Thanks for joining me.
Here is the report from Marseille.
Fabien Galthie on the Dupont injury: “There is a suspicion of a crack or fracture of the maxillary bone.”
Marcus Smith at fullback, you say?
Fourteen tries really is too many for a World Cup match. They will be very pleased at the improvement in performance compared to the struggling win over Uruguay.
Raphael Ibanez: “We have many reasons to have a smile on our face because we scored some decent tries. It was a step up from the last game.”
On Dupont: “It is a reminder how dangerous head-to-head contact can be. It was a big hit. We are doing some tests to make sure he is OK. He is a strong guy.”
Fans: “The fans were great. It was fantastic for our team.”
Sam Warburton is passing some second-hand medical views from his brother who is a physio. He states it is a three-week absence for a broken cheekbone.
That was hard work for me and the Namibians. Far too many tries for my liking.
France will be hoping Dupont is ok.
Full time! France 96-0 Namibia
That was not a contest. The French enjoyed it.
PENALTY TRY! France 96-0 Namibia
Namibia finish with 13 as Benade is pulled up for stopping a maul illegally.
79 mins: This is France’s record total in Test rugby.
TRY! France 89-0 Namibia (Jaminet, 76)
Jaminet is in an acre of space on the left and crosses over. Ramos adds the rest.
Updated
75 mins: Colin Davenport emails “Given that French media reports have DuPont going to the hospital for a facial bone x-ray I doubt even the French are enjoying this match at this point!”
This is the rumour in France …
74 mins: There are a lot of bruised Namibian bodies out there.
There is a French one, too, with Ramos bemoaning a knee issue.
72 mins: Penaud takes the ball through most of the Namibia team before throwing it to Bielle-Biarrey but he can’t take it, missing out on another try.
Chris K emails: “I’d like to see a team foul law introduced, similar to basketball. Whoever commits their team’s 7th penalty offence each time immediately goes to the bin, irregardless of what it is, or where the offence was committed. Would not preclude refs carding players whenever for egregious offences, but would help to negate situations where the Welsh committed foul after foul in their own 22 and took nothing in the Fiji match (not having a go at the Welsh it’s just the most recent example of “subjective” reffing i can remember.
“And what about moving the offside line at the ruck to, say, 5 metres behind the rear feet? Might create some more space for attack-minded teams, reduce the amount of hoofball and stop tge middle of the pitch being turned into a ditch.
“Also think a reduction in subs back to three is essential.”
70 mins: Is this enjoyable for anyone who isn’t French?
TRY! France 82-0 Namibia (Ollivon, 68)
France have a lot of space to work with. It is thrown out to Ollivon, who covers plenty of ground, before throwing a dummy to Bielle-Biarrey, allowing him to cross the line unopposed. Ramos gets two more for kicks.
66 mins: Rossouw collects a high kick and looks for a gap to take Namibia up the field but is held up. The ball is turned over and sent up the pitch to Greyling who kicks it out on the full, which is less than ideal.
TRY! France 75-0 Namibia (Bielle-Biarrey, 64)
France have a lineout in the corner, they win it but then a pass is intercepted by Greyling. He looks to get away for a try but does not have the pace, so kicks and looks to get a chase going. It does not work and France counter and Bielle-Biarrey does not have a problem with speed, as he runs almost the full length of the pitch to score a try. Ramos kicks the extras.
62 mins: Fair play to any Namibian that completes the 80 minutes because it looks no fun.
60 mins: Namibia get a lineout and go for a maul from close to the try line but they turn it over. Only 20 minutes to go, lads.
58 mins: Boudehent walks off, which is good news, but I can’t see him coming back.
We restart with a Namibia scrum inside the 22. Namibia are doing their best but are not making any ground.
57 mins: The referee stops the game because Boudehent is down with a head injury. He does not look in a good way on the turf. No foul play, he got his head on the wrong side of a tackle.
56 mins: Namibia cannot be enjoying this occasion anymore. It looks not fun. I think we all just want them to get a try now. Maybe just kick a three to get on the board.
TRY! France 68-0 Namibia (Penaud, 54)
It is a hat-trick for the winger as he crashes over in the corner. Jaminet should have passed it early but Penaud gets his reward in the end. All very easy with the extra man. Ramos kicks successfully.
