All Blacks storm into final and look set to win fourth William Webb Ellis World Cup – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports editor)
The All Blacks stormed into the World Cup final with a clinical demolition job on the Argentinean Los Pumas and while the final margin looked staggering, it wasn’t that simple.
The strategy was to absorb the physicality of the ferocious Argentinean forwards which they did for most of the first half. They then turned on the afterburners to completely overrun their opponents to record a 44-6 victory.
The battle up front was unrelenting for most parts of it but the All Blacks lasting pressure made the difference as the gradually wore down the south American champions and stifled their resolve.
While Argentina return home with their second fall before the final hurdle, Michael Cheika’s men can gain some satisfaction if they clinch third place against the loser of England and South Africa.
It is the fifth time the All Blacks have made it to a World Cup final winning three of the previous four, and a back-to-back win here would put them deservedly one game ahead of the rest of the world.
For decades the All Blacks have dominated world rugby but that success has not translated to winning World Cups.
This time they travelled well under the radar ranked fourth behind Ireland, France and South Africa. But when the chips are down, write off the All Blacks at your peril.
Argentina enjoyed their only joy through a penalty in the fourth minute. But tries from Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett and Shannon Frizelle in the 11th, 16th and 40th minutes soon had the All Blacks on track and in the lead.
A penalty apiece saw the teams go into the break 20-6 in favour of the All Blacks.
It was all New Zealand in the second half running in four tries to nothing as they burst the bubble and any chance of a Pumas comeback.
The All Blacks were reduced to 14 men for the final 15 minutes when flanker Scott Barrett was sin binned for a clumsy attempt to spoil a pass in a maul which was deemed illegal.
Scrum half Aaron Smith, Shannon Frizelle and two more for brilliant Will Jordan who completed a hat-trick, put the scoreline beyond Argentina’s campaign as the All Blacks romped into the final.
They now await the winner of South Africa and England.
An All Blacks- South Africa final will be a humdinger indeed as I predicted earlier.
