Rugby: All Blacks score nine tries in win

Ben Smith scores a try against Namibia. Photo: Reuters.
Ben Smith scores a try against Namibia. Photo: Reuters.

New Zealand ran in nine tries, including two each for wingers Nehe Milner-Skudder and Julian Savea, as they powered to a 58-14 win over Namibia, but the rugged Africans made the world champions work harder than expected.

Victor Vito, Malakai Fekitoa, Beauden Barrett, Ben Smith and Codie Taylor also grabbed a try apiece as a second-string All Blacks side made it two wins out of two in Rugby World Cup Pool C.

The biggest cheer at the Olympic Stadium, however, came in the second half when Namibia opted to kick for the line instead of going for three points and centre Johan Deysel, a university student, showed the strength to stay on his feet despite two tackles and break through for a try.

Namibia, who have never won a World Cup game and whose line-up included a dentist, some farmers and a diamond trader, fought bravely to avoid the rout that some had expected in the meeting of the tournament's top and bottom-ranked teams.

"It was a very proud performance. We won a couple of small victories during the match which we can take into the next game, particularly to score a try against the best side in the world, who normally give others at times a solid hiding," Namibia captain Jacques Burger said.

All Black coach Steve Hansen voiced frustration with the stop-start nature of the game but gave full credit to Namibia.

"I thought they committed themselves totally to the breakdown, to the tackle, competed well in the lineout, and they should be really, really proud of themselves," he said.

"Half your team being amateurs and to get to an event like this is something special in itself. I'm happy to acknowledge they were worthy opponents because at the end of the day they gave everything they could give."

OMINOUS START

Things had looked ominous when, straight from the kick-off, the All Black forwards ran a huge driving maul from their 22-metre line right up to half way

First five Barrett kicked a penalty to open the scoring and a try on each wing - by Vito on the left and Milner-Skudder on the right - put New Zealand 15-0 ahead with under 10 minutes played.

It looked like the opening of the floodgates, but Namibia, tackling like men possessed, had different ideas.

Their nerves were settled when first five Theuns Kotze kicked a penalty to put them on the scoreboard, and they enjoyed several promising attacks after intercepting stray passes as New Zealand showed occasional glimpses of fallibility.

Normal service was resumed when Sonny Bill Williams, tackled by two players, still managed to offload to Fekitoa for New Zealand's third try under the posts.

Another Kotze penalty and tries from Barrett and Milner-Skudder made it 34-6 at halftime to New Zealand, captained for the first time by Sam Cane as Richie McCaw was rested on the bench.

In a scrappy second half, New Zealand were frequently frustrated by dogged Namibian defence but added four more tries, helped by the sin-binning of Jaco Engels for cynically knocking the ball out of Tawera Kerr-Barlow's hands as the All Blacks pressed within metres of the try line.

Milner-Skudder was named man of the match for his weaving runs, brace of tries and a superb offload to set up hooker Taylor for the final try right at the death.

Match stats showed he had more ball carries - 10 - than any other player and made 95 metres in the game.

For New Zealand, Barrett kicked five conversions and a penalty to add to his try, while Kotze knocked over three penalties for Namibia.

New Zealand's next match is against Georgia on October 3. Namibia face Tonga on Wednesday.

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