52 mins: Namibia get a lineout at the 10-metre mark. It is well constructed and the maul pretty successful. The forwards look to plough over the line. They have a good few goes but just cannot earn that extra inch, much to Al Pacino’s chagrin.
50 mins: NO TRY! An interception from the replacement on the halfway line and he has the pace and stamina to outsprint the Namibians. But we go back for a penalty for a tackle off the ball by Wardi.
RED CARD! Deysel (Namibia)
Namibia’s captain has his offence upgraded because of a lack of mitigation.
TRY! France 61-0 Namibia (Couilloud, 48)
Namibia are a man light and France use the space well, with Couilloud touching down in the corner. Ramos kicks the extra points.
Updated
46 mins: NO TRY! YELLOW CARD! Roussow intercepts a pass from Jalibert and he runs the ball over the line. Sadly, for Namibia it is chalked off because Deysel is punished by the TMO for head on head contact with Dupont. A yellow, which could be upgraded, for Deysel and a head injury assessment for Dupont.
44 mins: Namibia look to work it wide and replacement Roussow looks to go through a gap but he is tackled out of play.
France take a quick one and Ramos launches one off the boot but it goes dead, so we are back on the 22. Namibia are looking quicker and smarter with the ball in hard than the first half but a knock-on sends their attack.
42 mins: Luke McCallin emails: “‘Games’ like this should come with a health warning. The only value to a game like this is for France to arrive totally undercooked at the quarters… maybe that’s someone’s cunning plan…!
“Thanks for the coverage, keep it up!”
Thanks, Luke.
Second half
How many more points will France score?
Half-time reading:
Richard Slassor emails: “This is a bit Harlem Globetrotters now.
“Some fantasy exhibition Rugby by France.”
Aye.
Half time! France 54-0 Namibia
As you would expect and more. France are looking sharp but Namibia are not on a level playing field.
Updated
TRY! France 54-0 Namibia (Bielle-Biarrey, 40+1)
France take a quick tap on a penalty. Dupont sends a beautiful kick out to the left, Bielle-Biarrey catches it and drops over the line. Ramos does the rest from the touchline.
TRY! France 47-0 Namibia (Dupont, 38)
Namibia are doing their best with ball in hand but France really are not exerting themselves to stop them. They turn it over and Penaud speeds away into a gap before throwing the ball to Dupont to finish it off.
Updated
36 mins: A reminder that the record score in the World Cup is 142-0 when Australia defeated Namibia in 2003.
Namibia have a lineout at the five-metre mark and they literally throw it away. Poor lads.
TRY! France 40-0 Namibia (Flament, 34)
Jelonch picks the ball up off the ground and runs into the space vacated by the Namibians, who had no one at the break down. He gets close to the line but allows Flament to do the honours. Ramos kicks.
Updated
32 mins: There is a little bit of a delay while Gaoseb replaces his contact lens. At least it allowed the Namibians to rehydrate.
Penaud dabs a kick down the line but Greyling reads the danger and collects the bounces ball. It is good work but he is forced to run it straight out of play.
France do their best to claim a try. Jelonch is the man that touches down but it comes after a Mauvaka knock-on. TMO rightly rules it out.
30 mins: Namibia have a bit of a go and they show some promise but a knock-on curtails their progress. The Namibians look tired. France’s scrum fails and Retief collects the ball at the back. He makes a sprint for the line and gets oh so close but is halted by the French defence.
Jeff Sax emails: “I don’t see the point of these games with total mismatched teams.
“They are not entertaining or sportsmanlike and I fail to see what the losing side gain.”
Probably a sign funds need to be distributed more fairly around world rugby.
28 mins: I always wonder how those who suffer these absolute thrashings in World Cups remember the occasion. It is naturally the pinnacle of their careers but cannot compete with the planet’s finest.
TRY! France 33-0 Namibia (Danty, 26)
The Namibia scrum cannot cope and collapses. France kick for a lineout at the five-metre mark. It is a successful one as Dupont receives the ball and slings it to Danty to power over. Ramos does the rest.
Updated
24 mins: I am beginning to fear every update I do will be of a try … France are completely dominant and chucking the ball gleefully as they look to stretch Namibia to create loads of gaps. A knock-on ends the latest France attack but there will be another in 3, 2, 1 …
TRY! France 26-0 Namibia (Penaud, 22)
France have a lineout in the corner and they use it quickly. A faux-maul begins, Fickou takes the ball from the back and gives it to Penaud to cross in the corner. Ramos nails the kick from out wide.
