Summary
It’s a testament to how much any individual man with a thumping heart can play above themselves. Helarius Kisting - the player who until recently was still an amateur, before moving to Romania to chase his passion, cutting down a flying Jordie Barrett - 20kg+ his superior - with a courageous tackle. And yet the All Blacks came, and came again, and like the big bad wolf of the fairytales, eventually blew Namibia’s house down.
It was a tough, rugged, brave first thirty from the African minnows. More than that, though, it was disciplined, and it was smart. Carrying with ball-in-hand, not playing into the All Blacks hands by allowing flowing counter attacks. They earned good field position, and they took their points on offer. At 10-9 for just a glimmer, perhaps they even dared to dream.
But 80 minutes is an age in professional rugby. Ask even tier one nations who hit 50 or 60 minutes against the All Blacks and still think they’re in it (*coughs* Australia).
Today Namibia managed 35-40 minutes. Next time, maybe they’ll dream of 50. That’s the mission, that’s the goal, and it’s why aspiring nations pit themselves against the best in the world.
For their part, the ABs were uncharacteristically sloppy at times in the first half. Kicks into touch on the full, balls put to ground, and men yellow-carded for high shots.
It was a different story after the break - as a 47-0 scoreline suggests. Plenty on NZ’s fringes in the squad pushed their case for a first team jersey. Plenty showed why this is the deepest 31-player squad in world rugby.
Steve Hansen grumbles and growls, but he knows his team are travelling nicely. And Brodie Retallick got through a solid 30 minutes unscathed too. It’s building nicely for New Zealand. Watch out world (if you weren’t already).
And here’s the wrap from our eyes at the ground, Rob Kitson:
Not every inflated Rugby World Cup scoreline tells the full story and this was a prime example.
Now there is of course the matter of one more game of rugby before we head into tomorrow’s rest day: Pool C action as France take on Tonga. It could be a rugged first 20-30 to that one, if Tonga’s on their game.
I don’t know what I’ll do with myself with no matches tomorrow. Go for a walk; commune with nature?
Lifelong ABs supporter Ron Franklin’s written in:
All Blacks didn’t give enough. Otherwise the score would have been 100+. Nice cruising game. We want more like 1995 AB’s massive score against Japan. I witnessed that piece of history with a second AB team. Well done.
Ooph. Harsh, our Ron. You have to give credit to Namibia for that first 30 minutes surely. Plus, maybe the tier two nations are a lot closer these days, hence the lack of 100+ results?
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Anton Lienert-Brown is named player of the match, in a host of very strong performances from All Blacks.
A shot of Namibian coach Phil Davies, post-game. You can’t imagine he would be too unhappy with what he saw from his side - especially in the first half. When the gong had sounded after 40, his side were only trailing 17-9.
A run of 61 unanswered points though, a 47-0 second half, as the All Blacks went back to what they do best.
Full-time: New Zealand 71-9 Namibia
80 min: Barrett receives one final kickoff. They look to run past the gong, once again, the All Blacks. These seconds must be tortuous for the Namibians.
But there’s a ball to ground, and that’s all she wrote! A second-half exhibition from New Zealand - that’s much more like it.
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Try! New Zealand 71-9 Namibia (Perenara)
78 min: Two huge steps from TJ Perenara, that was terrific work, he flicks out to George Bridge, who does well to stay in field, and has the replacement half got on the end of it?!
We go upstairs for a TMO - has Perenara ground in the corner before going into touch? It’s a sublime final flicked pass from Weber. What a try!
Unlucky from Kisting, who did so brilliantly with the attempted covering tackle, but to no avail.
And finally Barrett hooks one again. He’d been on a nice run of conversions there.
Try! New Zealand 66-9 Namibia (J Barrett)
76 min: New Zealand on the attack once again, Ioane goes hunting, before ALB gets the legs driving once again, and it’s Jordie Barrett - he’s deserved a try for his work this second half - and that’s the ABs tenth of the game!
Barrett converts his own try. 26 points for the game.
75 min: They build the phases but without any cut through, and it’s a ball pinched by Jordie Barrett.
