Rugby World Cup 2023 Daily Thirty-seven phases of All Blacks grit،
These daily files will give you the latest coverage from the World Cup as well as betting lines, what to watch and the best reads. Tune in to ESPN throughout the tournament for the latest news from France.
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THE TRACK: Thirty-seven phases of All Blacks courage
Thirty-seven phases of All Blacks courage.
That’s what it took for New Zealand to get over the line on Saturday night in Paris, as Ireland threw everything they had at the All Blacks in a fierce final offensive raid, only to see its term ended by Sam Whitelock.
With this, Ireland had the opportunity to progress beyond the quarter-finals for the first time, equal the Tier 1 Test match record of 18 consecutive victories and extend skipper Johnny Sexton’s career by at least another week.
But it was not to be, as New Zealand produced a powerful defensive effort – they made 226 of 257 tackles – with an exhaustive final sequence where they just had to grit their teeth, keep on get up from the bridge, then jump when the moment arrives.
And that’s exactly what Whitelock did.
“I was like everyone else, relieved because we had defended for several phases, but I just felt like I was in the right place,” Whitelock said modestly. “I missed one earlier, so it’s really nice to get one at the end.”
Whitelock again started on the bench, but played a vital role late in the game alongside fellow blockers Brodie Retallick and Scott Barrett, who had already shouldered a heavy defensive workload.
This was the case for a number of All Blacks, who restricted Ireland to three tries, including a penalty try, while Jordie Barrett produced arguably the decisive play of the match by holding out Ronan Kelleher as the replacement hooker was withdrawing from the side. from a maul and seemed certain to score.
“I’m not sure I was in a [with] so many phases, but many times you are challenged, and if you actually look at the whole game, especially the first two phases [early in the match]we had the ball for a long time,” Whitelock said.
“So both teams just showed they weren’t ready to submit, both teams showed they wanted to play with the ball and both teams were very good defensively tonight.”
Their skipper, Sam Cane, had one of his finest games in an All Blacks jersey while Ardie Savea was in everything as usual. The duo made 37 tackles and worked superbly in tandem on several occasions, a fact that was not lost on Whitelock.
“Yeah, I think everyone had a really big defensive game,” the veteran lock said. “There were a few big shots and I can definitely think of one when Sam came off the line and put a good shot in, I don’t know who it was at, and Ardie got the ball straight away.
“And it’s great when the attackers work together and put pressure on the opposition. It was great to see them do that tonight.”
AROUND THE CUP: Biggar bids farewell to international rugby
Dan Biggar finished his Wales career playing on one leg. He limped around the Stade Vélodrome, still giving his all in his famous jersey, battling the pain, but even he – one of the country’s greatest fly-halves – did not have one final moment of magic. He wasn’t ready for this journey to end, but that’s the brutality of knockout rugby. There is no sentimentality.
He was eventually substituted in the 74th minute in their eventual 29-17 defeat. He had played the previous 10 minutes at inside center, covering the absence of Nick Tompkins as he underwent evaluation for a head injury. But this defeat should not be the lasting memory of Biggar’s Welsh career – the journey has been much more than that.
He will continue to play at Toulon, but for now – barring an appearance in the Barbarians match after the Rugby World Cup, or a late change of heart – it’s over for him and Wales.
“He was a great servant of Welsh rugby,” Gatland said of Biggar. “He’s had some incredible ups and downs too, when I remember him as a youngster and how he’s matured and developed as a player. It’s been pretty special.
“He has made the decision to end international rugby. For us we probably won’t have Gareth Anscombe available either. We have young Sam Costelow – we think he will be quite special in the future, there has a lot of growth in his game.” But Dan has been an incredible servant. He really wants to win, he wears his heart on his sleeve and that’s one of the great accolades he’s brought to this team over the years. “
Cheika wants more from Pumas despite unfair departure
Michael Cheika didn’t really buy into the idea that Argentina managed to upset their Rugby World Cup. He had just watched his Pumas team beat Wales 29-17 in Marseille, just five weeks after being knocked out by 14-man England 27-7 on the same patch of sun-baked grass, but he was phlegmatic about the whole process.
“I don’t think there’s been a drastic turnaround,” Cheika said. “We knew the first match would be a bit difficult on our part. We learned a lot because there were a lot of new world champions. I think they learned a lot from this match in terms of handling takedowns. The football in what was not knockout football – every game since has been knockout.”
