Argentina v New Zealand live: Score and updates from the Rugby World Cup semi-final
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s coverage of the first Rugby World Cup semi-final as Argentina look to upset the All Blacks in Paris. By any measure, New Zealand should make it through to the World Cup final. They are bang in form, judging by their latest outing against Ireland, they have done it before, … Argentina is set to face New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup semi-final, aiming to upset the All Blacks in Paris. This marks the first time New Zealand has progressed to the World Cup final, following their recent outing against Ireland. Despite previous losses to New Zealand and Ireland, New Zealand's current crop of players have proven themselves capable of challenging any of the great All Blacks teams. This victory would be the biggest coup in their history for head coach Ian Foster, who departs at the end of this tournament.
نشرت : منذ عامين بواسطة Helen في Sports World
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s coverage of the first Rugby World Cup semi-final as Argentina look to upset the All Blacks in Paris.
By any measure, New Zealand should make it through to the World Cup final. They are bang in form, judging by their latest outing against Ireland, they have done it before, and their current crop of players possess a blend of talent and experience to rival any of the great All Blacks sides. But if there is one team who have proved a persistent thorn in the side of head coach Ian Foster throughout his tenure, it’s Argentina.
New Zealand’s first ever defeat to Los Pumas in the 2020 Rugby Championship sent shockwaves through the rugby world. Replays of Argentine enforcer Pablo Matera’s death stare after pulling off yet another turnover in that game are still enough to send shivers down the spine of and All Blacks fan. In the wake of the fixture, New Zealand newspapers called for Foster’s head. He may well have fallen but for the intervention of several key players, including Sam Whitelock.
Then in 2022, with New Zealand struggling for form after a series defeat against Ireland, Los Pumas scaled the dizzying heights of rugby’s Olympus to overcome the All Blacks 25-18 in Christchurch. Complete the hat-trick tonight, and Argentina will have pulled of the biggest coup in their side’s history. It would also be the final nail in the coffin for Foster, who departs at the end of this tournament.
Both sides got off to a rocky start at this World Cup and have since managed to fly under the radar. New Zealand were written off by many pundits after suffering their biggest ever defeat to South Africa on the eve of the trournament. They were then humbled 27-13 by France on the opening night in Paris. But if there is one defining trait that characterises this All Blacks side, it is their ability to bounce back from adversity. They proved it following their two previous losses to Argentina, and they proved it in the rest of their group-stage games, clearing out all before them.
Against Ireland last week, in what will surely go down as one of the greatest games in World Cup history, the All Blacks produced what was close to the perfect rugby performance. In 80 minutes of rugby, they did not make a single handling error, and with their discipline prized the game away from Andy Farrell’s side.
More of the same tonight and it will take one heck of a performance from Argentina to stop them from marching to their fifth World Cup final.
المواضيع: Rugby, World Cup, New Zealand, Argentina