World Cup, Uruguay defeated 73-0, the All Blacks in the quarterfinals

The All Blacks defeated Uruguay 73-0 in Lyon in the last match for the two teams in Pool A of the Rugby World Cup, achieving mathematical qualification for the quarter-finals. The victory, in fact, puts coach Ian Foster’s team at the top of the group with 15 points, ahead of France (13) and Italy (10), but with a better point difference compared to the Blues and Azzurri (the discriminant that decides the first place in case of arrival at 3). Uruguay finishes fourth with 5 points, Namibia last (0).

Cancelled

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Between 8′ and 17′ the Tmo disallows three tries: first to the All Blacks (Cam Roigard loses the oval just before crushing it due to the brilliant punch on the ball by prop Mateo Sanguinetti), then the spectacular one by flanker Diego Ardao, tackled on the sideline a few millimeters before smashing the flag, then to Damian McKenzie for an incorrectness by Richie Mounga in the ruck from which the action starts. Curiously, they are the ones who score the first two tries and curiously always starting from the scrum under the posts: the fullback runs away to smash served by Mounga in the 20th minute, then in the 25th minute the opener receives a no look from Jordie Barrett and guess a corner that the Uruguayan defense fails to close. In the 33rd minute, magic from McKenzie, who kicks the ball forward and then, before it goes out, with a one-handed volley he throws Will Jordan towards the goal, then in the 38th minute Roigard scores the bonus, with a personal action from the tail end of a melee at 5 metres. Uruguay pays dearly for the technical gap, but forces the New Zealanders to make many mistakes and the 26-0 at which they go to the break is very dignified.

Doubles

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At the start of the second half three tries between the 45th and 53rd minutes: the breakthrough from a few centimeters by prop Fletcher Newell (who had replaced the injured Tyrel Lomax in the 9th minute), the escape to the left by Leicester Faingaanuku, freed by the long pass from Jordan, McKenzie’s brace, which he receives a few meters from the line, fakes the pass and dives beyond Santi Arata. Between 65′ and 68′ also doubles for the wingers Jordan and Faingaanuku: the former receives wide on the right from an action in the first phase resulting from yet another scrum in front of the posts, the latter finishes in a sprint along the opposite out on the nice pass by Anton Lienert-Brown. In the 73rd minute, substitute prop Tamaiti Williams crowned the work of the forwards by breaking through from a step, then in the 77th minute Faingaanuku scored the hat-trick by collecting the ball two meters from the line after the tackle on Samisoni Taukeiaho. The balance of the transformations finally says 5/7 for Mounga, 2/2 for McKenzie, 2/2 for Beauden Barrett.