At the end of a match that they outrageously dominated, the All Blacks defeated the Pumas (44-6) and qualified for their 5th World Cup final. They will find South Africa or England there.
23:40 – See you tomorrow
Thank you everyone for joining us to follow the first semi-final of the world Cup rugby which saw New Zealand make short work of Argentina. See you tomorrow for the second semi-final for a remake of the 2019 final between England, the last European representative, and South Africa, defending champion and defeater of France.
23:30 – The New Zealand demonstration, the match summary
As a symbol, Nicolas Sanchez wants to play in the 83rd minute, three minutes after the siren, this last penalty but his diagonal kick does not find the touchline but the arms of Telea. Until the end nothing worked for the Pumas, who were crushed in the semi-final, not invited to the party. Opposite, the New Zealanders didn’t even explode, far from the outpourings of joy of last week. Not the slightest reaction except these satisfied faces, barely affected by the effort. A contrast that says everything about the crazy intensity of the previous tour and the evening walk. Because the All Blacks left nothing, not even the slightest try to their rivals from the Southern Hemisphere, to open the doors wide to the World Cup final.
The pre-match speeches, the encouragement, the calls to remember that the Pumas had done it before, these were quickly shattered by the merciless reality. The suspense lasted three minutes, time for a first spirited attack from the Argentines. We then thought that they had taken the match from the right end but that was the only moment when they led the score. A few minutes later, on their first foray, the New Zealanders responded with a first try from Jordan. The beginning of the lone rider of black stallions. These would feed off the countless imprecisions and clumsiness of the opponents.
At the break, the gap was 14 points ahead and the public whistled in the face of a sluggish spectacle. Argentina was KO standing and would continue to take hits. From the restart, Gonzalez committed a forward reception. Behind a conquering scrum, Smith mystified Bertranou with a fake pass to the outside, took the interval and went for the try. Barely time to digest when Frizell scored a double, taking advantage of a furious breakthrough from Mo’unga. Although the Pumas struggled, they had nothing to oppose to the solidity and rigor of New Zealand.
The end of the match was not much better for the South Americans who continued to sink and saw Jordan score a hat-trick, to become the top scorer of the tournament with 7 tries, one better than Penaud. First almost by walking to finish the work at the end of the line, then all alone after a 55 m race where he eliminated three defenders, including poor Boffelli lobbed by the precise footwork of the neo-winger. Zeeland. Enough to give scale to the score and further materialize the undivided domination of the men in black as well as the gap which separates them from the Skies and Whites.
A week after trembling and faltering in a monumental quarter-final, the All Blacks played in a tasteless semi-final with suspense too quickly over to invite themselves to the world final for the fifth time. It will be in a week and it will be a completely different story where the adversity promises to be completely different against the South Africans or the English.
23:10 – Argentina not invited
The Pumas knew they had to play the perfect match to finally reach the World Cup final but like in 2007 and 2015, they failed in the semi-final. Montoya and his band will, however, try to match the selection’s best result in the event by going for third place as Pichot and his team did.
23:05 – Whitelock in history
Already a double world champion, Samuel Whitelock will write a new page of legend next Saturday. Indeed, for his 153rd selection, the future Palois will play his 3rd World Cup final (2011, 2015 and therefore 2023). He will thus become the first player to have this honor.
23:00 – The fifth for the Blacks
By easily dominating Argentina, New Zealand qualified for the fifth time in its history in the World Cup final. Their record is currently very positive since they have been crowned three times, with only one failure in 1995 against South Africa in…South Africa.
22:53 – New Zealand qualified for the final
Never worried for 80 minutes, New Zealand inflicts a correction on Argentina and reaches the Cup final for the first time since 2015 (44-6). The All Blacks made no details and passed 7 tries to the Pumas, valiant in the fight but far too limited and perpetrators of too many technical faults to hope for better.
22:49 – Mo’unga too greedy
The New Zealanders advance into the Argentinian 22 meters after a good conquest in touch. The play develops wide on the right where Mo’unga can shift Jordan at the end of the line but prefers to play personal and is stuck on the ground 2 m from the opponent’s goal. The Blacks lose the ball.
