Pool B of the 2019 Rugby World Cup began on 21 September 2019. The pool included title holders New Zealand and third-placed team from 2015 South Africa, while Italy also joined the pool after finishing third in their pool in 2015. They were joined by the African qualifier, Namibia, and the repechage winner, Canada.
Neither of the final two matches in the pool were played due to the effects of Typhoon Hagibis; New Zealand were a point behind South Africa, who had played all four of their matches, going into the final game against Italy, so the two points awarded for the cancelled match saw New Zealand take top spot in the pool, while Italy finished third behind South Africa. Neither Namibia nor Canada managed a win in their first three matches, and the cancellation of their final match meant they finished level on points, with Namibia finishing higher on points difference.
Overview Pool B started with New Zealand beating South Africa 23–13. New Zealand opened their scoring with two tries in four minutes from George Bridge and Scott Barrett giving New Zealand a 17–3 lead at half-time. Pieter-Steph du Toit scored a converted try to bring the score back to 17–10 but two penalties from Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett sealed the result. In Higashiōsaka, Italy conceded an early try against Namibia before running away with a bonus-point victory by 25 points. Italy earned a second bonus-point victory in Fukuoka, scoring seven tries in a 48–7 demolition of Canada. Over in Toyota, South Africa defeated Namibia by 54 points, scoring nine tries while Namibia could manage only a Cliven Loubser penalty in the 23rd minute. New Zealand recorded their second victory of the World Cup with a 63–0 victory over Canada at Ōita Stadium. For New Zealand, Brad Weber scored his first two tries in international rugby with the Barrett brothers (Jordie Barrett, Beauden Barrett and Scott Barrett) each scoring a try as they became first trio of brothers to start for New Zealand.
New Zealand would continue their demolition of their opponents with a 62-point win over Namibia in Chōfu, with the floodgates opening in the second half after Namibia restricted the All Blacks to 24 points in the first half. Sevu Reece, Ben Smith and Anton Lienert-Brown scoring two tries in the match. Between the two New Zealand games, South Africa romped over Italy with Cheslin Kolbe scoring two tries as the South Africans won 49–3 in Fukuroi. This was followed by a 66–7 victory over Canada with Cobus Reinach scoring the fastest hat-trick in World Cup history, with his three tries being scored in a space of 11 minutes. The final two matches of the group would not be played as Typhoon Hagibis would see the cancellation of the New Zealand–Italy and Namibia–Canada matches. At the end of the pool stage, New Zealand finished on top of the table with South Africa finishing second.
Standings
Matches All times are local Japan Standard Time (UTC+09)
New Zealand vs South Africa
FB 15Beauden BarrettRW 14Sevu ReeceOC 13Anton Lienert-BrownIC 12Ryan Crotty LW 11George BridgeFH 10Richie Mo'unga SH 9 Aaron Smith N8 8 Kieran Read (c)OF 7 Sam Cane BF 6 Ardie SaveaRL 5 Scott Barrett LL 4 Sam WhitelockTP 3 Nepo Laulala HK 2 Dane Coles LP 1 Joe Moody Replacements:HK 16Codie Taylor PR 17Ofa Tu'ungafasi PR 18Angus Ta'avao LK 19Patrick Tuipulotu FL 20Shannon Frizell SH 21TJ Perenara CE 22Sonny Bill Williams FB 23Ben Smith Coach: Steve Hansen FB 15Willie le RouxRW 14Cheslin KolbeOC 13Lukhanyo Am IC 12Damian de AllendeLW 11Makazole MapimpiFH 10Handré PollardSH 9 Faf de Klerk N8 8 Duane VermeulenOF 7 Pieter-Steph du ToitBF 6 Siya Kolisi (c) RL 5 Franco MostertLL 4 Eben Etzebeth TP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Malcolm Marx LP 1 Steven Kitshoff Replacements:HK 16Bongi Mbonambi PR 17Tendai Mtawarira PR 18Trevor Nyakane LK 19RG Snyman FL 20Francois Louw SH 21Herschel Jantjies CE 22François SteynCE 23Jesse Kriel Coach: Rassie Erasmus Player of the Match: Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France) Karl Dickson (England) Television match official: Graham Hughes (England) Notes: Duane Vermeulen (South Africa) earned his 50th test cap.
