New Zealand reset after Ireland high to tackle Argentina in Rugby World Cup semis

PARIS – New Zealand have reset from their win over Ireland to prepare for Friday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against Argentina, with the memories of losing at the same stage four years ago a “big driver”.

“Remembering the pain of it... that feeling helped us reset after what was an emotional game against Ireland and everything on the line last week,” said All Blacks scrum-half Aaron Smith.

“That’s been the big lesson for us, we are taking the positives, acknowledging the step we took.

“And rebuilding and finding the edge for what is another huge game for us... an opportunity for us to push forward in this comp, which is our ultimate dream.”

The All Blacks edged out Ireland, the then-world No. 1 team, 28-24 in a pulsating quarter-final while Argentina beat Wales 29-17 last Saturday.

“That was the most proud All Blacks performance I’ve been part of,” added Smith, a member of the New Zealand team who lost to England in the 2019 semi-finals.

“The build-up, the emotion, the game, the spectacle itself. It felt like that game went on for two days, that second half felt like forever. But it was so much fun and intensity and two teams just not giving up.

“We are lucky enough to have another opportunity this weekend and we want to be better than we were last week.”

Argentina went down 27-10 to 14-man England in their opening pool match, but have steadily improved.

However, their Australian coach Michael Cheika, who led the Wallabies to the World Cup final in 2015, was in no doubt about what lay ahead at the Stade de France.

“New Zealand have been playing for many years, they are the No. 1 team in world rugby. We know the challenge they represent,” he said.

“We know the challenges are getting harder and harder. The history is not in our favour but it is up to us to change that.

“We have a chance on Friday and we will be ready. When we arrive on the field we will do what we do best.

“In a World Cup semi-final they are dangerous everywhere. We have been training as best we can, we will be ready. We will see what happens.”

Cheika made just the one change to the starting XV from the one who surprised Wales in the quarter-finals.

He selected Gonzalo Bertranou at scrum-half at the expense of Tomas Cubelli, who drops out of the 23 altogether.

It was a similar story for New Zealand coach Ian Foster, who made two changes and one positional switch, including recalling Mark Telea.

The in-form winger was dropped against Ireland after breaking team protocol, but makes his return at the expense of Leicester Fainga’anuku, who drops out of the match-day 23 in what Foster called a “tough selection”.

“He’s been our form winger. We have got faith in him and think he is in good place to play this game,” he said of Telea.

History is indeed on New Zealand’s side, with the All Blacks winning 33 of 36 encounters between the two sides. Los Pumas claimed two victories, with one match drawn.

The Kiwis’ last loss to the South Americans, 25-18, came in 2022 in Christchurch, having first tasted defeat in the 2020 Tri-Nations in Sydney.

Their three meetings at the World Cup, however, have seen the All Blacks win each time with an average winning margin of 21 points, meaning Argentina will have to pull out all stops on Friday.

But Foster is not underestimating the opponents.

“Argentina have a rich history of overachieving at the World Cup and have done a fantastic job to get here at the same level we are, so it is going to be a heck of a game,” he added. AFP