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Date: 2023-12-08 08:18:05 | Author: PFF | Views: 502 | Tag: games
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Michael Cheika refused to assess the entirety of Argentina’s Rugby World Cup campaign or his tenure as head coach of the Pumas games
Coming off a harrowing 44-6 semi-final defeat to New Zealand in which they’d been totally outclassed in every facet of the game, perhaps his reticence was understandable games
Next Friday’s third-place play-off against the loser of the second semi-final games between England and South Africa merely provided a handy excuse games
It’s a game that players don’t want to play, spectators don’t want to watch and media don’t want to cover but it did give Cheika a week’s buffer to collect himself before he will have to answer the tough questions games
“I can’t do that straight away,” said Cheika when asked to assess his time in charge of Argentina, which comes to an end after this World Cup games
“I haven’t finished yet games
“I know we won’t win World Cup but I’m happy to be at this level and they deserve to be here games
Their play, ambition, ability to raise themselves after the first game [a pool-stage loss to England] games
It’s another obstacle but we can be proud of our team and our capacity to deal with obstacles games
Next week we have a game to play, at the end of the World Cup we will summarise and assess it games
”The players were similarly on message with their adamance at the importance of the worst game in rugby games
“There is one more game left, one more final,” said flanker Marcos Kremer games
“We want to leave this World Cup winning and we are going to do everything to make it happen games
”“We are going to prepare like a final games
We are not satisfied with being here games
We want a medal and we are going to fight for that," added wing Mateo Carreras games
The value of a third-place play-off in an event defined by a trophy, rather than a medal podium, and its place in an already over-saturated playing calendar is a debate for another time but the Pumas can only keep the wolf at the door for so long games
They will soon have to address exactly what happened in the second-most one-sided World Cup semi-final of all time – the eventual margin of defeat just narrower than the All Blacks’ 49-6 triumph over Wales in 1987 games
The All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France (Getty Images)Three times in their rugby history, Argentina have reached the semi-final stage of the World Cup, with three losses to show for it games
They have scored just one try across those 240 minutes and have a combined losing margin of 76 points games
The celebrations and lap of honour after beating Wales in the quarter-finals in Marseille a week ago suggested that, deep down, the Pumas believed they had come as far as they could in this tournament games
Both history, and the performance that followed against New Zealand, made it a self-fulfilling prophecy games
They hardly imposed themselves on the All Blacks at the Stade de France games
Phases of attack came to a grinding halt once they reached the All Black 22, with the ball inevitably jackalled away, the defensive line was torn to shreds by their opponents’ quick hands and clever lines, the scrum was splintered by a dominant New Zealand pack and basic handling errors defined the game games
Frankly, it wasn’t a match befitting a World Cup semi-final and ensured the Pumas book-ended their tournament (barring next Friday’s bronze-medal irrelevance) with abject displays, after the lifeless opening loss to 14-man England games
It is hardly a squad bereft of talent games
The experience of Julian Montoya and Agustin Creevy leading the front row is complemented by an exciting, dynamic back-row trio of Juan Martin Gonzalez, Kremer and Facundo Isa that should be able to match almost any opposition games
While questions remain at nine and 10, a back three of Mateo Carreras, Emiliano Boffelli and Juan Cruz Mallia is explosive enough to give any team fits games
Argentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat (Getty Images)Perhaps a semi-final appearance shouldn’t be sneered at games
Yes, they benefitted from being in the considerably weaker half of the draw but it equalled their best World Cup performance and you can only beat who’s in front of you games
On paper, Cheika’s tenure – since taking the reins from the sacked Mario Ledesma in early 2022 – will be viewed as a success games
A first-ever win over the All Blacks in New Zealand last summer and a World Cup semi-final is not a bad return games
But in terms of the ‘eye test’, the Pumas never looked like an elite side and there’s a nagging feeling that they haven’t moved forward under the Australian games
Cheika’s preferred coaching style of creating a ‘siege mentality, us against the world’ environment always seemed at odds with the largely personable Argentina squad games
Media availability was limited – perhaps a poor fit for the historically open Pumas – and a bubble created around the team games
Putting your stamp on things in just an 18-month period is tough, with Felipe Contepomi always slated to become head coach after the World Cup and learning the ropes as part of Cheika’s coaching team in the interim games
The legendary Pumas fly half, who is also a cult hero at Leinster following playing and coaching spells there, will likely provide a different strategy in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup and it will be fascinating to see what he’s taken from his time working under Cheika games
As for the Australian, he departs with his reputation certainly not damaged and maybe even enhanced games
The 56-year-old will undoubtedly be in demand around the rugby world and should be able to have his pick from a number of exciting coaching opportunities games
“It is not a sad moment,” insisted Cheika in the aftermath of defeat in Paris games
“It’s a moment I’m proud of my team games
We were in the semi-final of a World Cup games
”Yes, they were games
But the suspicion that there was a version of this Pumas side that still had more to give remains games
More aboutMichael CheikaArgentina rugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Argentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerThe All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerMichael Cheika led Argentina to a World Cup semi-final but they were trounced by New Zealand Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today games
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New Zealand head coach Ian Foster says he’ll watch the second semi-final at the Rugby World Cup with popcorn in hand as he waits to find out who they will face in next Saturday’s final games
The All Blacks thumped Argentina 44-6 at the Stade de France in the first semi-final on Friday evening as the best quarter-final weekend in the tournament’s history was followed by a damp squib to open up the last four games
The second semi-final in Paris on Saturday evening should be a closer affair as England face South Africa, although the Springboks are heavy favourites to repeat their victory from the 2019 World Cup final games
The winners will take on New Zealand in the showpiece next weekend and Foster is adamant he has no preference as to who his side face, although he is looking forward to watching the clash and is also eager to use the additional day’s rest the All Blacks will have ahead of that encounter to his advantage games
“I’ll be watching it [England vs South Africa], probably have some popcorn,” said Foster in his post-match press conference games
“I don’t care who wins games
We’re very much in a focus on ourselves stage games
“What the extra day [of preparation] does give us is a chance to have a break mentally and not spend too much juice worrying about who it is that we’ll play next week games
“They’re both good teams games
South Africa are playing some brilliant rugby but we’ve also seen the English team build away quietly games
They’re starting to get really good at how they want to play games
It should be an interesting contrast of styles games
”Foster has endured some tough times during this World Cup cycle with the normally dominant All Blacks struggling at times and his job security being called into question games
Ian Foster has helped guide New Zealand to the World Cup final (REUTERS)The fact they have reached a record fifth World Cup final, and the team appear to be having fun, could be seen as vindication for the head coach but he was keen to dismiss any notion of a personal revenge mission games
“There’s not a personal agenda here, this is about the All Blacks and the team,” explained Foster games
“Things have happened to individuals and to me, but the team comes first games
Right now we’re making a lot of those decisions together as a group and it is working well games
“You have to enioy your work games
It’s not like it’s a focus for us to go out there and have fun, but to make sure we execute our game to the level we need to games
The team takes a lot of pride when they do that games
“The work the players and leaders are doing is a real credit to them games
As you go through tournaments, you have to enjoy it games
There is a lot of pressure, so if you don’t celebrate moments, it is a long old time games
“I am proud to be part of this group, the coaches are linking well with the players and there is a nice synergy about it games
But you know, one more week games
”More aboutIan FosterAll BlacksNew Zealand rugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foes‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foesIan Foster has helped guide New Zealand to the World Cup final REUTERS‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foesIan Foster will watch the England vs South africa semi-final with bated breath REUTERS✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today games
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsgames BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy games
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