Italy vs Namibia
FB 15Jayden Hayward RW 14Edoardo PadovaniOC 13Tommaso BenvenutiIC 12Luca MorisiLW 11Mattia BelliniFH 10Tommaso Allan SH 9 Tito Tebaldi N8 8 Sergio Parisse (c)OF 7 Maxime MbandaBF 6 Braam Steyn RL 5 Federico Ruzza LL 4 Alessandro ZanniTP 3 Tiziano Pasquali HK 2 Luca Bigi LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Oliviero Fabiani PR 17Simone Ferrari PR 18Marco Riccioni LK 19Dean Budd FL 20Jake Polledri SH 21Guglielmo Palazzani FH 22Carlo Canna WG 23Matteo Minozzi Coach: Conor O'Shea FB 15Johann Tromp RW 14Chad PlatoOC 13Justin Newman IC 12Darryl de la HarpeLW 11JC GreylingFH 10Cliven LoubserSH 9 Damian Stevens N8 8 Janco VenterOF 7 Wian ConradieBF 6 Rohan Kitshoff RL 5 Tjiuee Uanivi (c)LL 4 PJ van Lill TP 3 Aranos Coetzee HK 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld LP 1 André Rademeyer Replacements:HK 16Louis van der Westhuizen PR 17AJ de Klerk PR 18Nelius Theron LK 19Johan Retief FL 20Max Katjijeko WG 21PJ Walters SH 22Eugene Jantjies SH 23TC Kisting Coach: Phil Davies Player of the Match: Federico Ruzza (Italy)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales) Federico Anselmi (Argentina) Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa) Notes: PJ Walters (Namibia) made his international debut. Darryl de la Harpe (Namibia) earned his 50th test cap.
Italy vs Canada
FB 15Matteo MinozziRW 14Tommaso Benvenuti OC 13Michele CampagnaroIC 12Jayden HaywardLW 11Giulio BisegniFH 10Tommaso Allan SH 9 Callum Braley N8 8 Braam Steyn OF 7 Jake PolledriBF 6 Sebastian NegriRL 5 Dean Budd (c)LL 4 David Sisi TP 3 Simone Ferrari HK 2 Luca Bigi LP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Federico Zani PR 17Nicola Quaglio PR 18Marco Riccioni LK 19Federico Ruzza FL 20Maxime Mbanda SH 21Guglielmo Palazzani FH 22Carlo Canna WG 23Mattia Bellini Coach: Conor O'Shea FB 15Pat ParfreyRW 14Jeff Hassler OC 13Ben LeSageIC 12Nick Blevins LW 11D. T. H. van der MerweFH 10Peter NelsonSH 9 Gordon McRorie N8 8 Tyler Ardron (c)OF 7 Lucas Rumball BF 6 Mike Sheppard RL 5 Josh LarsenLL 4 Conor KeysTP 3 Matt Tierney HK 2 Eric Howard LP 1 Hubert Buydens Replacements:HK 16Benoît Piffero PR 17Djustice Sears-Duru PR 18Jake Ilnicki LK 19Luke Campbell FL 20Matt Heaton SH 21Jamie Mackenzie CE 22Ciaran Hearn FB 23Andrew Coe Coach: Kingsley Jones Player of the Match: Jake Polledri (Italy)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England) Karl Dickson (England) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Djustice Sears-Duru (Canada) earned his 50th test cap. This was Italy's biggest winning margin at a Rugby World Cup.
South Africa vs Namibia
FB 15Warrick GelantRW 14S'busiso NkosiOC 13Lukhanyo Am IC 12François SteynLW 11Makazole MapimpiFH 10Elton JantjiesSH 9 Herschel Jantjies N8 8 Schalk Brits (c)OF 7 Kwagga Smith BF 6 Francois LouwRL 5 Lood de JagerLL 4 RG Snyman TP 3 Vincent Koch HK 2 Bongi Mbonambi LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:PR 16Steven Kitshoff PR 17Thomas du Toit LK 18Eben Etzebeth FL 19Siya Kolisi LK 20Franco Mostert SH 21Cobus Reinach CE 22Damian de Allende WG 23Cheslin KolbeCoach: Rassie Erasmus FB 15Johann TrompRW 14Chad Plato OC 13JC GreylingIC 12PJ Walters LW 11Lesley KlimFH 10Cliven LoubserSH 9 Eugene JantjiesN8 8 Adriaan Booysen OF 7 Max KatjijekoBF 6 Thomasau Forbes RL 5 Tjiuee Uanivi (c)LL 4 Johan RetiefTP 3 AJ de Klerk HK 2 Louis van der Westhuizen LP 1 Des Sethie Replacements:HK 16Obert Nortjé PR 17André Rademeyer PR 18Aranos Coetzee FL 19Prince ǃGaosebFL 20Janco Venter FL 21Wian Conradie WG 22TC Kisting CE 23Johan Deysel Coach: Phil Davies Player of the Match: Lood de Jager (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia) Andrew Brace (Ireland) Television match official: Graham Hughes (England)
New Zealand vs Canada
FB 15Beauden BarrettRW 14Jordie BarrettOC 13Jack Goodhue IC 12Sonny Bill Williams LW 11Rieko IoaneFH 10Richie Mo'ungaSH 9 TJ Perenara N8 8 Kieran Read (c)OF 7 Matt Todd BF 6 Shannon FrizellRL 5 Scott BarrettLL 4 Patrick Tuipulotu TP 3 Angus Ta'avao HK 2 Liam Coltman LP 1 Atunaisa MoliReplacements:HK 16Codie Taylor PR 17Ofa Tu'ungafasi PR 18Nepo Laulala LK 19Sam Whitelock FL 20Ardie Savea SH 21Brad Weber CE 22Ryan Crotty FB 23Ben Smith Coach: Steve Hansen FB 15Pat Parfrey RW 14Jeff HasslerOC 13Conor TrainorIC 12Ciaran HearnLW 11D. T. H. van der Merwe FH 10Peter NelsonSH 9 Gordon McRorie N8 8 Tyler Ardron (c)OF 7 Matt HeatonBF 6 Lucas RumballRL 5 Conor Keys LL 4 Evan Olmstead TP 3 Cole Keith HK 2 Eric Howard LP 1 Djustice Sears-Duru Replacements:HK 16Andrew Quattrin PR 17Hubert Buydens PR 18Jake Ilnicki LK 19Mike Sheppard LK 20Josh Larsen SH 21Phil Mack WG 22Taylor Paris FB 23Andrew Coe Coach: Kingsley Jones Player of the Match: Richie Mo'unga (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France) Alexandre Ruiz (France) Television match official: Marius Jonker (South Africa) Notes: Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett and Scott Barrett became the first trio of brothers to start for New Zealand in a World Cup match, and the first to all start in a World Cup match since Elisi Vunipola, Manu Vunipola, and Fe'ao Vunipola all played for Tonga in 1995. The Barrett brothers also became the first trio of brothers to all score a try in the same match. Richie Mo'unga's eight successful conversion attempts is the most without missing in a Rugby World Cup match.
