Rugby World Cup news LIVE: Argentina and New Zealand name line-ups for semi-final clash
The Rugby World Cup semi-finals take place this weekend with England and South Africa completing the final four
The Rugby World Cup is quickly drawing to its conclusion with just three matches left to be played before one of the remaining four teams is crowned world champions. Argentina, New Zealand, England and South Africa are the final four teams left in the competition and will duke it out in the semi-finals this weekend for a place in the tournament’s showpiece.
First up is Argentina vs New Zealand. The Pumas reached the semi-finals having defeated Wales, rather comfortably in the end, 29-17 in their quarter-final clash while the All Blacks slugged it out against Ireland, just edging it past the world’s No.1 side 28-24. Now, the teams face each on Friday night with their starting XVs set to be announced later today.
On Saturday, England face current world champions, South Africa, in what should be a barnstorming encounter. Steve Borthwick’s side have had a relatively comfortable journey to the semi-finals but if they want to lift the trophy for the first time in 20 years then they will hope to continue their strong form. Their quarter-final win over Fiji was their strongest performance of the tournament so far but they’ll need to improve again against the Springboks.
Follow along for all the updates from the Rugby World Cup plus get all the latest odds and tips right here:
Argentina make single change for New Zealand semi-final
Michael Cheika has made only a single change to his starting Argentina side for the Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.
Gonzalo Bertranou replaces Santiago Cubelli at scrum half, with last week’s starting nine dropping out of the 23 entirely.
Otherwise, the rest of the matchday 23 is identical to that utilised in the quarter-final win over Wales in Marseille, with replacement hooker Agustin Creevy in line to become the oldest World Cup semi-finalist of all-time.
Argentina make single change for All Blacks semi-final
New Zealand pick team to take on Argentina
Head coach Ian Foster has named his New Zealand match-day 23 for his team’s semi-final against Argentina om Friday. Left-wing Mark Tele’a is back in the starting XV for Leicester Fainga’anuku.
Sam Whitelock comes into the second row as a straight swap for Brodie Retallick, who moves to the bench where he is joined by replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho, as Dane Coles drops out.
New Zealand XV: 15-Beauden Barrett, 14-Will Jordan, 13-Rieko Ioane, 12-Jordie Barrett, 11-Mark Tele’a, 10-Richie Mo’unga, 9-Aaron Smith; 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Codie Taylor, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-Samuel Whitelock, 5-Scott Barrett, 6-Shannon Frizell, 7-Sam Cane, 8-Ardie Savea
Replacements: 16-Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17-Tamaiti Williams, 18-Fletcher Newell, 19-Brodie Retallick, 20-Dalton Papali’i, 21-Finlay Christie 22-Damian McKenzie, 23-Anton Lienert-Brown
Argentina name team to face New Zealand
Argentina head coach Michael Cheika has brought in scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou for Tomás Cubelli in the only change from the team that beat Wales in the quarter-final, for their Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Saint-Denis on Friday.
Argentina XV: 15-Juan Cruz Mallia, 14-Emiliano Boffelli, 13-Lucio Cinti, 12-Santiago Chocobares, 11-Mateo Carreras, 10-Santiago Carreras. 9-Gonzalo Bertranou, 1-Thomas Gallo, 2-Julián Montoya, 3-Francisco Gómez Kodela, 4-Guido Petti Pagadizabal, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 6-Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7-Marcos Kremer, 8-Facundo Isa.
Replacements: 16-Agustín Creevy, 17-Joel Sclavi, 18-Eduardo Bello, 19-Matias Alemanno, 20-Rodrigo Bruni, 21-Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22-Nicolas Sanchez, 23-Matías Moroni
Argentina coach relishing chance to face New Zealand
Argentina coach Michael Cheika will relish seeing his side reach the Rugby World Cup final by beating the All Blacks in the semi-final on Friday.
“We knew the first game would be a bit rough for us. We learned a lot because there were a lot of first-time World Cuppers in there.
“They [his players] learned a lot from that game in terms of handling what is knockout footy in what wasn’t knockout footy – every game since has been knockout.