They pump it up-field, and they’ve pinned the fullback, who has little option but to concede a ball into touch.
73 min: So, an offensive lineout for the Namibians - they’re about 10m out. They go wide, but there only forced back towards the 22m line.
Quick hands wide, but again they can’t get round the wall of black, even with the man advantage.
72 min: Fifteen phases - lovely stuff, and they’ve earned the penalty.
And they kick to touch! They’re chasing the try, and why not. Great courage here, Namibia.
We go to a TMO though, and Ofa Tuungafasi could be in trouble here, for a hit direct to the neck. A second yellow card!
70 min: That was a better ten minutes for Namibia. Now they have to find another big ten to close it.
Frizell with a ball to ground, Kisting with a delightful ball back inside, but he’s lined his own player up for heavy contact.
Still, they build ten phases of play. This is good stuff. Another half-break, but again, they don’t have the toe to get clear.
Try! New Zealand 59-9 Namibia (B Smith)
67 min: Here’s Cane with a heavy contact into the line, and then terrific offloads from Matt Todd and then Anton Lienert-Brown with the flicked pass, and it’s the fullback, Ben Smith who helps himself to a brace! A fine skillful move from the ABs.
Jordie Barrett striking them nicely now, he knocks that one over.
66 min: A scrappy few moments as NZ leave it behind, before Van Jaarsveld puts one down! He was dreaming of glory, the hard-working Namibian hooker - he still had a few in black to beat, mind.
64 min: A loose ball, but well tidied up by Tromp. It’s Venter with a great carry, but eventually Dane Coles leaps onto a loose ball, and they look to counter attack once again, NZ.
63 min: A relieving penalty for Namibia, as Frizzell contests the lineout throw illegally. They kick to touch and take the breather.
They opt for the five-man lineout, and then a terrific carry out wide! Another line break, but the All Blacks recover. Such pace. It’s Klim involved again, they’re inside the NZ 22m line. The crowd comes to life, can we see a Namibian try?
61 min: Leslie Klim flies for an attempted intercept, but he’s knocked it to ground, the Namibian winger. And if they thought their afternoon was getting easier, on comes Rieko Ioane. Expect him to be absolutely swarming for a five-pointer.
59 min: Oh wow. 89% possession this second half, New Zealand. That’s why it’s been such an uphill slug since the break. Unrelenting stuff from the world’s pre-eminent rugby team.
57 min: A rare lineout feed now for Namibia. Can they settle. Try and find a little bit of rhythm, ball-in-hand. Barrett races out of the line and clatters the Namibian ball-carrier. No let up here, from the ABs.
Try! New Zealand 52-9 Namibia (Whitelock)
54 min: They back knocking around the 22m, New Zealand. They haven’t shown the same composure, Namibia, since the break. You can’t really blame them, I guess.
It’s an eighth try, and it’s skipper for the day, Whitelock who grabs it. He hits the base of the post. I don’t love that rule; surely you always have to get across the line for the try? Call me old fashioned.
Two more from Jordie Barrett.
And injury to insult - as the skipper Johan Deysel heads off with an HIA assessment, but he’s also got his arm in a sling. Let’s hope that’s not his tournament.
Try! New Zealand 45-9 Namibia (Reece)
51 min: This is better stuff from the ABs. They run a deep line, plenty of decoys, plenty of well-time balls, and they isolate the flying winger Reece, one-on-one, and he finishes brilliantly inside his marker.
Barrett’s radar has improved as he’s gone on. Another fine conversion from just inside the touchline.
50 min: Aaron Smith looks crossfield with the kick, but it’s only Frizzell out wide and he can’t beat the winger, Greyling to it. The Namibia winger stays down, though he’s copped a nasty knock from the hip of Frizzell.
And a penalty against Namibia, strong work, Ardie Savea.
48 min: As the bodies tire you get the sense there’s only one way this match is going.
A dropped ball, so a chance for some rare possession for Namibia, but they’ve coughed it up straight away. The mental pressure is really starting to tell.