This mentality helped lead Argentina to its third World Cup semi-final berth in five tournaments. It’s a brilliant comeback, and their latest foray into the last four is partly thanks to the experience of Cheika, who took Australia to the semi-finals in 2015. But Cheika is far from finished.
“I’m pretty happy to be here,” Cheika said. “A semi-final won’t be the end, that’s what I expect. It seems pretty obvious but the teams playing in Paris already seem to be in the semi-final and final. We’re happy but it’s not “It’s not the last step, we want to go further.”
But their trip to Paris will have to wait. The Pumas will not go there until Monday, to the great dismay of Cheika as the All Blacks are watching them.
“We can’t go until Monday,” Cheika said. “We won’t do anything [on Sunday]. We will be traveling on Monday so we will lose a day of preparation. THE [All Blacks] will obviously already be in Paris awaiting their semi-final. This will have to change. I cannot implement the normal preparation phase in the short time I have available.”
PREVIEWS
England v Fiji
Steve Borthwick’s big England squad selection call saw Marcus Smith named at full-back and Owen Farrell back at fly-half. George Ford was therefore moved to the bench with Freddie Steward on the 23. The other change saw Elliot Daly return to the starting line-up with Joe Marchant at outside center and Manu Tuilagi at No.12. It’s the boldest move of Steve Borthwick’s tenure as he looks to bring the game to Fiji and have a host of counter-attacking weapons at his disposal.
For Fiji, they include 10 of the 15 starters against England in their win last August in their line-up with the brilliant Semi Radradra on the left wing as Tevita Ikanivere earns his first Rugby World Cup start.
It should be a fascinating and exciting occasion in Marseille on Sunday as England look to book their place in the World Cup semi-finals for the second competition in a row while Fiji aim to reach the last four for the first time.
Expect England to try and control the pace as much as possible while Fiji will look to improve on their shock defeat to Portugal last time out.
TAB (tab.com.au): England $1.30, -9.5 $1.95; Fiji $3.50, +9.5 $1.85
France versus South Africa
Box office drama. That’s what awaits them in the final quarter-final of the 2023 World Cup, with the defending champions taking on the in-form hosts for a place in the last four. France have only lost once in the last two years, that defeat to Ireland earlier this year, and the tournament hosts have been preparing for this moment: three weeks of knockout rugby for the glory of world Cup.
They received a monumental boost on Friday when Antoine Dupont was named No.9, the Blues talisman and skipper has not fully recovered from the fractured cheekbone he suffered against Namibia, but when will even did enough to prove his fitness to be able to play. .
The Springboks, meanwhile, brought Manie Libbok back to No.10 and partnered him with Cobus Reinach, while Duane Vermeulen was selected at No.8 over Jasper Wiese; Coach Jacques Nienaber also opted for a 5-3 split bench just weeks after their 7-1 scoreline against Ireland. The coach says it’s about managing the tactical game at the foot of France.
Incredibly, these two sides have not met at a Rugby World Cup since 1995, when the Springboks outlasted France in a rain-soaked semi-final before lifting the trophy on home soil. France may not have the same discourse behind it of unifying the country, but there is a wave of support and the conviction that this really is their year. Still, it will take an incredible 80 minutes of performance in a match likely to see several significant momentum shifts.
TAB (tab.com.au): France $1.74, -1.5 $1.85; South Africa $2.10, +1.5 $1.95
CALENDAR
Quarter-finals
Saturday October 14
Quarter-final 1: Wales v Argentina – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5:00 p.m. local / 2:00 a.m. AEDT / 4:00 p.m. UK)
Quarter-final 2: Ireland vs New Zealand – (Stade de France Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
Sunday October 15
Quarter-final 3: England vs Fiji – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5:00 p.m. local / 2:00 a.m. AEDT / 4:00 p.m. UK)
Quarter-final 4: France vs South Africa – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
Semi-finals
Friday October 20
Semi-final 1: Argentina vs New Zealand – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
Saturday October 21
Semi-final 2: Quarter-final winner 3 vs Quarter-final winner 4 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9 p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8 p.m. UK)
Third place
Friday October 27
Semi-final finalist 1 vs semi-final finalist 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
Final
Saturday October 28
Semi-final winner 1 vs Semi-final winner 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
