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Nepo Laulala earns All Blacks’ first RWC yellow card after high shot on falling Namibian runner

October 6, 2019

All Blacks props Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tu'ungafasi became the first All Blacks at this year's Rugby World Cup to be carded.

The All Blacks restarted the game after a conceding a third penalty goal to Namibia in Tokyo this afternoon but it wasn't long before they were in trouble again as the ref in charge asked the TMO to review contact made by Laulala moments after the kick.

Namibian winger Lesley Klim took the kick and immediately looked to run the ball back, but was stumbling forward after shaking off some initial contact from the All Blacks chasers.

As a result, Klim ran into Laulala at a low position with his head and Laulala's arm making contact.

TMO replays showed the contact clearly, leaving referee Pascal Gauzere no choice but to hand out a yellow card to Laulala even though he acknowledged the "player fell down".

Tu'ungafasi also faced Gauzere's wrath later in the match after he made dangerous contact with Darryl de la Harpe in the 73rd minute.

The send offs were the 16th and 17th yellow cards handed out so far this World Cup through 27 games. There have also been five red cards already, with the All Blacks grateful they will be unlikely to see Laulala or Tu'ungafasi having an enforced spell on the sideline through suspension. 

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