No surprise: thanks in particular to a hat-trick from Will Jordan, New Zealand defeated Argentina on Friday at the Stade de France (44-6) to claim the fifth World Cup final in its history, in ten editions, against South Africa or England. This time they did not have to defend their line for 37 minutes of play in a suffocating end to the match, as during the peak of intensity reached last week in the quarter against Ireland (28-24). They did not even have to exert their talent to tame the Pumas who only had their valor and their enthusiasm to oppose them frankly.
The All Blacks move closer to a fourth coronation
After dismissing the Irish favorites at the cost of a huge fight, the All Blacks, superior in almost all areas, quietly moved closer to their fourth world title. It will be next Saturday in a Stade de France that they are starting to know well, facing the winner of the second semi-final on Saturday between the South African title holders and the English XV de la Rose.
Often respected in rugby, sporting logic would dictate that the winner would be the Springboks, defeaters of France on home soil, who inflicted on New Zealand their only setback so far in a world final, in 1995. They had also suffered the heaviest defeat in its history (35-7) in a preparation match, at the end of August, at a time when we were still wondering what this team was really worth, having gone through unusual turbulence over the last two years.
Will Jordan equals record of eight tries scored in a World Cup
Ian Foster’s men, whose position as coach hung by a thread for a long time, have clearly gained momentum since then and Argentina has been able to see it. Despite their voluntary start to the match, we quickly had the impression that the South Americans, helpless, could play all night without crossing the opposing defensive curtain more than twice.
The All Blacks have almost done it every time they wanted, like Will Jordan. Thanks to his hat-trick (11th, 62nd and 73rd), the winger equals the record of eight tries scored in a World Cup, co-held by his compatriots Jonah Lomu (1999) and Julian Savea (2015) and the South African Bryan Habana (2007). Jordie Barrett (16th), Shannon Frizell, twice (40th + 2 and 49th) and Aaron Smith (42nd) also participated in the offensive festival of the New Zealanders (seven tries), whose staff even offered the luxury of spinning quickly in preparation for the finale.
The Argentines, despite this third failure in the last four after 2007 and 2015, will be able to be satisfied with their tournament, which they had laboriously started with a defeat against England (27-10). In reconstruction after the disappearance of the Jaguares, the Super Rugby franchise which brought them cohesion and stability, they still have a third place to seek next Friday. Against an opponent who is undoubtedly much weaker.