try ruled out as Samisoni Taukei’aho’s try from a driving maul was ruled out for obstruction.

Le Roux Malan was left on the floor clutching his knee and a lengthy stoppage occurred before the Namibia centre was stretchered off receiving a standing ovation from the capacity crowd.

Moments later McKenzie tapped and went off a penalty and sped through the caught out Namibia defence to increase their lead.

The four-try bonus point was sealed on 25 minutes through Fainga’anuku’s powerful crossing.

Rain started pouring down inside the Stade Ernest-Wallon and Anton Lienert-Brown understood the conditions and put the ball on his toe before hacking it to the try line.

After another Namibia mistake, Roigard broke away from the scrum before switching with McKenzie, who ran a line and slid over.

After half time Ardie Savea drew in the last defender and replacement Ethan de Groot couldn’t be stopped from just two metres out.

The All Blacks were running riot and flanker Dalton Papali’i and centre David Havili joined the try scoring.

Namibia went the closest to scoring as a well executed driving maul looked set for the try line but the African side knocked on just two metres out.

While at the other end, Caleb Clarke was the next cab of the rank to score.

De Groot was yellow carded for a high tackle and considering the Highlanders prop failed to wrap referee Luke Pearce decided to go to the bunker.

The decision was upgraded to red but that didn’t stop the try scoring continuing as substitute Rieko Ioane sped through a tired Namibian defence to round off the scoring.

New Zealand

15Beauden Barrett Full-Back
14Caleb Clarke Winger 67'
13Anton Lienert-Brown Centre 35'
12David Havili Centre 58'
11Leicester Fainga’anuku Winger 25'
10Damian McKenzie Fly-Half 20', 39'
3', 20', 36', 40', 55', 59', 69'
9Cam Roigard Scrum-Half 2', 7'
1Ofa Tu’ungafasi Prop
2Samisoni Taukei’aho Hooker
3Nepo Laulala Prop
4Brodie Retallick Lock
5Samuel Whitelock Lock
6Luke Jacobson Flanker
7Dalton Papalii Flanker 54'
8Ardie Savea No. 8
16Dane Coles Hooker
17Ethan de Groot Prop 48'
18Fletcher Newell Prop
19Scott Barrett Flanker
20Tupou Vaa’I Lock
21Aaron Smith Scrum-Half
22Richie Mo’unga Fly-Half
23Rieko Ioane Centre

Ground

Stadium de Toulouse
Pont Pierre de Coubertin, Saint-Michel, Le Busca, Empalot, Saint-Agne, Toulouse Sud-Est, Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, Occitania, Metropolitan France, 31400, France

I am a Sports Journalism & PR graduate from Staffordshire University. During my time at Final Whistle, I have covered the LOI National League, international games and the Women’s National League. Outside of Final Whistle, I am a researcher for World Rugby and a writer for The Rugby Paper.