Scrumhalf Cam Roigard and flyhalf Damian McKenzie scored two tries each and made a strong bid for first-team roles as New Zealand beat Namibia 71-3 in the Rugby World Cup on Friday.
Roigard had his double inside the first seven minutes of his World Cup debut and provided assists in first-half tries by McKenzie and Leicester Fainga’anuku, and in the second half to David Havili. The All Blacks scored 11 tries in all. McKenzie converted eight for a 26-point haul.
Roigard, the player of the match, said it was “pretty surreal” to mark his first test start with two tries. It was expected they would outclass their tier two opponent but New Zealand will take heart from the fact they had a strong attacking focus, limited mistakes, and maintained reasonably good discipline until replacement prop Ethan de Groot became the first All Black to be red-carded at a World Cup.
“We feel more disappointed for Le Roux because he left the field so early,” Namibia coach Allister Coetzee said. “It is a game that every boy dreams of playing in.” McKenzie scored his first in the 20th from a quickly tapped penalty and pass from Roigard, and again in the 33rd when Roigard broke from a scrum on halfway and linked with his flyhalf.