- Pool A: New Zealand 73-0 Uruguay
- Leicester Fainga’anuku bags hat-trick in bonus point win
Under the radar, or undetectable? Perhaps the latter is more appropriate given New Zealand’s stealth-bomber colours and the haka’s flying V formation. The main thing is that the All Blacks have qualified for the quarter-finals and no one will fancy playing them. The crushing pre-tournament defeat by the Springboks and an opening-night loss against France have been consigned to history, and Ian Foster’s side will meet Ireland, South Africa or Scotland in the last eight.
Eleven tries were scored against a Uruguay team who fought skilfully and kept their opponents out for the first quarter. Once New Zealand’s passes began to stick, though, a rout was the inevitable result. The wing Leicester Fainga’anuku scored a second-half hat-trick but Esteban Meneses’s side exit the tournament with their reputations enhanced.
Written by Luke McLaughlin at OL Stadium
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/oct/05/new-zealand-uruguay-rugby-world-cup-match-report under the title “Magic McKenzie leads All Blacks into World Cup last eight with Uruguay rout”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