Try! New Zealand 38-9 Namibia (Lienert-Brown)
44 min: And now it’s New Zealand on the attack again, after an exchange of kicks. Tromp’s perhaps not that well considered - you just can’t give the Kiwis the ball with no pressure on the kick.
They pin the ears, Barrett is involved multiple times and it’s good metres again from Goodhue, before ALB pops up in the corner.
That’s better from Barrett - he’s slotted that one from near the touchline.
Try! New Zealand 31-9 Namibia (Moody)
41 min: Yep, if there was a Hansen half-time dressing down, it’s still stinging in their ears, the ABs. It’s a big carry from Ta’avao before the prop, Moody says, I’ll have that.
And Jordie Barrett adds the extras.
Second half!
And we’re back. And it’s early advantage ABs again, who set for a scrum. It’s been one part of the game where the Namibians have really struggled. They just can’t match NZ in the scrum.
So. Your thoughts on that first stanza?
Were the ABs letting them off a little, or did Namibia really just rise to the occasion?
Half-time: New Zealand 24-9 Namibia
And that’s all we have from the first half. A comfortable 15-pt lead in the end for the All Blacks, but gee, weren’t they made to work for it?
A terrific first forty from Namibia. I’m not spinning this - they really were impressive.
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Try! New Zealand 24-9 Namibia (B Smith)
40 + 4 min: It’s a big scrum push, and it’s Goodhue second runner off the shoulder of Jordie Barrett. And now the fullback, Ben Smith who darts through the gap!
They weren’t stopping the half until they’d secured their bonus point, the ABs. That was almost torturous, the bonus 10% extra play for the tiring underdogs.
And Barrett slots a second. And that’s the extras.
40 + 2 min: Another infringement, and they call for another scrum, NZ. These Namibian forwards are sucking in some huge breaths. Can they survive this set piece?
It’s Savea, he’s so dangerous. And it’s another penalty against Namibia! Venter grabs the ball off feet. A warning from the referee - they don’t want to lose a player for persistent infringements.
39 min: Oh my. Jordie Barrett looks for the jabbed kick down the flank, and he’s put it directly into touch! Uncharacteristic errors from the ABs.
And now a huge leg drive from the ABs following a turnover. They want one more try, you can tell. Pressure seconds this, for Namibia.
Van Jaarsveld looks for the intercept! But it goes to ground. Sam Whitelock says let’s have a scrum - no attempt at the three, they want another seven here.
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37 min: Ooh, almost another ball pinched by Van Jaarsveld. But he’s hurt his hand in the process. It’s a scrum, and an NZ feed.
This has been a fine performance from Namibia so far, but they need to do well the next few minutes. If they can hang on here, they’ll go into the sheds very happy with the half, you’d imagine.
Try! New Zealand 17-9 Namibia (Ta'avao)
34 min: As always though, having said that, we have a turnover, and again the ABs look instantly dangerous on the counter.
Aaron Smith with quick ball, he looks to put Goodhue through. Another flat pass, and they’re within a metre of the line. And it’s Ta’avao who crashes over! His first try in ABs colours.
And from dead in front, the conversion is dispatched from Jordie Barrett. 1/3.
33 min: This is terrific stuff from Namibia. They’re on the NZ 22m line, but what’s impressed is how well they’ve protected the ball on the carry.
We saw yesterday Uruguay trying to play hard against the more fancied Wallabies, but there too many handling errors. Heart isn’t enough at this level, you also need head, and that’s where the Welwitschia have been very good so far.
32 min: And Brodie Retallick makes way. A momentary concern - you just pray nothing happens to the big man, but the word from the NZ bench is that that was a pre-arranged plan. A good half hour out, and he’s come through unscathed.
31 min: Ach. Nasty moment - and it’s a yellow card! Nepo Laulala collects Klim with a swinging arm direct to the head. He did realise his error straight away, the prop - and apologised to his opposite number.
A tough call on the front rower, with the Namibian ball carrying stumbling into the tackle. Still, that’s the directive, this tournament.
How will they fare with 14, the All Blacks?
