RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina
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Interesting that Coles was on media duties. If they are worried about workload of a few forwards, Whitelock and Coles could move into the starting side without any drop off in quality/experience
@Duluth said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Interesting that Coles was on media duties. If they are worried about workload of a few forwards, Whitelock and Coles could move into the starting side without any drop off in quality/experience
I was actually thinking that they could bring Sami T back in for the Argies. Given it’s still early in the week Coles may have been used because he’s an experienced head and he played against Ireland.
Sami T started that demolition test of Argentina in Hamilton last year. Although it was Coles and Taylor earlier this year in the win in Mendoza.
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@Victor-Meldrew unsure if he is.
There's nothing crueller in rugby than playing for third place at a Rugby World Cup.
Rather than draw a line under failure to win a semi-final, two teams' plans have to turn to playing for bronze, in a match that no side ever wants to play in.
For All Blacks veteran Dane Coles, doing so at this year's tournament in France is an outcome he's determined to avoid at all costs.
Dane Coles celebrates.
Dane Coles celebrates. Photo credit: Getty Images
With last weekend's victory over Ireland in Paris, the All Blacks have bought themselves another week at the World Cup, and will now face Argentina at the Stade de France on Saturday (NZ time) to book their spot to play for the Webb Ellis Cup.
But if there was any extra motivation needed, the All Blacks need look no further than what happened four years ago.
In eerily similar circumstances, Sir Steve Hansen's side put everything into a quarter-final win over Ireland, only to fall flat against England a week later, and end up facing Wales for third to finish their tournament.
This time around, though, the All Blacks assert those lessons have been learned. In his final days as an All Black, Coles knows the highs and lows of World Cups.
A winner in 2015, the 36-year-old also had to end his campaign with bronze in Japan.
And now, as he prepares for the end of his professional career altogether, Coles wants to sign off playing for New Zealand's fourth World Cup triumph.
"I don't want to be playing in a third/fourth game again, like we did in 2019," said Coles. "That's my motivation. It's a s**t week if I'm being brutally honest, playing for third and fourth, getting knocked out of a semi.
"Regardless of who you're playing, it doesn't matter. You're playing in the semi-final of a World Cup.
"If you don't turn up, you're in for a week that tests you mentally, physically and emotionally.
"I want to make sure I turn up. Wherever I am this week, regardless of playing the Pumas, [I'll] try to get another Monday.
"It's not [about] who the opposition is, it's about us getting to the ultimate goal of playing a World Cup final. All our energy is in this semi-final."
Given the nature of the shorter, six-day turnaround, the All Blacks' week becomes even more difficult.
Mentally, the team have to completely remove success against Ireland from their minds, and prepare for the challenge of Los Pumas.
And given the way the team peaked in the quarter-final four years ago, Coles says the All Blacks can't settle for anything other than improvement.
"We'll take a lot of confidence, but we have to go to another gear," he said. "We've all seen, the World Cups are very different, with the results over the weekend.
Dane Coles and Ardie Savea.
Dane Coles and Ardie Savea. Photo credit: Getty Images
"They're going to be a different beast. It wasn't that long ago that we lost to them in New Zealand for the first time.
"We know when they're in a good spot, and they turn up, they're a physical team. It's crucial we lift to another gear and go again."
Argentina's recent history against the All Blacks is nothing to be baulked at either.
In the Ian Foster era, Argentina defeated New Zealand for the first time in 2020 with a backs-to-the-wall win in Syndey.
Then, last year, Los Pumas went one better, and defeated the All Blacks on home soil in Christchurch, the test after Foster saved his job with victory away in Johannesburg.
As part of both All Blacks sides to have suffered those losses, Coles admits the fear of doing it again on the biggest stage is fuelling his need to win come Saturday.
"I've been in the team that lost to them in Aussie, lost to them in New Zealand," he said. "That caused the team a lot of hurt. I personally still have that fear.
