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The All Blacks took 20 minutes to get rolling against Uruguay but once they did they sent out another stunning statement to their World Cup rivals with a sparkling display that included a moment of sheer brilliance from Damian McKenzie.
The Kiwis had two tries disallowed, and Uruguay had one of their own ruled out, in a frantic and pulsating opening to the game, but once the dam broke at the back for the South Americans the All Blacks flooded through almost at will.
They ended with a 73-0 win, which included 11 tries and, despite nine changes, followed on perfectly from last week’s 96-17 hammering of Italy.
Leicester Fainga’anuku, who spent some time at No.12 for the first time in his international career, scored three tries and there were doubles for McKenzie and Will Jordan – as the All Blacks have now scored 25 tries in two games.
The only sour note came with Tyrel Lomax – who only returned against the Italians after suffering a nasty leg gash – having to be replaced on 11 minutes with a knee injury. His replacement, Fletcher Newell, was also forced off in the second half.
“Fletcher was largely precautionary on his knee. Tyrel a little bit more serious,” said Ian Foster. “It doesn’t look too bad, it looks like a medial. He has a bucket load of ice on it right now and we’ll look at that over the next 48 hours.”
The bonus point New Zealand required to secure a quarterfinal berth was wrapped up four minutes before halftime when Cam Roigard embarrassed his would-be tackler Nicolas Freitas with a dummy and step that neatly summed up the difference in class on the field.
The All Blacks (15 points) will finish top if Italy can beat France on Saturday AEST, or second if France (currently 13 points) claim the win.
“It was a really enjoyable game, free flowing,” said man of the match McKenzie.
“It took a long time to break Uruguay. They defended us really well but in the end we managed to put some points on the board. We got to where we wanted to be but we know we have to be better.”
Ian Foster said he was “really proud” of his team.
“I thought Uruguay really hoed in. They showed a massive degree of skill and managed to slow our game down,” said Foster.
“We held our composure really well. And I thought we were quite clinical, a little bit different to last week in the way that we really had to grind our way through the contact area. It was hard to get quick ball. Pleased with the patience.
“We expected that sort of game, we talked about this would turn into a bit of a fun fight at the breakdown. We were really impressed with some of their work over the ball. It took us a while to break it down, but they put a lot of energy into that period and reaped some reward but I guess it’s how you sustain that for 80 minutes?”
He was also happy with McKenzie, who shifted into No.10 later in the match.
“He is going pretty good. We were delighted with him last week and I thought this week he played well,” said Foster.
“It was a game of turnover ball. I got the feeling Barnesy [referee Wayne Barnes] wasn’t too interested in seeing scrums. It became a lot of turnover ball and turnover defence and quite frankly Damian is good with that sort of stuff. I thought he played really well and when he went to 10 [from full-back] he continued that. He is a player who continues to be important to us. He is really putting his hand up.”
The All Blacks were led out on the field by record breaking veteran Sam Whitelock, playing his 150th Test, while skipper Sam Cane was restored to the team and brought plenty of energy to the opening stages and ran out the full 80 minutes.
“The last three weeks have been, to draw with Richie [McCaw] and then to go past him in the next week and then 150. It has kind of been drawn out a little bit but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything,”said Whitelock, who played in special boots with his children’s names and the NZ flag on them.
“The work that has gone into it, I don’t think people realise and I don’t think I realise until I stop and have a think. Rugby players, and I am the same, we are always looking forward to the next week even now – looking forward to what the next couple of days look like in terms of recovery. I think when rugby is all done and dusted in a few years’ time it will sink in, whereas now it doesn’t feel like I have got there, but it’s a weird thing at the moment.”
A week earlier Italy were blown away from the start but Uruguay, as they had against France earlier in the tournament, began with resolve and flair before their scrum was worn down and they made some bad errors under pressure.
