New Zealand vs Namibia, 24th September

NEW ZEALAND v NAMIBIA
24 September 2015
KO: 20:00 BST
Olympic Park, London
Live on ITV1 (United Kingdom) and 3e (Republic of Ireland)

Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Mathieu Raynal (France)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)

New Zealand

15 Colin Slade, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Sam Cane (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Samuel Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ben Franks.

Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Tony Woodcock, 19 Kieran Read, 20 Richie McCaw, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Ma'a Nonu, 23 Ben Smith.

Namibia

15 Johan Tromp, 14 David Philander, 13 JC Greyling, 12 Johan Deysel, 11 Conrad Marais, 10 Theuns Kotzè, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 8 Leneve Damens, 7 Tinus du Plessis, 6 Jacques Burger (capt), 5 Pieter-Jan van Lill, 4 Tjiuee Uanivi, 3 Johannes Coetzee, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Jaco Engels.

Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 Casper Viviers, 18 Raoul Larson, 19 Renaldo Bothma, 20 Janco Venter, 21 Rohan Kitshoff, 22 Eneill Buitendag, 23 Chrysander Botha.

I going to go for... New Zealand by 60. Maybe more. Milner-Skudder for a hat trick.

Jonathan Davies said on Scrum V last week that the winner of this match will win the final...

He's probably right.

Haha.

Just six minutes before New Zealand get their first score through Vito to go 10-0 up. Would suggest that Namibia unlikely to get back within one score from this point on.

Change to the announced teams; Jerome Kaino replaces Liam Messam who has a tight calf.

15-0 after 10 minutes. Milner-Skudder steps his way in. New Zealand breaking the gain line at will- at this point I suspect if I post to update every try I'll be typing a lot so I'll stop...

This is going to be a long evening for Namibia!

RDW_Scotland wrote:This is going to be a long evening for Namibia!

Yep. Once New Zealand make the line break they are ruthless, their handling and support play is sublime, and they are making a lot of easy line breaks so it looks like it could be a cricket score if they don't let up. But Namibia have a shot at goal, and Thenus Kotze gets Namibia on the board to huge cheers!

Geordan Murphy - rugby commentary's equivalent of Michael Owen?

He's so dull!

Namibia have had 2 scrums on their own put in and New Zealand have absolutely destroyed them; winning a penalty and a turnover.

This is going to be really embarrassing. Like watching an under 7 side playing a university side.

No disrespect for Namibia, and I know this game is something that will stay with their players for the rest of their lives. But I do expect the All Blacks to put a record score on here.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Geordan Murphy - rugby commentary'a equivalent of Michael Owen?

He's so dull!

Oh my God, he is the most boring person I've ever heard talk. He is basically the 'Most Boring Priest in Ireland' character from Father Ted if he took up rugby instead of joining the Priesthood. He is an aneurysm risk to everyone watching this game.

He just sounds like he can't be fecked!

Outrageous from sonny Bill!

Sexy offload out of the tackle by SBW to Fekitoa... awesome skill against any opponent.

I do not know how Carter is picked before Barrett.

Barrett uses his pace to slice through the Namibian defence with consumnate ease. NZ wrap up the bonus point after 31 minutes.

Surely line out didn't look overly straight there though?

At this point, the interest is if Namibia can a) break double figures and b) manufacture a try, which will absolutely raise the roof inside Olympic Park. New Zealand have four tries and you suspect they'll get at least four more.

Colin slade has been pish

Geordan Murphy, great player terrible, terrible commentator

Rubbish stat from Doyle. SBW made a tackle.

Oh is it Geordan Murphy? Thought it was Jeremy Vine.

I thought Niall Quinn was commentating for a min, he's the most irritatingly boring git that Sky Sports football have, Geordan sounds very like him

Nice mirror imaging going on with the score.........

Awesome stuff from Namibia!

Milner-Skudder though looks immense.

Jeez Hansen will be seriously p1ssed off conceding that try, go Nam

G-wan Namibia! Great try, great RWC moment

Polite is such a pedantic Tinkywinky

Hey I didn't say tinkywicky I said pr1ck

He is indeed.

It's been a pretty scrappy game from the All Blacks all things considered. Just shown what they can do in flashes. Namibia have hung in there and worked hard, they haven't been humiliated at all.

Their kicking hasn't been great either, from hands or floor.

As it happens, the All Blacks have won by less than Wales over Uruguay (45 point margin), winning by 44 points. I thought this would definitely be by far the most one-sided game of the tournament by quite some margin so credit for Namibia definitely due. All Blacks have scored the most points in a single game though.

Notch wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Geordan Murphy - rugby commentary'a equivalent of Michael Owen?

He's so dull!

Oh my God, he is the most boring person I've ever heard talk. He is basically the 'Most Boring Priest in Ireland' character from Father Ted if he took up rugby instead of joining the Priesthood. He is an aneurysm risk to everyone watching this game.

That is exactly who I thought of when listening to him. Ha!

Credit to Namibia of course.  What are these supposedly semi-professionals on in terms of keeping with the pace???  Some good stuff going down - they all look more in tune with a full 80 than a good few of our guys...

Half jest, half truth.

They stayed in it and gave New Zealand a much more sticky time than they were expecting.

