New Zealand beats Ireland (24-28) in a match to the limit and reaches the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup
What are these players in black like? The All Blacks arrive at the World Cup, lose the first game and create doubts among their fans. They then give away a few beatings and in the first round they send home the rival who was presented as the favorite. Tonight they did it in a clash with excitement until the last moment, almost like staggering gunmen.
The New Zealanders are already – again – in the semi-finals by eliminating an Ireland that could have won and lost with greatness. Barren consolation for an eternal curse. Once again, there are now eight, the XV of the club has not been able to make it past the quarterfinals.
The first major battle of an exhausting encounter was fought in the Irish 22nd. Up to thirty phases linked New Zealand, converted into a tunnel boring machine. And the defense resisted many others. The black striker had to settle for three points (0-3) from a penalty shot in front of the green wall. The game, back and forth, went to the other end of the field. And there the Irish had no fruit. Nor to the second raid, when the ball was lifted one meter from the line. Worrying.
Ireland seemed outmatched on the ground and in discipline – five hits committed in 17 minutes and 0-6 – but they devoured meters when they turned on their associative game. The first blow was, however, New Zealand. A hanging kick recovered by the defender gave way to a numerical superiority along the wing and a try by the flanker Fainga'anuku (0-13 in the 20th minute).
But this Ireland has a virtue that it has built in recent years: it plays by memory. And it also has two veteran midfielders who took control of the game at the worst moment.. Sexton reduced the distance with his foot (3-13) and between him and Gibson – Park they began to launch deep attacking screens, to move the ball, to feed the vertical Bundee Aki, who in one of his starts ended up posing (10-13 ).
If Ireland advanced at a rapid pace, the All Blacks seemed better settled. As always, lethal in the opposite 22, where they exert suffocating pressure. Their second test (10-18) did not allow them a break. Because scrum-half Smith was sent off for 10 minutes and, with numerical superiority, Ireland pressed, pressed and pressed until they achieved their second record.. 17-18 at halftime.
A duel of offensive gales was expected from the match. It was in the first half. The second started at a run and the New Zealand flyhalf Mounga invented a gap at a full gallop. A 40-meter breakaway, a ball given at the precise moment to wing Jordan, a test to reopen the differences (17-25). On the green team, the infallible Sexton missed an affordable shot with sticks. Another bad omen. The Irish came out of the setback spurred on. They looked for the touche on the next shot and the serve ended in a maul, a penalty try (24-25) and the exclusion of a rival for ten minutes.
Outnumbered, the All Blacks looked for the sticks in each infraction. On the second attempt, Jordi Barrett added three vital points (24-28). Ireland, launched, started another blow, another touche at 22 and another maul that entered the rehearsal area but failed to land. It would cost him the game.
When it seemed that New Zealand's trade would leave no choice, the Irish found themselves with one last possession in their own half. They began a slow advance, a trench war, phase by phase, until they accumulated more than 30. They finally entered the opposing 22nd. Already exhausted. Their captain Sexton was barely walking. Neither they could release the ball nor could the All Blacks risk an infringement that would facilitate a try. Attack against defense, strength against patience, shoulder against shoulder. Nobody gave in, rugby until exhaustion.
Ireland drowned, losing the ball a few meters from the try. A great team leaves the World Cup after a heroic clash. Their line-up of contenders for the title is now left to the players in black.
Argentina, in the semifinals after coming back from Wales
New Zealand's rival in the semifinals will be Argentina, first hidden, then doubtful and from now on an unknown. They beat Wales in a match that was presented with an uncertain prognosis. Since crashing in their initial clash against England, the American team had shown above all insecurities. The European fifteen, on the contrary, had counted their matches by victories in the first phase and reached the quarterfinals well above the low expectations with which they arrived at the tournament..
The Argentine Moroni avoids a try by the Welshman Rees-Zammit AP
Wales stuck faithfully, no surprise, to their plan. Hang the kick and go to the dispute, or look for Rees-Zamitt's runs on the wing. And, above all, the defense: 87 tackles to the opponent's 35 in the first half. With less ball but clearer ideas, he started a try after a break in the center and added a penalty blow to open a gap on the scoreboard. 10-0 at the passing of the 20th minute, an appreciable distance. The spirited Argentina, always forward with the ball in hand, was lost in inaccuracies.
And yet, Wales did not know how to sentence. He threw three touches that way in the rival 22, three opportunities without a reward, three forgiveness for the injured Pumas. The Argentines had also left without points from a very long play just meters from the rival line. In the second incursion they could not set up the maul but at least they scored a penalty hit (10-3). And in the last rush, an avoidable Welsh infraction gave them another shot at sticks (10-6). Four points down at half-time doesn't seem like a good result; For Argentina, from what we saw, it was very good.
With recovered spirit and renewed intensity, the Pumas jumped into the second half.. In their first offensive they almost scored and reduced the gap (10-9). And, taking advantage of the dominance they were gaining on the ground, Bofelli activated the cannon to hit a punishing blow from 55 meters (10-12).
When the team was going up, the Argentine initiative collapsed due to a defensive mistake. In the rival 22, the Welsh scrum-half Williams started above the ruck and found no opposition to pose (17-12). The British had the score again and the will to tackle until exhaustion. The ball, despite himself, was already touching more ground than sky, closer than far from his try line.. Argentina, increasingly comfortable, lived in foreign territory, gaining meter by meter with its eyes on the grass. With ten minutes left, Sclavi scored the try for the comeback (17-19).
It was Wales' turn to play, a tackle by Moroni at the speed of the AVE stole the decisive mark from the dangerous Rees-Zamitt when he was going to pose. And on the second attempt, Sánchez stole the ball in midfield and went straight to the goalposts to finish (17-26). There would still be three more points. The Dragons say goodbye with their heads held high. Irregular, with ideas at times fused, trusting to their forward, the Pumas advance to the semifinals. There they have nothing to lose. And even less against New Zealand.