The All Blacks have been expressing their desire for a “tomorrow” following this Rugby World Cup semifinal all week. On a stormy night in Paris, New Zealand defeated Argentina 44-6 because they desired a significant conclusion to the season.
By the 17th minute, all Argentinean upset aspirations had been dashed. The All Blacks’ second try gave them a vice-like hold on the game, and the machine clicked with its brutal, accustomed efficiency. In their triumph, New Zealand rarely faltered, advancing them to their seventh World Cup final for men.
Everything seemed to be destined to happen. Those supporters holding onto the dream that Argentina would somehow recreate its historic triumphs against the All Blacks in 2020 and 2022 were quickly brought crashing back to reality.
New Zealand entered this semifinal as the overwhelming favorite and pledged all week long to prevent a repetition of 2019 when England eliminated them from the World Cup at this point. The guys in black shed tears that day, and they did it once more after their historic quarterfinal victory over Ireland in this same stadium last Saturday. However, these were sighs of relief at a chance at atonement.
The All Blacks’ camp had been talking all week about lessons learned while also trying to separate themselves from a redemption story and instead center everything around potential and the future. In contrast to last time’s hollow bronze medal match, they discussed wanted there to be a reason to be enthusiastic about Monday this time.
And that mindset was exemplified in this performance. Their skill set was so polished that they were able to make the technically challenging look easy, from loosehead to fullback. Their handling was flawless. It must be very challenging to stop the All Blacks wave when Sam Whitelock is flinging passes out of the back of his hand and props, locks, and back rows are executing sweeping movements with the same comfort and ease as their outside backs. And then there’s Will Jordan, a vicious finisher who won with a hat trick, only the third man in men’s semifinal history to do it after Adam Ashley-Cooper and Jonah Lomu.
Three tries were scored by the All Blacks in the first half, with Jordan scoring the first. Each was a lesson in tenacity, precision, and patience. They sucked in the Argentine defense with a catch-pass for their first goal, putting Will Jordan over in the corner. Rieko Ioane broke through the disorganized Pumas defense for their second try, and eventually, with Whitelock at the center of both scores, it was Jordan who set up Jordie Barrett to score as he outmuscled three Argentinean players to dot the ball down. The third, which virtually put an end to the game, featured more patient play, a lesson in drawing defenders in, and creating space outside for Shannon Frizell to enter.
At this point, the Pumas had fought bravely, as they always do, but there had been no miracle of Marseilles as they had pulled off the previous weekend against Wales. This time, they failed to discover the solutions. Argentina’s coach, Michael Cheika, appeared angry in the first half, possibly due to several calls made by Angus Gardner that were unfavorable to his team. At halftime, he was seen patrolling the touchline. But when he saw Frizell mark the ball, he decided that was enough and started to walk down the tunnel.
The halftime 15-minute stretch can do wonders for teams, but Argentina failed to make a comeback. In the 42nd minute, with many spectators still making their way back to their seats, Aaron Smith continued to put pressure on Argentina before darting over. From there, flashes of the Argentina side—which so many people love and cherish—came into view, but Frizell added another, so this was all about New Zealand.
The Mexican Wave began at the 50-minute mark, with booing heralding the end of the cascade, but it was a sign of a dejected mood among the 77653 spectators there. The All Blacks fans enjoyed seeing their team check off the necessary steps to advance to another World Cup final as Argentina’s fans intermittently erupted into song. Early on, there was a magnificent performance of Les Marseilles.
It became a matter of load management and trying out new combinations for the All Blacks while maintaining a thorough performance from the first to the last minute. Despite the All Blacks emptying their bench, they’d still have time for two more tries with Jordan scoring both, his third a magnificent effort (and earning Scott Barrett a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on).
The All Blacks had suffered six losses in a row just over a year earlier. It was game over for head coach Ian Foster. Prior to the World Cup, they fell to South Africa in a record-setting defeat and lost to France in their opening match. When it comes to possible World Cup champions, they weren’t often considered in the same breath as France or Ireland. But this team’s harshness, or beauty, lies in their ability to perform at their best when it counts. This is about building to a crescendo when the strain is really on, pre-tournament form be damned.
Think again if you thought they had already played their World Cup final after their historic victory against Ireland. This was the most professional performance you’ll see in a semifinal, and New Zealand will be confident that they can win their fourth men’s World Cup the following weekend. As if it was ever in doubt, the All Blacks’ commanding victory meant they would have a “tomorrow” and a final to prepare for.