“Even in that game against England, we showed a lot of fight, but we didn’t handle the occasion well. We still gave it plenty. We have to remember in that game it was nine kicks, we didn’t give up a try.
“You have got to look at it with your playing roster, the team you are going to play, what the turnaround time is and just try and plan it out so it works to get a bit of flow.”
Warren Gatland plans to lead Wales at the 2027 World Cup
Warren Gatland is to remain as Wales head coach and lead them to the 2027 World Cup.
Gatland placed his future in the hands of the Welsh Rugby Union following his side’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to Argentina on Saturday.
The 60-year-old New Zealander, pointing to a break-up clause in his contract, said: “If the union want to get rid of me, that’s up to them.”
But asked at a press conference on Wednesday whether he will stay through to the next World Cup in Australia, Gatland said: “Absolutely. That’s the plan.”
Warren Gatland plans to lead Wales at the 2027 World Cup
All Blacks determined to face the Pumas
Defence coach Scott McLeod said the All Blacks were determined to get their preparations right for the semi-final with the Pumas at the Stade de France.
“I thought last week our detail, our energy and our focus was top class and it gave the players confidence to go out and execute that under pressure,” McLeod said. “In 2019, we didn’t do that as well in our week leading into England, and it’s not necessarily the opposition it’s just the quality of what we put into the week.
“Our captain Kieran Read couldn’t train and there were disruptions. So we have to make sure that we don’t have those disruptions and we build the week with the quality and the focus that we did last week. And we respect Argentina, they are a different beast to Ireland and we will slowly build the week. We have to get excited about that and we will.”
Antoine Dupont slams referee after France crash out of Rugby World Cup
France crashed out of a home Rugby World Cup in heartbreaking fashion as they went down to South Africa in one of the greatest matches of all time and Antoine Dupont slammed the refereeing in the aftermath of the loss.
A thrilling quarter-final at the Stade de France ended with the Springboks triumphing 29-28 as France’s last-gasp stand to try and find the single score that would have led them to victory came up agonisingly short, in an excruciatingly similar manner to Ireland 24 hours earlier at the same stadium.
In a match decided by the finest of margins, Les Bleus captain Dupont – whose recovery from a fractured cheekbone suffered just 24 hours prior had dominated the build-up to the game –was unhappy with referee Ben O’Keeffe and let rip in his post-match press conference.
Antoine Dupont slams referee after France crash out of Rugby World Cup
Johnny Sexton reflects on his career after Ireland’s devastating World Cup exit
Teary-eyed Ireland captain Johnny Sexton reflected on a “gutting” end to his glittering career following a heartbreaking World Cup exit at the hands of New Zealand.
Andy Farrell’s class of 2023 were bidding to make history in Paris by becoming the first Irish team to reach the last four of the tournament.
But the world’s top-ranked team trailed for most of an enthralling contest before falling agonisingly short as their quarter-final curse continued with a 28-24 loss.
Johnny Sexton reflects on his career after Ireland’s devastating World Cup exit
South Africa’s Handre Pollard expecting to face ‘ruthless’ England in semi-final
Fly-half Handre Pollard says the pressure of representing South Africa at the World Cup is a privilege as he bids to inflict more misery on England.
Pollard kicked 22 points in the 2019 final to guide the Springboks to glory with a 32-12 win and still remembers the disappointment etched on the faces of Eddie Jones’ men.
The fit-again Leicester playmaker is competing with Manie Libbok to start Saturday’s Paris semi-final after initially being overlooked for his country’s squad due to a calf injury.
South Africa’s Handre Pollard expecting to face ‘ruthless’ England in semi-final
Eddie Jones commits his coaching future to Australia
Eddie Jones has committed his future to coaching Australia and again denied speculation linking him with a return to Japan.
Australia crashed out of the Rugby World Cup at the group stage for the first time after defeats to Fiji and Wales, but the former England coach insists he has no plans to move.
“I’m staying mate,” he told reporters in Australia. “I’ve always been committed to Australian rugby, I want to leave it in a better place, and that’s still the job.”
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