The All Blacks thought they’d gone over on eight minutes after a Whitelock steal was sent through backline hands before Leicester Fainga’anuku was dragged down just short.
Cane was quickest to the breakdown and Roigard swept in for the pick and go but had the ball dislodged from his hands by Uruguay prop Mateo Sanguinetti’s desperate lunge.
The next chance fell to the South Americans as right winger Gaston Mieres bolted across the field then into space down the right. He found a support run from fullback Rodrigo Silva but he was crunched by a flying Codie Taylor, knocking the ball free.
That was just the first part of an exhilarating minute and change of play. McKenzie threw a behind the back pass to spark the All Blacks into attack, but the ball was lost and Uruguay charged back again. Their counter ended with Manuel Ardao sliding over on the left. The capacity crowd of over 57,000 was devastated when replays showed the flanker’s leg was forced into touch in a perfect Anton Lienert-Brown cover tackle.
The All Blacks were being tested and had a second try disallowed after a Richie Mo’unga neck roll saw McKenzie’s touch down ruled out.
DMac didn’t have to wait too much longer though and after Uruguay conceded a penalty under their sticks the All Blacks – with minds on a four-try bonus – took the scrum and the fullback stepped his way through after a routine move.
Damian McKenzie of New Zealand is tackled by Gaston Mieres of Uruguay during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between New Zealand and Uruguay at Parc Olympique on October 05, 2023 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)
The second followed soon after when flyhalf Felipe Etcheverry dropped a pass cold 12 metres out from his line and from the scrum Jordie Barrett popped one up for Mo’unga to cross.
We’ve seen some spectacular finishes in the tournament but the All Blacks next try was made courtesy of the assist of the World Cup.
DMac carried the ball toward halfway and smashed a potential 50-22 kick deep into Uruguay territory, but before the ball could go over the touchline the fullback stretched, grabbed and flicked a one hander inside to Will Jordan in support.
That moment drew warm applause from austere coach Ian Foster and Jason Ryan whooped with joy.
“I got lucky it bounced to me,” was DMac’s modest assessment.
On 36 minutes Roigard’s second secured the point and the All Blacks kept powering on in the second half.
They rang the changes – Whitelock receiving a heartfelt ovation as he left the field – and Ethan Blackadder came on for his first Test since since November 2021 after a long run with injury.
There were first Test tries for Newell and young prop Tamaiti Williams as the Uruguayans were left shattered and battered at the finish, missing 45 tackles. The All Blacks ran for 1269 metres to 434 showing no mercy at all, as you’d expect. Now they can sit back and watch, fascinated as the rest of us, to see which of South Africa, Ireland and Scotland they will face.
“Today we played the best team in the world,” said Uruguay skipper Andres Vilaseca. “Sometimes you have to just keep pushing and try your best. I think we did our best and can be very proud of ourselves.”
Cane said his team was “made to really work” for their win.
“We were made to really work it in the first 20 minutes and we showed some really good composure not to let frustration creep in,” Cane said.
“We stuck to our guns and started to get some rewards. Uruguay have been outstanding this World Cup. I’ve really enjoyed watching their passion, their ability to throw the ball around, so congratulations to them on a really good World Cup.”
Foster, meanwhile, had a predictable response when asked if he had a preference for a quarterfinal opponent.
“I think you know my answer to that, no. I don’t want to put myself under any stress in the next three days,”he said.
“What will be, will be, and people will theorise what they do. We will go away and have a nice glass of wine in our hotel tonight and celebrate being there. Clearly we have a plan for whoever it may be. At this stage we are excited about us being there, it is our first goal achieved and let’s get into the next one.
He expects to finish second in the group.
“The Italy-France game is important now and it will be interesting to see how teams respond,”he said.
“The great thing about the draw from many perspectives is that first or second, we know when you have a draw and the top four in the world are due to play each other in a quarter-final, you know whatever happens it is going to be a monster game. Nothing is going to surprise us now and we will be ready for it.”