A Saint-Denis,
FAVORITES
What intensity in this avant-garde finale! The second of the four quarter-finals of the weekend kept all its promises. Especially during a first period all fired up. New Zealand, three-time world champions, took the lead after a fantastic first half where the two teams went back to back with four tries (two for Ireland, two for New Zealand). The intensity barely died down after the break. Technical accuracy and enormous commitment. A masterpiece.
In the first half, we will not forget the feat of Bundee Aki. The adopted Irishman, born in New Zealand, scored his fifth try in this World Cup. The Connacht player delivered his own, dodging one, two, three, four All-Blacks to score the first try for the Greens (27th). After the break, the pace barely dropped. Mo’unga’s fantastic breakthrough left its mark. The men in black fly-half made a decisive acceleration to pass between van der Flier and Sheehan. He rushed into the green defense and gave the rocket Jordan (53rd), who scored his fifth try in this World Cup. Very, very high technical and physical level.
In this fight with flawless physical commitment, the three-time world champions repelled the too stereotypical green waves at the end of the match. However, they spent 20 minutes numerically inferior, but, admirable in their will, they did not give in. Veteran Samuel Whitelock, the most capped in the history of the All Blacks (151), put an end to the Irish dream by putting them at fault after 37 minutes of play in an unbreathable end to the match. Giant. Like the performance of Jordie Barrett (10 tackles out of 10 successful and an incredible save at the end of the match following an Irish maul.
CLAW STRIKES
Another failure for Ireland. For the eighth time in eight quarter-finals, the Greens lost at this stage of the competition. Sexton’s teammates remained on 17 consecutive victories. End of series. Foster’s men were the last to beat them. The green wall cracked. Ireland had never conceded more than 16 points in this World Cup. She conceded 28 this Saturday evening. Black magic has worked again. New Zealand has “zombified” Ireland. The Irish, as usual, communicated with their supporters at the end of the match but many of them had deserted the Stade de France at the final whistle. National drama and lasting curse… A country in mourning. A country in tears, like the children of Sexton. An icon who will never see the final four of a World Cup.
Trailing 13 to 0 after 20 minutes of play and Fainga’anuku’s try, the XV du Trèfle was able to pick up the score. But was never able to erase this initial delay. At the start of the match to the advantage of the All-Blacks, the Irish took the option of the penalty several times before the break. The Blacks did not hesitate to take the points from the start. Mo’unga (7th) and Barrett (14th) set the pace for a sublime shock. Foster’s men can enjoy it and the Irish can be disillusioned. Greens supporters chanted to make the Kiwi Haka inaudible. They shouldn’t have been arrogant. Because in the end it is the Blacks who win in the quarter-final of the World Cup.
The Blacks had only received one yellow card (against the Blues) in this World Cup. They received two this Saturday evening in the huge standoff against the Irish. In the first period, the temporary expulsion of Aaron Smith was costly for the Blacks who saw the Irish return to their side. Harsh arbitration decision? Perhaps, scrum-half forward Aaron Smith was in any case deemed voluntary. After Smith, it was Codie Taylor who temporarily joined the edge of the field for collapsing the maul, which led to a penalty try (64th). In the end, they conceded 10 penalties.
Excessive Guinness doesn’t always do Irish fans any good. At the time of the minute of silence for the victims of the tragic events in Israel and Gaza, as well as in tribute to the professor killed in Arras on Friday, screams and even a few boos were heard at the Stade de France. Damage.
