Rugby World Cup 2023 
[Source: Rugby World Cup]
A week after their 27-13 defeat against France in the tournament opener at Stade de France, the All Blacks will have a point to prove against Namibia in Toulouse on Friday, as the two sides meet for a third time in Rugby World Cups.
Coach Ian Foster has made nine starting line-up changes for New Zealand’s second match of the tournament, with Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papali’i, Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Anton Lienert-Brown all retaining their places.
Namibia opened their Rugby World Cup 2023 account with a 52-8 defeat against Italy in Saint-Étienne – a match the Welwitschias’ captain Johan Deysel described as “a great game to learn from”.
How much they learned in eastern France may well become clear on Friday night in the south-west of the country. The good news for both teams is that it’s going to be noticeably cooler in Toulouse on Thursday night than the last time they walked out on to a rugby pitch in France.
This will be the third time in as many Rugby World Cups that New Zealand and Namibia have met in the pool phase. The All Blacks have won comfortably both times – 58-14 at London’s Olympic Stadium in 2015, and 71-9 at Tokyo Stadium four years ago.
Sam Whitelock will equal Richie McCaw as the most capped All Black in test history in Toulouse as he runs out for his 148th match – only Alun Wyn Jones (171) has more international caps. This is also his 21st Rugby World Cup match – one behind joint record holders McCaw and England’s Jason Leonard. And Whitelock played in both previous meetings between the All Blacks and Namibia, scoring one of his seven international tries against them.
