Rugby World Cup: New Zealand cruise past plucky Namibia

Defending champions New Zealand ran in nine tries to dispatch a truculent Namibia and maintain their winning start to the Rugby World Cup at the Olympic Stadium last night.

 

Full-back Nehe Milner-Skudder dotted down twice as the All Blacks crossed the line five times before the break, while No8 Victor Vito, centre Malakai Fekitoa and fly-half Beauden Barrett also scored first-half tries.

 

Wing Julian Savea notched his first tries of 2015 after the re-start as replacement Ben Smith and hooker Codie Taylor also crossed the line against the lowest ranked team in the tournament, who replied through centre Johan Deysel.

 

It was the 14th time New Zealand have amassed 50 points or more in a World Cup match, and victory extended their unbeaten group-stage run to 26 matches, dating back to the inaugural tournament in 1987.

 

Namibia are yet to win a World Cup match in 16 attempts, although they were far from disgraced against the might of New Zealand, while the days of shipping 142 points, as they did in 2003 against eventual finalists in Australia, appear to have been consigned to history,

 

The introduction of Richie McCaw in the second period saw the flanker make his 18th World Cup appearance, which is the most of any All Black and puts him joint-fifth on the all-time list. New Zealand’s expected victory sees Steve Hansen’s side top of Pool C, four points ahead of Georgia, who they face in Cardiff next Friday.