The All Blacks pool for the 2023 Rugby World Cup is now complete, after Namibia secured their place at the tournament for the seventh consecutive time.
The Welwitschias beat Kenya 36-0 in the final of the Rugby Africa Cup 2022 in Aix-en-Provence in France on Monday (New Zealand time) to clinch Africa 1’s place in Pool A of the showpiece world next year.
It’s a pool that also includes hosts France, Six Nations wooden spoons Italy and Uruguay, who qualified last year as Americas 1 after beating the United States.
David Rogers/Getty Images
CHOFU, JAPAN – OCTOBER 06: Sam Cane of New Zealand faces JC Greyling of Namibia during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group B match between New Zealand and Namibia at Tokyo Stadium on October 06, 2019 in Chofu , Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
It will be a third successive World Cup game against Namibia for the All Blacks, who will face them on September 15, a week after their big opener against the French.
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New Zealand cruised to a 58-14 victory in their first-ever encounter against Namibia at the 2015 event in London, before claiming a 71-9 win in Tokyo at the 2019 tournament.
This clash in Japan was one where the two All Blacks stalwarts, Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tuungafasi, received yellow cards for high tackles, Jordie Barrett started at No.10 and TJ Perenara scored a try for the ages.
Namibia have come a long way since being demolished 142-0 at the hands of the Wallabies in the 2003 tournament – their second appearance.
They have yet to win a game – although they only lost 17-16 to Georgia in 2015, and also pushed Ireland 32-17 in 2007, while in 2019 they managed to finish fourth in the five-team group, ahead of Canada, after their last game against the Canadians was canceled following Typhoon Hagibis.
Namibia’s qualification for the 2023 World Cup did not go smoothly, losing their opening Rugby Africa Cup match in July last year to Ivory Coast, 24-13.
After recovering to beat Madagascar 52-10 four days later, they then beat Burkina Faso 71-5 in the quarter-finals earlier this month and then last week beat Zimbabwe 34-19 in the semi-finals .
Despite being outclassed in the decision, Kenya’s qualification hopes are not over yet. They now head to the final qualifying tournament in November – a four-team round robin featuring Portugal (Europe 3) as well as playoff losers Aisa/Pacific and Americas 2 – to try to claim a spot. in Pool C of the World Cup. .
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