Penalty! New Zealand 10-9 Namibia
29 min: That one’s straight as an arrow as well! Stevens. Can he show Jordie Barrett how it’s done? A fine penalty shot.
Okay, now’s the big test. You can’t imagine some of the more experienced ABs are going to stand for this. Watch for a big NZ lift over the next five minutes or so.
26 min: A decent box-kick from Namibia, it’s well claimed by Barrett but the ball spills loose and they almost capitalise, the Africans! Great recovery from Ben Smith - still very quick, the veteran.
But they’re on the attack, Namibia. About 22m out, and they settle for another penalty shot, after Moody’s infringement. They’re playing like northern hemispherers, here!
Penalty! New Zealand 10-6 Namibia
Another lovely strike from Stevens. Preventing kicks at one end, thumping them home at the other! It was 40m out, although more or less in front. But he navigates the wind well, and pops it right over the black dot.
24 min: They look to play, ball-in-hand, Namibia. They go through the phases, but don’t quite make progress. We come back for an offside, called against Sam Cane for springing out of the defensive line.
A close up of Steve Hansen. He’s not giving much away, but you imagine he’s not happy with one or two of the early sloppy concessions.
Try! New Zealand 10-3 Namibia (Lienert-Brown)
21 min: Yep, that’s the challenge. How do you not let them have the ball? It’s Ardie Savea who draws the attention of defenders before popping a pass back on the inside for ALB. He beats two or three would-be tacklers and hares for home.
And a great distraction from Stevens - Barrett’s absolutely duffed that conversion attempt, did the Namibian runner put him off? It almost bounced before the posts! Horrid effort.
19 min: Namibia will play around halfway - and there’s another half-break, but the ball spills loose! The All Blacks again from broken play. Always a concern.
Reece tries a chip and chase down the wing, but Greyling covers well and takes the grounding in goal. A 22m drop out, and they pump it deep into NZ territory.
17 min: Ach, bad news for Namibia - it was PJ Van Lill receiving attention, and he appears to have had to leave the field for good. A shame, he was one of their strongest performers early on. Johan Retief enters the play.
16 min: A pause in play as a big Namibian forward receives treatment for what appears to be a finger injury.
It will be a lineout feed for the Africans, 15-20m out from their own line - a tricky one, they can’t afford to lose it.
They just hang on - before Retallick almost charges down the kick! What a willing worker he is. And the shoulder seems okay, so far too.
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14 min: We set for a scrum - they need to stand strong here, Namibia. They’ve already conceded a scrum penalty, giving up a 30-50kg weight advantage. We reset here, and they’ve won it against the feed, the Kiwis.
Now to launch an attack.
12 min: A relieving penalty against NZ, and we’ve got a line break for Namibia! The big second rower, PJ Van Lill off a terrific popped pass. They’re about 5m short, with Deysel on the end of it - surely not again! No, they’ve hauled him down.
And now a turnover. Credit the ABs defence. Imagine if they’d gone over there.
10 min: Some impressive defence early on from Namibia - by and large they’ve made their tackles and lined up the runners very well.
Almost a turnover! But it dribbles back towards the ABs, and we all know how dangerous they are from broken play.
8 min: Namibia with the ball around halfway. Deysel takes the contact, but there’s a penalty against the Africans for not releasing.
Aaron Smith puts it quickly on the toe and rolls a grubber, but it just evades Reece and trickles into touch.
Try! New Zealand 5-3 Namibia (Reece)
6 min: It’s Jordie Barrett with the crossfield kick, and Sevu Reece stands up his one marker, and gets round in the corner. It was a great hit up from George Bridge that drew the attention of several defenders, thus creating the overlap.
No extras from Jordie Barrett, who shanks it across the face. Goalkicking really has been almost the only blot in his near-perfect game.
4 min: Now the challenge is to keep it up, and from the restart there’s an error. That’s the kind of mistake they can’t afford against New Zealand - we set for an scrum.
And there’s a scrum penalty and Jordie Barrett kicks to the corner. First lineout - what can they set up here, the ABs.
