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Jordie Barrett credits 'the big boys' for winning big moments in semi-final
The 2023 Rugby World Cup final has its first participant: the three-time world champion All Blacks. The bronze final awaits for their defeated semi-final opponent, Argentina.
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Both teams made just shy of 200 tackles in a match where New Zealand winger Will Jordan Claimed a hat-trick, tying the record for most tries in a single Rugby World Cup campaign with on match to spare.
A total of seven tries were registered by the Kiwis while each of Los Pumas’ efforts fell short, unable to cross the chalk throughout the 80 minutes.
Among the many impressive performances, New Zealand’s second five-eighth Jordie Barrett was awarded Man of the Match.
Barrett shared match-highs in tackles (19) and carries (10), frequently searching for work around the ruck among the forwards as well as performing his role superbly in the midfield.
“It’s so sweet,” he gleefully exclaimed after the match. “It’s new territory for this group. We slipped at the semi-final hurdle four years ago.
“I am just so proud of this group. It’s not done yet. We will have a very tough match regardless of who we have next week. It’s another week, which we are so grateful for.
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“The conditions actually helped us a little bit. We were able to go forward and put their skillset under a wee bit of pressure with the greasy ball.
“One to eight laid a massive foundation for us. Scrum penalties and some maul penalties took the sting out of their legs. The big boys did an outstanding job.”
In progressing to the final, the All Blacks go one step further than their 2019 effort wich saw the team dismantled by England before playing off for third.
“It’s new territory for a lot of boys but there are also World Cup winners and World Cup finalists so we will call on their experience as much as we can. We are just going to enjoy the week as much as possible. It’s special times.”
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Either England or South Africa will meet New Zealand in the final, both potential opponents having played in the 2019 final in Japan.
New Zealand captain Sam Cane was part of the All Blacks team in 2019 to watch that final from afar, forced to rue crucial mistakes that would haunt the team for four years.
“It means a heck of a lot,” Cane said after the match. “It was a tough game out there tonight.
“I thought our forwards did an outstanding job – set-piece, maul time, earned a few penalties, got a bit of dominance and it kept a lot of pressure on the Argentinians. We knew they’re a team that will fight for everything and they wouldn’t go away. So that ability to keep piling on points was pleasing.
“We are in a good spot, in the final, exactly where we wanted to be. Amazing support, a lot of black jerseys out here. I know there will be heaps at home cheering us on too so it’s going to be an exciting week ahead.”
One final opponent sits between the All Blacks and a fourth engraving on the Webb Ellis Cup, and the Kiwis will take plenty of positives out of their semi-final into the big dance.
Cane said his side’s ability to win big moments was crucial.
“Yeah, it was tight. We managed to get a couple of tries early but then it was a real arm wrestle for a while.
“The scrum penalty just before half-time, we were able to kick for touch. We had numerous phases and then Shannon Frizell scored right on half-time, and then those couple of minutes after half-time when Aaron Smith scored, I thought they were really crucial moments. Pretty stoked.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
153 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
153 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
153 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
153 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
153 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
153 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
153 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
153 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
153 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
153 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
153 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
153 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
153 Go to commentsHo hum.
153 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
153 Go to comments