Uruguay beat Namibia in Lyon to record their first pool win at the Rugby World Cup and deny the African nation a first win in the competition.
Two early tries from Gerswin Mouton and JC Greyling, along with the boot of Tiaan Swanepoel, put Namibia in control at half-time.
Uruguay responded in the second half through tries by Baltazar Amaya, Santiago Arata and Bautista Basso.
Namibia prop Desiderius Sethie was then sent off to end any hope of history.
Uruguay came into the fixture as favourites after impressing against France to deny the hosts a bonus-point win before leading at half-time against Italy.
Namibia head coach Allister Coetzee rotated his squad for last week’s meeting with France, which ended in a 96-0 defeat, to focus on claiming a first World Cup win for the nation on their 26th attempt in their final match at this year’s tournament.
The strategy appeared to be working in the opening stages, with Mouton scoring an intercept try after just a minute. But four games in 18 days for Namibia began to take its toll in the second period, as two pieces of individual magic from full-back Amaya and Arata put Uruguay ahead for the first time.
The two scores came with prop Johan Coetzee in the sin bin, as discipline proved to be the African side’s major downfall. Captain Tjiuee Uanivi was next to be yellow-carded before replacement Sethie saw his yellow card upgraded to a red for making direct head contact with an upright tackle.
The win is Uruguay’s fourth in their World Cup history, with their final game of the pool against New Zealand next Thursday.
For Namibia, the wait for a first win at the tournament rolls on.
Line-ups
Uruguay: Amaya; Basso, Perez, Vilaseca (capt), Freitas; Etcheverry, Arata; Sanguinetti, Kessler, Arbelo, Aliaga, Leindekar, Ardao, Civetta, Deus.
Replacements: Pujadas, Gattas, Piussi, Rodriguez, Dosantos, Ormaechea, Berchesi, Alonso.
Sin bin: Dosantos (76)
Namibia: Loubser; Mouton, Izaacs, Burger, Greyling; Swanepoel, Stevens; Benade, Van Jaarsveld, Coetzee, Ludick, De Klerk, Gaoseb, Uanivi (capt), Hardwick.
Replacements: Van der Westhuizen, Sethie, Shifuka, Van Lill, Katjijeko, Booysen, Theron, Van der Bergh.
Sin bin: Coetzee (48) Uanivi (62)
Red card: Sethie (63)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
