New Zealand secured its 50th win at the Rugby World Cup with a dominant performance against Namibia, scoring 11 tries. However, the victory was marred by a late red card for New Zealand prop Ethan de Groot for a dangerous collision.
De Groot initially received a yellow card for a high tackle on Adriaan Booysen, but the decision was upgraded to a red card after a review. New Zealand led 38-3 at half-time, and the win lifted them to second place in Pool A.
This victory came after New Zealand’s two-match losing streak, including a loss to South Africa in a warm-up test and their first-ever loss in the World Cup pool stages against France.
Namibia, on the other hand, struggled to make an impact against the dominant All Blacks. The African side has never won a match at a Rugby World Cup and faces a challenging road ahead in the tournament.
Despite the victory, New Zealand’s red card and the overall performance raised questions about consistency in officiating at the Rugby World Cup, particularly regarding high tackles.
New Zealand’s next match is against Italy, while Namibia faces France.
