New Zealand cantered to the bonus-point victory they wanted to safe qualification for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with an 11-try 73-0 thrashing of Uruguay on Friday.
Full-back Damian McKenzie starred for the All Blacks with a strive in every half, two conversions and an excellent one-handed offload for Will Jordan to attain the primary of his two tries.
Richie Mo’unga, who additionally kicked 5 conversions, Cam Roigard, Fletcher Newell, Leicester Fainga’anuku with a hat-trick and Tamaiti Williams additionally crossed within the whitewash.
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On an evening of celebration, veteran lock Sam Whitelock set a brand new document of 23 World Cup appearances, surpassing the marks of compatriot Richie McCaw and England’s Jason Leonard.
However, they did lose prop Tyrel Lomax to a recurrence of great knee damage early on.
New Zealand should now wait and see in the event that they win Pool A or end second, relying on whether or not Italy can topple France on Friday evening.
But following related thrashings of Namibia and Italy, this took their tally to 36 tries and 240 factors of their final three matches since their opening pool defeat to France.
New Zealand thought they’d taken the lead within the eighth minute however scrum-half Roigard misplaced the ball in grounding it and Uruguay survived.
The All Blacks have been a lot much less crisp and exact than of their 14-try demolition of Italy every week earlier and have been responsible of a number of dealing with errors.
Uruguay initially performed with the identical effervescence as in valiant defeats to France and Italy and thought they’d taken the lead when Manuel Ardao dived over within the nook on 13 minutes.
But a determined last-gasp sort out from centre Anton Lienert-Brown simply pressured the event’s prime jackler into contact.
New Zealand once more thought they’d scored when McKenzie went over however that too was chalked off for a neck-roll within the construct up.
McKenzie was not denied for lengthy, stepping inside a tackler to lastly get New Zealand on the board on 20 minutes.
Fly-half Mo’unga transformed after which quickly ran in a second strive, with each coming from five-metre scrums because the All Blacks machine began to purr.
McKenzie was on fireplace and picked up his personal grubber earlier than flicking the ball inside to Jordan whereas narrowly avoiding entering into contact for the wing to scamper over underneath the posts.
The All Blacks have been lethal from shut vary and from one other five-metre scrum, Roigard dummied and stepped his means over the road to carry up the bonus level.
Mo’unga kicked three conversions and New Zealand led 26-0 on the break. The second half rapidly become an unstoppable rout.
Replacement prop Newell broke a sort out to go over from shut vary after which wing Fainga’anuku took an enormous miss-pass from Jordan to streak in down the flank.
Sustained strain on the Uruguay line then noticed McKenzie exploit a spot to dart over for his second.
From one other five-metre scrum, slick dealing with despatched Jordan in for his second within the nook.
It was previous the hour mark and Uruguay have been tiring as New Zealand attacked from deep to ship Fainga’anuku in for his second.
Uruguay wilted and substitute prop Williams added his identify to the try-scorers earlier than Fainga’anuku accomplished his hat-trick.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au