Rugby World Cup 2023 Semifinals preview, lineups, predictions،
Eight becomes four! After a weekend of some of the best rugby ever played, will the semi-finals live up to expectations? And who will secure their place in the final?!
Read ahead for team rosters and previews.
– RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023: Teams | Calendar | Ranking | Podcast | Injuries
Friday October 20
Argentina vs New Zealand – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. GMT)
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Tele’a, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Samuel Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (captain), Ardie Savea.
Substitutes: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papali’I, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia, Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julián Montoya (captain), Francisco Gómez Kodela, Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Facundo Isa.
Substitutes: Agustín Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Rodrigo Bruni, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matías Moroni.
Verdict: The All Blacks knocked out many favorites Ireland in one of the World Cup’s great quarter-finals last Saturday, and now they must overcome Michael Cheika’s Pumas. Argentina will take inspiration from managing to secure their first ever win against the All Blacks in Christchurch in 2022, but New Zealand have won their last two meetings and will look to make up for their sorrows in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup when they lost to England.
New Zealand make two changes from the team that beat Ireland with Mark Telea returning on the wing after he was ruled out of their quarter-final for disciplinary reasons. The other change sees Sam Whitelock start and Brodie Retallick named among the substitutes. Hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho gets the nod on the bench ahead of Dane Coles. For Argentina, they make a change: Gonzalo Bertranou starts at scrum-half ahead of Tomas Cubelli. If he comes on, Agustin Creevy will become the oldest player to play in a men’s Rugby World Cup semi-final, at the age of 38 years and 219 days.
This clash between the southern hemisphere powerhouses should be fascinating, with Cheika certainly having something in store for Ian Foster’s All Blacks, but it will be New Zealand who emerge as favourites.
Advice: New Zealand by 8.
-Tom Hamilton
Saturday October 21
England vs South Africa – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9:00 p.m. local / 6:00 a.m. AEDT / 8:00 p.m. UK)
England:
South Africa:
Verdict:
Advice: