Record-breaking Australia run riot

AUSTRALIA 142 NAMIBIA 0

ADELAIDE - Australia rewrote the World Cup rugby record books today when they thrashed a hopelessly outclassed Namibia 142-0 in a pool A miss-match and set a host of team and personal bests along the way.


The score was three points short of New Zealand's tournament record 145-17 win over Japan in 1995 but was by far the biggest winning margin.


Australia's total of 22 tries was a cup record while fullback Chris Latham set a new Australian best with five tries, the second best in World Cup history.


Wing Mat Rogers set an Australian individual points record of 42 from two tries and 16 conversions


Winger Lote Tuqiri and first five-eighth Matt Giteau also got hat-tricks as 11 different players crossed the line, plus a penalty try.


For the happy but faintly bemused full house watching the cricket scoreboard clicking over by the minute it was a bizarre first taste of international rugby at the famous old Adelaide Oval ground.


The score easily eclipsed Australia's previous World Cup best, last week's 90-8 demolition of Romania, and their best in any match, a 92-10 win over Spain two years ago.


Namibia, who lost their opening games 14-67 to Argentina and 7-64 to Ireland, barely made a tackle, failed to compete at the setpiece or breakdown and never once threatened to score.


Australian coach Eddie Jones had kept only four of his starting 15 from last week's Romania game and the second string players certainly enjoyed their time in the limelight.


Halfback Chris Whitaker, getting a rare start in place of the rested George Gregan, looked sharp while Giteau, given the luxury of operating almost totally without opposition pressure, also had a creative game.


Stirling Mortlock and Nathan Grey controlled the midfield while wingers Rogers and Tuqiri, desperate to impress Jones enough to retain their places for next week's final group game against Ireland, were able to display their full repertoire.


Debutant prop Matt Dunning enjoyed his romp as did flanker John Roe, on for the second half to win his first cap.


Latham, who said earlier this week that he was going to just enjoy his rugby after appearing to lose his place in the first 15, got the massacre underway with a try after two minutes.


By halftime he had four to his name with number eight David Lyons, Mortlock, Tuqiri, two, Rogers, hooker Henry Paul and a penalty try taking the halftime score to 69-0.


For all Namibia's inability to compete, it was entertaining stuff as Australia hit the wings at every opportunity and showed crisp passing and determined running.


Giteau got his name on the scoresheet a minute after the restart and Tuqiri completed his hat-trick soon after.


Grey, two more for Giteau, two for replacement Morgan Turinui and one for replacement Matt Burke took Australia past the century mark before Latham raced in on the left for his fifth.


Rogers added his second before Roe completed a great debut with the 22nd to surpass New Zealand's record of 21.


Australia now need to beat Ireland to top pool A and set up a probable quarterfinal against Scotland.


- REUTERS

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