Penalty! New Zealand 0-3 Namibia
That’s a lovely strike from Damien Stevens. It’s swirling, blustery conditions, and that was a long way out, and not far in from touchline. Can the Wallabies snap him up?
What a start for the Africans!
2 min: A half-bust from the fullback Tromp, then some solid phases, before they win the first penalty of the match. The ABs pinged for not rolling away.
Kick off!
1 min: It’s Namibia to kick us off. And how’s that for a stat. The All Blacks haven’t lost a World Cup game, this decade. Mental.
Pascal Guazere is our man with the whistle. He gets us going and Jack Goodhue claims the kickoff around his 22m line. Jordie Barrett fires an early clearance, and now it’s Namibia’s first chance ball-in-hand.
TJ Perenara. A heart the size of a blue whale. He leads the haka. It never ceases to send goosebumps that. One of the most iconic sights in World Rugby.
And if that was daunting for the Namibians, wait til we kick off.
Our players are out on the pitch, and it’s anthem time. Aotearoa up first, and then “Namibia, Land of the Brave”.
Their emblem is a tough desert flower, you don’t imagine it’s a place for the faint-hearted.
And now - haka time.
But to the team lists:
Here’s the All Blacks - and would you believe this is a so-called “weakened” team. With Whitelock and Retallick at second row and Ardie Savea at 8. Righto. A great story for big Brodie to make it back, just months after dislocating a shoulder. Let’s hope he comes through unscathed.
New Zealand: (15-1)
15 Ben Smith, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 George Bridge, 10 Jordie Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Sam Whitelock (c), 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Matt Todd, 21 Brad Weber, 22 TJ Perenara, 23 Rieko Ioane.
While for Namibia, would you believe they’ve rested a few, to keep their powder dry for the clash with Canada? They’ve still named eight that faced the ABs four years ago though.
Namibia: 15 Johan Tromp, 14 Lesley Klim, 13 Justin Newman, 12 Johan Deysel (c), 11 JC Greyling, 10 Helarius Axasman Kisting, 9 Damian Stevens, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Thomasau Forbes, 6 Prince Gaoseb, 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 4 PJ Van Lill, 3 AJ De Klerk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Andre Rademeyer.
Replacements: 16 Obert Nortjé, 17 Nelius Theron, 18 Aranos Coetzee, 19 Johan Retief, 20 Adriaan Booysen, 21 Eugene Jantjies, 22 Darryl De La Harpe, 23 Janry du Toit.
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And just to get you in the mood, Iwi:
Tu meke.
Now if you’re here for the All Blacks and don’t know too much about Namibian rugby, here’s a good little backgrounder, prepared pre-tournament:
And if you missed the write-ups of yesterday’s games here’s Robert Kitson’s take on a feisty England v Argentina clash:
The word from Reuters on Japan v Samoa:
And John Davidson on Australia v Uruguay:
Kia ora! Howzit! Best of greetings to you in windy Wellington or Windhoek, or indeed from wherever it is you’re following our coverage today.
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Preamble
The beauty of sport is that any team, on any day, can in often extraordinary circumstances, produce a miracle. It’s the special frisson that drives players to train, fans to talk all week with their friends about, and coaches to stay awake at night plotting the one-percenters.
Except for Namibia vs New Zealand.
This is a result as sure as anything. A result preordained. Predicted by Nostradamus some 450 years ago. It’s one of Donald Rumsfeld’s “known knowns”.
But this is largely beside the point. Within the battle that is a professional rugby match - especially one at a World Cup - are a thousand tiny battles. The first scrum. The first line out. The first driving maul. Contested high balls. Individual tackles. Metres carried.
A handful of professional players will never beat the world’s preeminent team - a unit galvanised by endemic success. Namibia are 0/21 at the World Cup, New Zealand are 30/30 in the group stage. And yet - the goal remains to win the little battles. Score a try. Force some turnovers. Any little victory may light a fire inside the heart of young Namibian players back home.
Four years ago when these two sides met for the first time, it finished 58-14. The man who scored that day for Namibia, Johan Deysel, is now back as their captain. We’ll find out shortly whether he can lift them to greater heights today.
