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Argentina have beaten Ireland 43-20 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in the first upset result of the quarter finals.
>> PUMAS STUN IRELAND
>> WALLABIES SCRAPE PAST SCOTLAND
>> ALL BLACKS CRUSH FRANCE
>> SPRINGBOKS ADVANCE PAST WALES
Two tries in the last ten minutes to the Pumas stretched their lead but didn’t give a true reflection of just how close the game was, particularly throughout the second half.
The Irish, cheered on by a huge crowd, were unable to buck their terrible Rugby World Cup quarter final record, which now stands at six appearances for six losses.
But it was the Pumas who dominated, securing their second semi final spot in the past three World Cup tournaments.
#ARG storm into the #RWC2015 semi-finals with a blistering performance to douse #IRE's fightback in Cardiff #IREvARG pic.twitter.com/b4ZjxKPRQU
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 18, 2015
The South Americans burst out of the blocks, scoring two quick tries to lead by 14 points with just ten minutes played. Matias Moroni scored after just four minutes with Juan Imhoff touching down moments later as the Pumas exploited Ireland’s bunched defence.
A Nicolas Sanchez penalty stretched the lead to 17 and from there the mountain was too big to climb for the men in green.
The Irish came back strongly, scoring the next two tries through Luke Fitzgerald and Jordi Murphy to narrow the gap to three points with 20 minutes on the clock.
The closest they came to reclaiming the lead was through a late penalty attempt by Ian Madigan, but the ball sailed to the right of the posts and from there Argentina won back the ascendancy through a try to fullback Joaquín Tuculet.
A late try to Juan Imhoff followed by a penalty to Sanchez stretched the lead to 23, making the win Argentina’s biggest ever over the Irish.
Sanchez was near perfect with the boot, scoring 23 points and taking out the man of the match award.
With 23 points v #IRE and 74 in total at #RWC2015, Nicolas Sanchez is your man of the match! #IREvARG #RWC2015 pic.twitter.com/rFLbC4AyXK
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 18, 2015
As the siren sounded, the smattering of Argentinian support across the ground erupted, matching the elation seen on the park.
FELICIDADES! #ARG are into the #RWC2015 semi-finals after their 43-20 win over #IRE https://t.co/fx9wOMPtZA #IREvARG
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 18, 2015
The Irish tried gallantly and the score was certainly not a true reflection of the match. However the pre-match loss of captain Paul O’Connell and flyhalf Jonny Sexton was crucial as they frequently lacked direction in both attack and defence.
Argentina can also thank their coach and perhaps the luck of the draw as they were able to rest most of their first XV in last week’s win over Namibia.
Throughout the match, but particularly in the opening and closing stages, their freshness shone through. They have come along in leaps and bounds as a rugby nation, with their involvement in the Rugby Championship giving them plenty of time against world-class opposition.
The win will also raise further questions about the state of northern hemisphere rugby, with all three northern hemisphere teams being defeated so far in the quarters and tournament hosts England failing to even qualify for the knockouts.
But to the victors go the spoils and the Pumas will now put their feet up and wait to meet the winner of this evening’s Scotland versus Australia clash.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.