South Africa vs Italy
FB 15Willie le RouxRW 14Cheslin Kolbe OC 13Lukhanyo Am IC 12Damian de AllendeLW 11Makazole Mapimpi FH 10Handré PollardSH 9 Faf de Klerk N8 8 Duane Vermeulen OF 7 Pieter-Steph du ToitBF 6 Siya Kolisi (c)RL 5 Lood de Jager LL 4 Eben Etzebeth TP 3 Frans Malherbe HK 2 Bongi Mbonambi LP 1 Tendai Mtawarira Replacements:HK 16Malcolm Marx PR 17Steven Kitshoff PR 18Vincent Koch LK 19RG Snyman LK 20Franco Mostert FL 21Francois Louw SH 22Herschel Jantjies CE 23François Steyn Coach: Rassie Erasmus FB 15Matteo MinozziRW 14Tommaso Benvenuti OC 13Luca Morisi IC 12Jayden HaywardLW 11Michele CampagnaroFH 10Tommaso AllanSH 9 Tito Tebaldi N8 8 Sergio Parisse (c) OF 7 Jake PolledriBF 6 Braam SteynRL 5 Dean Budd LL 4 David Sisi TP 3 Simone Ferrari HK 2 Luca BigiLP 1 Andrea Lovotti Replacements:HK 16Federico Zani PR 17Nicola Quaglio PR 18Marco Riccioni LK 19Alessandro Zanni LK 20Federico Ruzza FL 21Sebastian Negri SH 22Callum Braley FH 23Carlo Canna Coach: Conor O'Shea Player of the Match: Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France) Alexandre Ruiz (France) Television match official: Rowan Kitt (England) Notes: Sergio Parisse played in his 15th World Cup match, an Italian record. Andrea Lovotti became the fourth player to receive a red during the 2019 World Cup, matching a tournament high set in 1995 and 1999. With injuries to both the starting tighthead and reserve tighthead for Italy, scrums went uncontested from the 18th minute. No replacement was issued for Cheslin Kolbe.
New Zealand vs Namibia
FB 15Ben SmithRW 14Sevu Reece OC 13Jack Goodhue IC 12Anton Lienert-BrownLW 11George BridgeFH 10Jordie BarrettSH 9 Aaron Smith N8 8 Ardie Savea OF 7 Sam Cane BF 6 Shannon FrizellRL 5 Sam Whitelock (c)LL 4 Brodie Retallick TP 3 Nepo Laulala HK 2 Codie Taylor LP 1 Joe Moody Replacements:HK 16Dane Coles PR 17Ofa Tu'ungafasi PR 18Angus Ta'avao LK 19Patrick Tuipulotu FL 20Matt Todd SH 21Brad Weber SH 22TJ Perenara WG 23Rieko Ioane Coach: Steve Hansen FB 15Johann TrompRW 14Lesley KlimOC 13Justin NewmanIC 12Johan Deysel (c) LW 11J. C. Greyling FH 10Helarius KistingSH 9 Damian Stevens N8 8 Janco VenterOF 7 Thomasau Forbes BF 6 Prince ǃGaosebRL 5 Tjiuee UaniviLL 4 P. J. van Lill TP 3 A. J. de Klerk HK 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld LP 1 André Rademeyer Replacements:HK 16Obert Nortjé PR 17Nelius Theron PR 18Aranos Coetzee LK 19Johan Retief N8 20Adriaan Booysen SH 21Eugene Jantjies CE 22Darryl de la Harpe CE 23Janry du Toit Coach: Phil Davies Player of the Match: Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England)