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TOKYO. — A Steve Hansen rocket at half-time ignited New Zealand’s second-half turnaround against Namibia at the Rugby World Cup yesterday, culminating in a breathtaking score from TJ Perenara.

The world champions were held to 10-9 after 30 minutes by Namibia, a country that doesn’t have a professional league, before they poured on 47 unanswered points after half-time to win 71-9.

The crowning glory was their 11th and final try, when Brad Weber threw a behind-the-back pass to Perenara, who was tackled just short of the line but leapt to avoid going into touch and grounded the ball in the corner from mid-air.

“It was a special one, it even got me out of my seat and not too many things do that,” said a deadpan Hansen.

The victory puts New Zealand on the verge of the quarter-finals as they moved to the top of Pool B with one game to play, against Italy, next Saturday.

Perenara, who is usually a scrum-half but was playing at fly-half outside Weber, shrugged off his fabulous score which will be a contender for try of the tournament.

“I knew I had the ball down, I just thought that my feet were out to be honest. Ten (Helarius Kisting) makes a good tackle on me and tried to get my feet in the air. I thought he had kept me down,” he said, praising Weber’s pass.

“It was pretty cool — he’s a skillful player. I was screaming that I would be on the left and he sort of shaped right and threw it behind his back.” Hooker Dane Coles said head coach Hansen had been furious with his players at half-time, giving them one of the biggest dressing-downs he’s experienced.

“It was one of the better ones I’ve heard. And rightly so, to be fair. We deserved it,” said Coles, rating it as a nine or 10 out of 10.

“It was good, a bit old-fashioned, you don’t really see that too much these days. But I think it was just what we needed to get things going,” he said.

“When that first word came out of his mouth I knew something was on.” — AFP.