'Fire in everyone's belly': All Blacks want more after toppling world No.1 Ireland
"That fear drives you. It's good to have that knowledge, let it energise you and get you to a place where you need to be."
All up, the All Blacks have played Argentina 36 times, winning 33 losing two and drawing one.
In World Cups, the two sides have met three times, with the All Blacks winning all three.
Join Newshub from 8am Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Argentina Rugby World Cup semi-final
Ta for that
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@Kiwiwomble said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@Joans-Town-Jones said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@Kiwiwomble said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@frugby said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Will it change how we reflect on Foster?
not for me, i dont view the RWC like some, his role in making watching the AB so much less enjoyable over the last four years isn't outweighed by winning it.
Whether he wins or not, the Irish series, the hidings to France, SA and Argentina are inexcusable. I congratulate Foster for getting the job done to date in the RWC but a RWC win doesn't erase 4 years of pain. There are some records in there that will never get back.
i actually dont like him as a person from what i see in the press conferences etc...he actually seems bloody smug and unapologetic...would happy give everything away to win the RWC and think thats fine
I think Foster seems considerably more likable than Hansen ever was.
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@Rancid-Schnitzel that clip has spawned so many amazing memes
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Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
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Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
@KiwiMurph said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
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Angus Gardner (Australia) will referee Argentina v New Zealand in Saint-Denis on Friday, 20 October (21:00 CET). He will be joined by assistant referees Nic Berry (Australia) and Karl Dickson (England) with Ben Whitehouse (Wales) as Television Match Official.
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Gardner will referee Argentina v New Zealand for the fifth time in what is his first Rugby World Cup knockout match as a referee.
The Australian official was in the middle for Argentina's historic 25-15 victory in November 2020.
He also refereed their most recent meeting, won 41-12 by New Zealand in July, in the Rugby Championship.
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@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
No Joncker as TMO
Both teams dodged a bullet there.
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Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
@KiwiMurph said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
He’s not the only one
Shit call
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@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
No Joncker as TMO
Both teams dodged a bullet there.
@Billy-Webb said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
No Joncker as TMO
Both teams dodged a bullet there.
Whitehouse is as bad
He’s a fucking pest
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@Billy-Webb said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
No Joncker as TMO
Both teams dodged a bullet there.
Whitehouse is as bad
He’s a fucking pest
@MiketheSnow He isn't Marius though
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@KiwiMurph said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
Angus Gardner is the ref
I can hear @antipodean scream
@antipodean If NZ and Boks make it to final, Matt Carley to ref again
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@antipodean If NZ and Boks make it to final, Matt Carley to ref again
@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@antipodean If NZ and Boks make it to final, Matt Carley to ref again
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@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
So if Angus blows a calf, Berry or Dickson will take over
And if Smith blows a calf what's the plan.
Just saying. -
@Machpants said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
If not ABs, then England. I know they are a completely boring team with a right bunch of tossers who go on all the time. But if SA win, then they are the undisputed greatest rwc team ever. More wins than us, done the double, and in a few less games. And I'll take boring both over Rassie the cheating twat anyday
I don't care about any of that shit, we have the winning record over them, they're better at lottery comps. I'd rather you piss on my leg than England win.
@Nepia said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
@Machpants said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
If not ABs, then England. I know they are a completely boring team with a right bunch of tossers who go on all the time. But if SA win, then they are the undisputed greatest rwc team ever. More wins than us, done the double, and in a few less games. And I'll take boring both over Rassie the cheating twat anyday
I don't care about any of that shit, we have the winning record over them, they're better at lottery comps. I'd rather you piss on my leg than England win.
I'm happy to help you kill two birds with one stone, i'll buy you a pint and try and convince you not all England fans are dicks, then i'll piss on your leg.
As for this weekend, you're going to walk it.
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@stodders said in RWC SF: All Blacks v Argentina:
So if Angus blows a calf, Berry or Dickson will take over
And if Smith blows a calf what's the plan.
Just saying.
