RWC 2015 Semi Final 2 Australia v Argentina

RWC 2015 Semi Finalists Stat Comparison Matrix

RWC 2015 SF2 Team Comparison: Australia v Argentina

RWC 2015 QF 3 Ireland v Argentina

WC 2015 M37 Argentina v Namibia

RWC 2015 M27 Argentina v Tonga

RWC 2015 M13 Argentina v Georgia

2013 Rugby Championship - Round 1

The Rugby Championship 2012 - Round 6

The Rugby Championship 2012 – Round 5

The Rugby Championship 2012 - Round 4

The Rugby Championship 2012 - Round 3

The Rugby Championship 2012 - Round 2

Rugby Championship - South Africa v Argentina

Quarter Final 4: New Zealand v Argentina

That was edge of the seat stuff for a bit last night - not only did the Pumas stop us scoring, then score themselves ... but they had the lead on us and created some very nervous moments for All Black fans last night. Were we going to be knocked out again?!

The people who did not panic were the 15 very composed blokes on the park in black polyester, and that now gives me great confidence going forward. Players were dropping like flies with injuries at times, but we never got rattled, and simply kept plugging away, safe in the knowledge that we'd end up with more points after the 80 minutes, even if they all had to come from Piri Weepu’s laser-guided boot.

Great team performance, right across the park. And Brad Thorn a try! He deserves one.

That was my buzz word from the win: composure. It manifested itself stoically last night at Eden Park, where four years ago in Cardiff it slunk off into the shadows like Kwade Kupa facing a try-saving tackle on Ma’a Nonu.

At 7-6 to the Pumas I was a nervous wreck, and when Kaino threw that no-look pass in the second half, down towards Argentina’s line, it hung in the night sky for what felt like an eternity as the Pumas player reached for what looked to be a dead set intercept. Four more years? Not today.

Our forwards had to battle through set after set of multiple phases to gain any ground for the first 40, as Argentina’s defence threw everything at us. They are a very good team, and after a few seasons settling in to the newly expanded Tri-Nations, just may well have that X factor to go to the last four again in 2015. Its cliché to bang on about the passion of the players and their fans ... but it there for all to see, its tangible. When they exit RWC, and the tournament loses something.

I hope Slade and Mils are okay. Colin Slade again started nervously, maybe this is just his schtick? He does grow into things though, but his injury bought Aaron Cruden on, Manawatu’s stellar No. 10, fresh from the travel agents where he had to cancel his Fijian holiday to save our World Cup campaign!

The kid has confidence to burn, he has had everything to prove and nothing to lose this year since being dropped from the All Blacks ... after taking the can for a poor forwards performance. He has a love for hitting the line and popping passes that make SBW look on in wonder. I think he showed enough to warrant a start even if Slade is okay.

I think we saw that these games are going to be very tight - no way is Nonu going to carve easily through Australia, it will be a pressure cooker game, that chances taken will win (or mistakes made will lose). I think we can do it, but we have to be prepared that we don’t.

I feel for all the Bok fans out there, having had their champion team knocked out in the quarters. If it is any consolation ... All Black fans completely understand how it feels because of 2007. It hurts, it does not seem fair, but in four years time (a lifetime away it may seem now) ... the optimism and fever of the next World Cup will completely heal the scar. After older players exit behind P Divvy ... you’ll look to your depth in Currie Cup and Super, and you have the makings of a hell of a team for the next few seasons.

I was not impressed with the way Sky TV cut away from Mils Muliaina’s 100th Test Cap presentation - we missed both Jock Hobbs’ introduction and Mils’ response. That was an embarrassing mistake - Mils not worthy Sky? I think it was a bit insulting.

Not the prettiest game, but we rolled on, completed all our set pieces, got good ball, and converte chances. For four years English fans have been telling us ‘that’s all you have to do to win RWC’.

Well, we did it ... and where are yous?

Time to cast this Eden Park Hoodoo over the Wallabies in concrete ... in gold! pass it to Cooper!

