The World Cup has distilled down to
two compelling semi-finals next weekend: tournament revelations Wales against
the great enigmas France and another instalment in the prickly All
Blacks-Wallabies rivalry.
The World Cup has distilled down to two compelling
semi-finals next weekend: tournament revelations Wales against the great
enigmas France and another instalment in the prickly All Blacks-Wallabies
rivalry.
The weekend's quarter-finals were absorbing battles of wills
with France bouncing back from their Tongan humiliation to oust their World Cup
nemesis England, and Wales winning the Celtic showdown with Ireland.
The backs-to-the-wall Wallabies somehow conjured a fighting
11-9 win to knock out defending champions South Africa, while New Zealand took
an hour before subduing Argentina's resilient Pumas.
So, after a month of eventful rugby, it's down to the last
four at Auckland's Eden Park this weekend.
Wales have been the tournament surprise, losing their opener
to the Springboks 17-16 but finishing pool runners-up with three wins before
mastering the Irish 22-10 in Wellington in the quarters last Saturday.
Ireland went in uplifted by a 15-6 ambush of the Wallabies in
their pool but they were no match for the youthful Welsh, who continue to
impress with their confidence and fearlessness.
It's Wales's first World Cup semi-final appearance in 24
years and optimism is bubbling in the Valleys.
"The Welsh players have achieved getting to the
semi-final of a World Cup and we don't think we're finished yet,"
assistant coach Rob Howley said.
But France, in common with Wales, are still searching for a
first World Cup title and 'Les Bleus' No 8 Imanol Harinordoquy said they too
had unfinished business at the tournament.
"We have to play two more games to do something really
big. This is the beginning, not the end."
France have won nine of their last 12 encounters with Wales,
including a 28-9 victory in the teams' most recent Six Nations clash in Paris
in March.
The All Blacks remain the bookmakers' favourites for their
first world championship since their inaugural 1987 triumph, which for Kiwi
fans seeking an omen was also on home soil and featured the same semi-finalists
-- although back New Zealand thumped Wales in the last four while France beat
Australia.
But injuries are beginning to take a toll on the top-ranked
team.
New Zealand lost fly-half Colin Slade and full-back centurion
Mils Muliaina with injuries in a brutal 33-10 win over the feisty Pumas at Eden
Park on Sunday.
Star goalkicker Dan Carter is already out of the tournament
and understudy Slade is now doubtful with a groin injury, leaving third-string
No 10 Aaron Cruden as New Zealand's remaining option heading into Sunday's
semi-final with Australia.
Cruden, who had not played at Test level since last year, was
on for the last 47 minutes against the Pumas after Slade went off and is now in
the hot seat.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry said the All Blacks would be
far better prepared for their semi-final after the Pumas' strenuous
examination.
The All Blacks have won 11 of their 13 past encounters with
Australia and have not lost to the Wallabies at their Eden Park citadel for 25
years.
But the Wallabies will be buoyed by the way they hung on to
edge out the Springboks in a match where South Africa were on top on the stats
sheets but not on the scoreboard.
"Whilst the All Blacks have dominated Australia in the
last couple of years on the scoreboard as far as statistics go, there's no
doubt the team will know you've never beaten us in a World Cup, you've lost in
two-semi finals to us," Australia's former World Cup-winning skipper Nick
Farr-Jones said.
An intriguing sub-plot will be the tactical jousting between
Henry and the Wallabies' Kiwi coach Robbie Deans.
"What you saw was the most experienced World Cup side
ever really turn the screws on the youngest," Deans said of the win over
the Springboks. "The boys came of age in the way they accepted that
challenge and stood up to it."
Source : AFP
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