Steve Hansen frustrated by “stop-start” Namibia game

New Zealand scored five tries before the break and racked up another four in the second half.

Namibia’s claim to World Cup fame is being the victims of the biggest losing margin when beaten by Australia 142-0 in 2003, while the All Blacks hold the record for the highest score in the tournament’s history when they whipped Japan 145-17 in 1995.

Namibia are the lowest-ranked side in the World Cup, meaning damage limitation was always going to be the aim against the All Blacks.

Girls’ Team captain Zoe is joined by kayaking sensation Luuka Jones, and both chose correctly that the All Blacks would win their first up match against Argentina.

“When the game got slow and we were trying to make things up, that’s when we lost our form and our patience”, he said.

New Zealand will have their second test of the 2015 Rugby World Cup as the All Blacks face Namibia at Olympic Park on Friday.

“I’m very encouraged by the boys fighting to the end, I said in the beginning it’s all about small victories”.

Milner-Skudder soon got in on the act, highlighting his wonderful footwork, but Namibia refused to roll over. Namibia laboured on against the onslaught, and Jaques Burger was, unsurprisingly, a titan with no regard for his own safety, flinging himself at the onrushing All Blacks like a mop-headed javelin.

“I don’t want any injuries – that would be a good start, touch wood”, Hansen said.

The Japanese pulled off an incredible 34-32 upset victory over South Africa in their opening game but four days later they looked jaded and disorganised against the Scots.

GALARZA CITED. Lock Mariano Galarza, a replacement in Sunday’s 26-16 loss to New Zealand, has been cited for alleged foul play, Rugby World Cup organizers said yesterday.

I guess the other area was we probably got a little bit flat off some of our phase plays out wide. Instead, Namibia continued to defy them, Du Plessis earning a penalty at the breakdown that Kotze kicked.

Indeed they earned a couple of penalties in the first half that Theuns Kotze converted even if New Zealand added further tries through Malakai Fekitoa – after a sumptuous offload by Williams – Beauden Barrett and Milner Skudder.

The only player who won’t have seen game time is Waisake Naholo, who continues his rehabilitation from the broken bone in his leg. The interesting thing about the Pumas is that we’ve all been saying for a while that they’re going to knock teams over and be a threat.

“It’s like the fear of a deep ocean – you don’t know what’s under there until you go in”, said Burger, one of the team’s full professionals, with English club Saracens, and playing at his third World Cup.

“But I’m glad it’s out of the way now, there was a lot of uncertainty at what to expect, but we’ve learnt now that we can battle against the best”.