But Poite took a good few minutes out of that game that neither side could get back...and didn't come back with a stopped clock.  I know many think some of the games are going on too long but I personally think that clock should stop more often when the old lectures and instructions and 'tell your 8 I want him here....' start.
So ask for the 8, or whatever number he was, first Poite. Don't call up the Captain to tell him to get the man. Do your own work - quickly.

Geordan..................................

Does he know a person has to use a microphone when on TV?  He's grey personified, and doesn't seem to mind. Paycheck in the bank, nuff said. 

But the two of them as a unit are worse, chattering away about I don't know what as Poite actually became interesting once and was shouting at something that was happening off camera before a lineout.  But the twosome in the commentary box weren't even looking.  Too much going on with the mumble-chat.  

If you are a commentator you must pick up on the nuisances of the game and hone in on what the audience might be interested in but can't see, not simply ignore it completely

Notch wrote:As it happens, the All Blacks have won by less than Wales over Uruguay (45 point margin), winning by 44 points. I thought this would definitely be by far the most one-sided game of the tournament by quite some margin so credit for Namibia definitely due. All Blacks have scored the most points in a single game though.

In 2011 I think we put over 80 past Namibia, so did SA. I get the impression some of the top tier teams have been taking it easy against the minnows. NZ tonight didn't really get out of third gear, neither did Wales or Ireland in their round 1 games. In pool A it will be interesting to see if England and Australia approach the Uruguay game the same way.

SecretFly wrote:Geordan..................................

Does he know a person has to use a microphone when on TV?  He's grey personified, and doesn't seem to mind.  Paycheck in the bank, nuff said. 

But the two of them as a unit are worse, chattering away about I don't know what as Poite actually became interesting once and was shouting at something that was happening off camera before a lineout.  But the twosome in the commentary box weren't even looking.  Too much going on with the mumble-chat.  

If you are a commentator you must pick up on the nuisances of the game and hone in on what the audience might be interested in but can't see, not simply ignore it completely

This

All commentators do it now, something interesting will happen in the game and they'll be discussing who went to what school or why some other player is so good, totally missing what's actually happening!

Well a petition has been started about Paloma Faith's awful world in union version, so we maybe need one for Geordan Murphy too!

Scottrf wrote:Rubbish stat from Doyle. SBW made a tackle.

Ha yeah glad someone else noticed - what a load of BS from Doyle...

Murphy was bloody awful but so has Shane Williams when he's been commentating - their mike seems to be too low or something, they sound like they whispering and Miles Harrison shouting.

Decent enough performance from the ABs - SBW and Milner-Skully both looking very dangerous. Looking forward to meeting them in the final ....

I was worried that this would be a 80 pint drubbing, but Namibia played well I thought, especially seeing as half of them are amateurs with proper jobs. I'd love to see them beat Tonga.
That said I don't think NZ really pushed themselves, nicely undercooked for the knockout stages I hope!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Well a petition has been started about Paloma Faith's awful world in union version, so we maybe need one for Geordan Murphy too!

Where is this petition, please let me sign it, I can't take that noise that emits from her gob anymore, it sounds like someone stretching a cat between two mopeds.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11888395/Rugby-World-Cup-fans-petition-ITV-to-replace-truly-awful-Paloma-Faith-theme-music.html

Awful game, so much time wasted with constant reset scrums, handling eorrs, unnecessary referrals and Namibia slowed down a lot of NZ's play. To be fair that was the only way they'd really contain NZ but it certainly impacted the flow of the game and any momentum. I was pretty bored watching but must admit I admired their pluck and enjoyed their try.

Burger was outstanding I have to admit, even after a Romano trampling he got on with his job.

signed

I enjoyed the match myself.

I thought NZ were a surprisingly offkey for their high standards. Never seen an AB team take the foot off the gas. They simply went through the motions. They never set up their plays simply passed it down the line thinking their wingers would get yards... did they ever make midfield breaks bar Barrett's try?

They won the 2nd half by only 16 points. The guys playing are mainly the bench but usually NZ 2nd teams smash these sides in the hope of making the 1st 23 etc.

The forwards kept the ball too much, got into an arm-wrestle. Suited Namibia.

I saw grey in the NZ shirt (the numbers)... maybe it's that. You'd think they would have thrown every tin of grey paint into the pacific after what happened in 2007. Why are they tempting fate again?

NZ were really sloppy.

With Georgia and Tonga to come, could they be a touch undercooked come 1/4 final time?

I thought New Zealand looked just about half interested in the game but in a very non-Kiwi fashion they didn't go for the jugular as they've done so often in the past. I can't blame them mind you with everything being referred to the TMO. The officiating needs to get back to the days when the game was allowed to flow and human reffing errors were part and parcel of the rugby package.

RDW_Scotland wrote:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/rugby-world-cup/11888395/Rugby-World-Cup-fans-petition-ITV-to-replace-truly-awful-Paloma-Faith-theme-music.html

Cheers RDW, that's been signed. ITV, sit up and take notice!

Pete330v2 wrote:I thought New Zealand looked just about half interested in the game but in a very non-Kiwi fashion they didn't go for the jugular as they've done so often in the past. I can't blame them mind you with everything being referred to the TMO. The officiating needs to get back to the days when the game was allowed to flow and human reffing errors were part and parcel of the rugby package.

Three times in the whole match? Maybe more, but even then it was only to check groundings wasn't it?