Quarter Finalist Preview: Argentina

Ferdy says:

A good team, not a great team. Argentina have a willing forward pack but they leave rather a lot to be desired when it comes to attack. Wonderful supporters, and it will be fantastic to see them in the four nations next year. I will eat my hat if they become the All Black banana skin. Man, I’ve read this back and I sound so condescending. I don't mean to be, and I will be the first to doff my hat (and then eat it) if I’m proven wrong. I just can't really see it happening this time although if they take the All Blacks close, well that would be good. (But not that close).

Ferdy’s pick: quarter finalists.

Slugso says:

Without Juan Martin Hernandez at 10, they were never going to go as deep in the draw as they did in 2007. Contepomi has struggled for form, and the old battleships up front have taken a pounding in this Cup. I think this game is one too far for them - they’ve lost Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe who wears his heart on his sleeve to injury. I think he was a catalyst for them. Their goalkicking numbers are dire.

Having them play adds something to a game - though they have never beaten us, they have come close, very close. Like France, they have two personalities on the field - the sublime backs, and the combative engine room. How will they play?

Such good players: Leguizamon, Ledesma, Camacho, Amorosino ... I’d be delighted if their resolve proved me wrong. God I wish we were like their fans. I reckon 750 Argentinians make more noise than 30,000 All Black fans. I so want to go to Buenos Aires in a few years to see a Quad Nations AB v Pumas Test!

I dunno - I don’t like to take them lightly, especially as this is knockout stuff ... but I just can’t see them beating New Zealand. I hope it is close, for both teams’ sakes. We certainly need the pressure if we are to make an impact in the net round.

Slugso Predict-O-Meter: All Blacks by 12

Pool B: Argentina v Georgia

Pool B: Argentina v Scotland

Slugso says:

I only bought tickets to this game a few days earlier, and roped some mates in. We went along knowing that the Scots and Pumas are probably pretty evenly matched, but given they both needed maximum points from this game to secure progression to the knockout stages, we were expecting the game to by a little looser, or more expansive.

We were happily proven wrong when a game of Test Match rugby invaded the pitch.

The Cake Tin was nowhere near full last night, but the screaming Tartan Army and the insanely vocal (and pogoing) Argentinian fans crammed together and created an atmosphere equal to 40,000 punters. I think it also raised the temperature in there a degrees or two which was much appreciated.

Scotland? Well, I just don’t get them. This must be so frustrating for their fans. I know they have very small player numbers and few clubs domestically to select from, but they have some class players, and some enormous athletes ... yet it just looks so rudderless and pedestrian. Their big, rugged and mobile pack can get good ball for the backs, but then it just seems to go wrong? Is there really another Home Nation that could benefit more from a new Head Coach or at least a  decent backs coach? Andy Robinson was not the answer; they need to look further South.

Argentina can and did rumble it up as well. Look at the numbers in the graphic and you can see this game was battled out in the middle portion of the park. The Pumas really only went wide at the end when they had to ... and that finish on Amorosino’s try was a beauty! He escaped two tackles and weaved away from three other Scottish defenders, with no room outside him to score a five pointer that sent the Pumas fans into raptures.

Clearly the wet and cold conditions meant the game was going to be tight, but I felt it never really got going, not until the end anyway - it was like they were constantly feeling each other out at about 90% intensity, and neither could break the other’s defensive line. Cat and mouse maybe?

There almost seemed to be a capitulation by Scotland that they were not going to cross Argentina’s line ... especially when Parks opted for (and missed) a drop goal attempt late in the game when he seemed to have numbers out to his left.

Pretty sure that the result means Argentina will follow England though to the knockout stages, and end up in the quarter final against us. The only possible way for Scotland to go through is for them to get a 5 point haul against England, while preventing England from getting a losing bonus point. Impossible? Strange things do happen in World Cups, but on last night’s performance, I can’t see the Scottish backs producing the performance needed to pull off that upset ... it will have to be a legendary forwards rally. And who knows ... Richie Gray vs Courtenay Lawes? yes, please!

Pool B: Argentina v Romania

Pool B: Argentina v England

Again, these pretty graphics on territory and possession don’t mean diddly if ruckingoodstats.com doesn’t crunch the numbers. Chur!