The All Blacks beat Ireland in the quarter-final (28-24) on Saturday October 14 and qualified for the final four of the World Cup. They will face Argentina in the semi-final at the Stade de France. The Irish lost their eighth quarter-final in a World Cup.
Published on: 10/14/2023 – 10:52 p.m. Modified on: 10/14/2023 – 11:23 p.m.
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New Zealand defeated Ireland (28-24), the world No.1 team, at the end of a match of immense intensity, Saturday October 14 at the Stade de France. She joins Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, who eliminated Wales.
Faded for several summers, the black jersey regained all its majesty by winning the showdown against the Greens, favorites for the World Cup after their success in the first round against the South African title holders (13-8).
The tenth World Cup is still not the right one for the XV du Trèfle, which has never yet crossed its glass ceiling of the quarter-finals.
While the siren had sounded for two minutes and 20 seconds, veteran Samuel Whitelock, the most capped in the history of the All Blacks (151), put an end to the Irish dream by putting them at fault after 37 minutes of play. ‘apnea. A feat that few would have predicted before the tournament when Ian Foster’s team was coming off a historic rout against South Africa in preparation (35-7).
Back at the top, as their demonstration against Italy (96-17) could suggest, the three-time world champions New Zealand led their quarter-final from start to finish and now appear as serious contenders for a fourth coronation.
The All Blacks solid in numerical inferiority
“It was a really great game, a battle. I’m really proud of the guys. Ireland set the tone, and I want to send them love,” commented flanker Ardie Savea, named man of the match. .
Little kicking play and construction sites around the rucks where the third line of the All Blacks rose to the level of that of the No. 1 team in the world, the one which had just piled up 17 successes in a row.
Flanker Shannon Frizell, who has cleared the land of the long white cloud since this summer, hampered the feverish Irish on the sidelines and pushed Clover into a foul or turnover, in a double blade with his captain Sam Cane or Ardie Savea, author of a try (10-18, 34th).
A match on the wire with a level of physical intensity that is difficult to maintain. As soon as it subsided, the New Zealanders were punished. At the end of the first period, by a yellow card inflicted on Aaron Smith who lacked lucidity with a voluntary forward (37th) allowing the Irish, in numerical superiority, to score. Then at the edge of the last quarter of an hour when fern hooker Codie Taylor also received a yellow card and caused a penalty try by collapsing an Irish ball carried (64th).
But even outnumbered, the All Blacks held on afterwards. As against France, the XV at La Fougère was spicy in its first-hand play, as when its winger Will Jordan concluded a breakthrough from his opener Richie Mo’unga after a touch (25-17, 53rd).
Previously, Leicester winger Fainga’anuku, who owes his place only to the sanction of Mark Telea, guilty of not having respected the greening, had sent the All Blacks into orbit (13-0, 19th) after a one-two with his center Rieko Ioane and a breakthrough at the foot of Beauden Barrett.
Enough to launch his team towards a ninth semi-final in ten editions of the World Cup.
With AFP