As almost everyone predicted, New Zealand and South Africa will fight for the title of World Champions in the final match. The All Blacks overcame Argentina more easily than expected, while the Spinboks went through a thriller finish against the highly organized English. It was not as interesting and beautiful as in all the matches of the ¼ finals, but what counts in history is the result and not the beauty of the game. Some would say that this is a rule for superficial sports fans who look at everything through the numbers, and that real fans follow every detail. However, we have come to the last weekend of the World Cup, which fulfilled absolutely all expectations.
As we said in the introduction, one team will win its 4th trophy, and will be able to boast as the most successful at the World Cups so far. If New Zealand manages to win the trophy, it will be their third trophy in the last 4 tournaments. One player appeared in all four tournaments, and that is the legendary Sam Whitelock, the man with the most appearances for New Zealand in history. A man who will win his third World Cup trophy if the All Blacks beat the Springboks. Impressive. Another impressive fact is that there are three brothers who are born in New Zealand’s first team, namely the Barrett brothers, Bauden, Scott and Jordie. With this title, New Zealand will confirm its status as a rugby superpower for the past 12 years.
Don’t forget that in addition to running backs, South Africa also has quite a few injury problems, because they can’t count on Malcom Marx, the starting quarterback, who got injured right after the first match. Mapimpi, who was injured, is not in the team either, but so is Ludovic de Jager. These are people who would most certainly be in the first 23 players and players who have been in the Springboks rotation for many years. What is very interesting is that Rassie Erasmus since taking over the South Africa 2018 national team apostrophized that he will go to win the World Cup in 2023 . They happened to win it somewhat surprisingly in 2019 but here they are now in the final. If they manage to win it would mean that this is definitely the era of South Africa, and it would crown one of the best generations ever in South African rugby. Just to note that we know that Rassie Erasmus is not the coach of South Africa but the director of rugby, but it is more than obvious that he is wondering everything.
New Zealand in full speed towards the final
The All Blacks were absolute favorites before the match itself. However, Argentina was much more proactive at the beginning of the match. They were the first to take the lead through Bofelli, who was safe from a penalty. It’s already 11th minute, the black machinery headed towards the Pumas tryline. Will Jordan and Jordie Barrett scored two tries in the span of five minutes and after 16th минута резултат је гласио 15-3. The situation on the pitch was such that you would have thought the All Blacks would have scored another 20-30 points by the end of the half. But Argentina did not reach the ½ finals of the World Cup by chance. They compressed the ranks and made New Zealand work defensively. It paid off for them in the 31st minute when Boffeli successfully executed another penalty and reduced the score to 15-6. And just when we thought this would be the final score in stoppage time Shannon Frizzell scored another try for New Zealand and it was 20-6 at half time.
It can be psychologically very awkward for the team when they receive an essay at the end of the half itself. And an even worse scenario is when the team receives an try at the beginning of the second one. Aaron Smith’s great action resulted in an try. The Argentinians fought, but it is very difficult to play against the New Zealanders when they lead by a big margin and play without pressure. Until 50th minutes Frizell scored another try and after a successful Mounga conversion the score went to an elusive 34-6. The Argentinians are determined and they play fighting until the end, because this is a unique opportunity for the whole planet to watch you in the match of the ½ finals of the World Cup. But New Zealand is just incredibly killer. By the end of the match, the incredible Will Jordan had equaled the record for most tries scored in World Cups as he ended up scoring a hat-trick. The final score is 44-6 and New Zealand will fight for 4th World Cup title.
Tactical thriller went to South Africa
Rasie Erasmus has developed excellent tactics that give him incredible results on the field. His rugby vision may not be pretty to the eye, but it is certainly very effective. The Springboks love to shoot some extended so-called “candles” where they force opponents to play in the air. This is how the game is conceived, so that you have a 50% chance to catch those shots, and thus win the territory. You practice such shots exclusively in the opponent’s half so as not to risk close to your tryline. Also create a situation where those shots are being chased by your scrum players who are over two meters and you have quite a well-coordinated machine. In defense you are very aggressive and have the best scrum in the world. However, the problem can be when you have a team against you that plays in a similar way. England play that way the whole tournament, they are extremely disciplined, they have excellent shooters who can hurt you from half the field and from penalties and drop kicks. And hit the bow. The English have a backline that is definitely the best in the air of any European team. Freddie Steward is a defender who is over 190 centimeters tall, Jonny May and Elliott Daley are excellent in high balls. All of South Africa’s shooting attacks were successfully shut down. Excellent decision-making up front by all of the Stewards saw the English go into half-time with a 12-6 lead.
In the first half of the match, Borthwick kept Marler and Cole in the scrum, and they did a great job against the scrum of South Africa. But in the second part of the match, Erasmus makes some strange changes, but obviously effective. With the English, Genge and Sinclair enter, who remain powerless against Ock Nche and Vincent Koch. Lest we forget, starting opener Manny Libock was replaced in the 31st minut when Pollard sigh in on the pitch. The English held on until 69th minute when the Springboks scored a try through Snyman after the action after the out and reduced it to 15-13. And then absolute drama until the end of the match. Then in 77th minute South Africa are awarded a penalty right in the middle of the pitch which they won by being dominant in the scrum. Pollard was confident of a turnaround and South Africa’s place in the final. Bomb Squad at its best. It is simply unbelievable that at this level of rugby one team can be so dominant in the scrum.