20 mins: The question is when the demoralising will kick in for Namibia. How long can they maintain a positive mindset against one of the world’s best teams in front of a raucous home crowd?
TRY! France 19-0 Namibia (Ollivon, 18)
What a team try! France counter through Jalibert and Dupont who combine with some quick passing on the wing. The hands are rapid and Namibia cannot cope as Ollivon is given the chance to cross the line unopposed. No issue with the conversion.
Updated
16 mins: Fickou tries to run the ball out from deep but Namibia are having none of it and push him into touch. France do, however, get the lineout on this occasion.
14 mins: Namibia’s kicking is not the best. They might want to reconsider some of their concepts off the boot.
12 mins: Namibia try to throw the ball around but Van den Berg chucks the ball over everyone into touch. France take advantage from the lineout as Fickou bursts down the right wing but he is stopped before he can complete a try. The attack fizzles out in the end when France concede a penalty.
TRY! France 12-0 Namibia (Danty, 10)
A kick goes to the corner for Bielle-Biarrey to chase. He makes up the ground just in time and sends a pass into Danty to put the ball down. It is all very easy for France. Ramos adds the extras.
Updated
8 mins: Namibia are testing their kicking game but Loubser sends it beyond the in-goal area.
TRY! France 5-0 Namibia (Penaud, 6)
Namibia come in from the side and a penalty is awarded. France kick for the corner in the hope they can enjoy a better lineout. Mauvaka does better this time and the maul begins. The ball sent out to Dupont, who kicks towards the corner for Penaud to collect, he drops a shoulder and goes over the line. Ramos sends the kick wide from the touchline.
Updated
4 mins: France’s first lineout does not go to plan either as they fail to deliver it straight.
Updated
2 mins: Namibia have a lineout but a bit of a hash of it and France ensure the danger ends. Some good intent from the Namibians in the early stages. They have had most of the ball.
Kick off
Here we go!
An idea from David Williams: “Contentious one but max team weight limits (freely chosen by position). Would make game more accessible and may help avoid many of infringement obsessions causing bunker such a headache.”
Geoff Wignall suggests: “On your question of rule changes, I have no such suggestions: I’d be happy for a change of approach to refereeing the existing rules.
“Specifically, shorter advantages, especially for knock-ons (which were noticeable and refreshing in the Fiji - Australia match); and straight scrum feeds.
“Though of course, there’d be scarcely a hooker currently to be found who’d know what to do with a feed that needed actual hooking.”
A very off night.
@Will_Unwin we could be looking at France putting 90+ on the scoreboard. Namibia will do their best but once France going it’s gonna be absolute carnage. Maybe France will have an off night & Namibia get the result!!!! Yeah that’s not going to happen.
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) September 21, 2023
ITV going for some pure rules chat at the moment. Which rules would you like to seen changed in rugby?
Building Anglo-Romanian relations, like myself.
I love a party with a happy atmosphere.
Starting lineups
France: Ramos; Penaud, Fickou, Danty, Bielle-Biarry; Jalibert, Dupont; Baille, Mauvaka, Atonio; Woki, Flament; Cros, Ollivon, Jelonch.
Replacements: Bourgarit, Wardi, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Boudehent, Couilloud, Moefana, Jaminet.
Namibia: Van der Bergh; Mouton, Deysel, Burger, Greyling; Loubser, Theron; Sethie, Van der Westhuizen, Coetzee, Tjeriko, Ludick, Katjijeko, Retief, Gaoseb.
Replacements: Nortje, Benade, Shifuka, Van Lill, Hardwick, Blaauw, Izaacs, Rossouw.
Preamble
If Namibia win, it would be one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, arguably in any sport. I would like nothing more than to see Gerswin Mouton cross the line in the corner in the final minute to secure a triumphant one-point victory but there is absolutely no chance it is happening.
Tonight is all about how many points France will score and the answer is: an absolute bucketful. They were underwhelming against Uruguay, but Namibia are a few steps down from that and could be in for a tough night. But they good news is: they are playing in a World Cup, so they should take the enjoyment in this match where they can. If they manage to get a try, that would be a success.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