22:46 – Very close to the interception
Boffelli goes forward and is very close to intercepting the New Zealand pass but Telea manages to bring him back into his camp and move forward. Too bad for the Argentine winger who then had the field cleared to go for the test.
22:44 – Mo’unga’s failed conversion (6-44)
Mo’unga is not successful against the posts and misses another transformation.
22:43 – Jordan try (6-44)
And three for Will Jordan who pushes the Argentinians a little further. Coming out of the touchline, the winger offers himself inside and is served by Savea. He then escapes, leaves Sanchez there before playing for himself at the Boffelli lobbing foot before going to finish after a 55 m race.
22:41 – Moroni plays in touch
After recovering from a hazardous foot play behind McKenzie’s back and followed by no one, Moroni raises. He walks towards the group and types to follow but again no one followed. The ball goes into touch in front of the 22m mark.
22:39 – In front of Savea
The All Blacks held off Argentina’s previous attack at 14-15 and moved the game back to the center of the field near the halfway line. With their forwards, they concentrate the play in the axis but on the launch to the right, Savea wants to go too fast and commits the forward.
22:37 – The changes continue
Over the last 3 minutes, 6 changes were made. For the Pumas, Montoya, Chocobares, Isa, Santiago Carreras and Gallo left the pitch, in favor of Creevy, Moroni, Bruni, Sanchez and Sclavi. For the All Blacks, Cane gives way to Papali’i.
22:35 – Card for Scott Barrett!
On the ground in the group, Scott Barrett extends his arm to hinder the Argentinian’s launch of the game. If it was not taken live, it is taken by the patrol on video. Yellow card against the New Zealand second row.
22:32 – Relaunch aborted
The Argentines are under pressure in their 22m and Mallia attempts a daring, almost suicidal recovery from his goal. With a feint, returning inside, he erases a New Zealander but is caught by a second. By wanting to give to a partner, he commits en-forth.
22:31 – Another failure for Mo’unga (6-39)
Sticking to the touchline on the left, Mo’unga rolls his attempt too far which passes to the left of the posts.
22:29 – Jordan try (6-39)
At the end of a new sequence without a hitch, and with a big contribution from the forwards in particular Williams who managed to cross the sky and white curtain, Jordan comes to flatten in the goal at the end of the line, signing a double like Frizell.
22:28 – New Zealanders back within 22m
The Pumas are valiant but multiply the mistakes on the ground. Two consecutive fouls and here are the All Blacks with a touch to negotiate on the Argentinian 22m line.
22:27 – Argentinian infertility
On the New Zealand 22m line, the Argentinians struggle with the balance of power and are trapped there since Gallo commits the forward.
22:25 – An Argentinian reaction
On the left wing, Mateo Carreras escapes three defenders to launch the Argentinian offensive. He found support upwind with Kremer. Behind, Santiago Carreras opens with his foot diagonally for Boffelli. The latter takes the inside interval for Mallia who is caught by Mo’unga. The New Zealanders finally made a mistake and the Pumas chose the touchline to try to score a try in this semi-final.
22:23 – New Zealand quadruple change
In the 56th minute, Ian Foster decided to rotate and recalled Groot, Lomax, Smith and Beauden Barrett to the bench to start Williams, Newell, Christie and McKenzie.
22:20 – The rebound against Jordan
The Pumas defend hard and advance. They push back the All Blacks. Jordie Barrett sees the hole in the back and hits diagonally towards Jordan but the rebound escapes the winger who commits the forward 15 meters from the South American goal.
22:19 – The Blacks rule the roost in the scrum
Once again, the New Zealand pack gained the upper hand over the Argentinian one and collected a penalty which allowed Jordie Barrett to get a throw-in inside the Pumas’ 22m.
22:17 – Burst of changes
Just after New Zealand’s 5th try, in the 51st minute, the two coaches made changes. On the Argentinian side, Gomez Kodela and Bertranou leave the pitch in favor of Bello and Bazan. On the New Zealand side, Taylor gives way to Taukei’aho.
22:15 – Transformation of Mo’unga (6-34)
Mo’unga adjusted his sights and shifted to the left at 30 meters, he did not tremble to increase the gap in favor of the All Blacks.