All Blacks veteran claims title for most consecutive Rugby World Cup wins following Namibia match

The All Blacks performing the haka before their RWC2019 pool match against Namibia. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The All Blacks' barnstorming victory over Namibia at the Rugby World Cup was stand-in captain Sam Whitelock's 17th World Cup win in a row.

Whitelock now holds the record for consecutive wins at the tournament, surpassing former All Black Keven Mealamu with 16 matches on the trot.

Following a sloppy first-half against Namibia who played out of their skin for much of the 40, the All Blacks rolled on to win comfortably 71-9.

Going into the sheds with a 24-9 lead, head coach Steve Hansen reportedly gave his men in black an almighty spray over halftime oranges.

"It was one of the better ones and rightly so," said Dane Coles.

"We deserved it so he got into the boys. It was direct, old school; it was bloody good. You don't see too much of that these days so I was bloody enjoying it."

By the end of the match the All Blacks had scored 11 tries, Whitelock crossing over the chalk for a five-pointer in the 56th minute.

All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster and coach Steve Hansen with Richie Mo'unga and Beaden Barrett. Photo / Mark Mitchell

It was Whitelock's sixth time captaining the All Blacks in his career, the first in a World Cup.

His first match at a World Cup kicked off with a win over Tonga in Auckland back in 2011 and 17 World Cup matches later, he still hasn't lost.

Whitelock played in each of the past two World Cup finals, downing France 8-7 in 2011 and Australia 34-17 in 2015.

This year, the All Blacks continue to charge onwards having beaten South Africa, Canada and Namibia last night in all their 2019 World Cup matches.

No team in World Cup history had lost in the pool stages and moved on to win the final.

On Saturday, the All Blacks face-off against Italy for the last pool game before the finals get under way.