Australia will meet New Zealand in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final. The Bledisloe rivals take each other on for the first time in tournament history! Both going for their third Word Cup win.
Final score:
Australia 29
Argentina 15
More:
>> MATCH REPORT
The Wallabies tussle with the Pumas with a spot in their fourth World Cup final up for grabs. Join The Roar from 3:00am (AEDT) for live scores of all the action from Twickenham.
After the climatic, controversial win over Scotland in the quarter-finals, the Wallabies are still alive. They meet Rugby Championship rivals Argentina for a berth in the final, in what is their sixth World Cup semi-final appearance.
The Pumas finished second in Pool C and pushed the All Blacks hard in their tournament opener. They have improved as the World Cup has gone on and they have a nice blend of youth and experience.
Strong in the set-piece, hard in the breakdown, Argentina have added an impressive running game and the ability to mix their play up. They are no longer just a forward-based, tight-five dominated team. Having beaten Australia on home soil in 2014, they won’t fear the green and gold.
The Wallabies had a scare against Scotland but will have refocused for this game and worked hard in training. Their World Cup, with five straight victories, hinges on this match. There’s unlikely to be the savour of a referee’s whistle this time around.
David Pocock and Israel Folau are back in a big plus for the Aussies. Scott Sio is out with injury and has been replaced by James Slipper, with Toby Smith on the bench. The Wallabies will need to be at their best to defeat the Pumas.
The scrum, lineout and breakdown will all be hotly contested areas. There will also be pressure on Bernard Foley to improve his goal-kicking. The Australian defence will also need to tighten up after leaking three soft tries, one a charge down and one an intercept, against Scotland.
Argentina pumped Ireland in their quarter-final and will look for width and holes around the ruck. They have big forwards who can offload and a pair of nifty halves, and are riding high on a wave of naional pride.
The Pumas have made just one starting change with Marcelo Bosch back in for centre Matiss Moroni. Agustin Creevy will captain the side.
This is both team’s World Cup moment of truth. Either New Zealand or South Africa await in the decider. It should be an absolute cracker.
My prediction: Wallabies by five points.
Join The Roar from 3:00am (AEDT) for the semi-final showpiece from Twickenham.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter @johnnyddavidson
Frontrow
Guest
Umm and your point is John? But anyway glad to see you watched the post match press conference like most of us but thanks for relating that to us just in case we missed it !!! I think you need to get out more!
Dan
Guest
LOL you're joking right? English fans are without question the worst. They boo incessantly whenever the opposition takes a penalty kick.
JB
Guest
there were plenty, the last time that many linebreaks were made against the Aussies was Eden Park, glad to see the scrambling defense kicked in but it's a concerning statistic. Argentina have done it to every team, hats off to this team I think everyone at this world cup has benefited from watching the argie style of play something that a few years ago you wouldn't have said, great World cup, the only 2 undefeated sides in the tournament you can't argue with that.
Dan
Guest
Given the way Australia were pushed by Wales and the way they were pushed to the limit by Scotland (they should have won that game btw)... The reality is the Pumas were sloppy in the first half and Australia capitalised as they should. SA played some of the best 10 man rugby since England in 2003 and that's the only realistic way to beat the ABs at this point. Australia will play their running game and the ABs will play it better. Will be a cracker final.
grotto
Guest
Stop bagging the ref! Everybody! The game was open, and full of running, as well as -great- contests for the ball at the vast majority of rucks. Well done Mr Barnes. Go Wallabies.
grotto
Guest
ABs v France, 2015 QF?
grotto
Guest
The mere fact that Maradonna has rocked up to all of the Pumas game will have done plenty to raise the profile of the game down there...
james north
Guest
wonderful gutsy team effort from the wallabies. however with the number of hard challenging tests matches leading up to final, there's no way the wallabies will have the endurance to match the all blacks. the all blacks have only one hard game and the extra day's rest. sadly the all blacks will easily win the final. it's the worst possible result for rugby. did you notice during the games the only supporters who boo on mass when an opposition team takes a penalty are the kiwis. the kiwi supporters are simply the worst winner loser combination in world rugby. and they are getting worst. once they were fun.
jcr
Guest
I've got a feeling you should probably be called Johny rather than Jonno.
Nobrain
Guest
Hahaha, tnxs DaniE, I am a rugby fun firts and the a fan of The Pumas. I know that NZ has the best records recently, but I a have written many times that I like the rugby style of Australia. You guys had hard times last years but I had the feeling , at least from the roar, that I was giving more credit to the Wallabies than the fans from your country. This team is awesome, defensebly is the best right now imo, and they score tries with fenomenal backs.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I like that - small step improvements all the time is the way to go.
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Cheika "We believe in oursleves to go out there and do our absolute best. If I start looking back at that one win (over the Kiwis), I'll have to look at the nine losses in a row".
Drew
Guest
lol, a Neutral fan can never exclude NZ :-) It couldn't be Japan vs China could it.
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Cheika: "We know we have to improve again" "NZ have had a very different path to here than us. But it's a World Cup final and the adrenalin will be pumping"..
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Cheika "Support play is a big part of it. We need to keep improving on it." "The All Blacks will feel like they have our measure. We'll have to do something special [to beat them]". Moore on the final: "Well have to play our best game of the tournament".
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Cheika: "Matt Giteau came off with a bit of niggle in his groin. But I think he was OK. Israel was always going to fatigue at the end. He got through a good 60 minutes."
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Cheika "I'm a massive fan of the Argentinians. They're testing you all the time....We worked realy hard in defence. That's something we want to do no matter what. Towards the end of the game we started to get the ball back a bit."
John Davidson
Roar Guru
Michael Cheika press conference: "I'm not taking credit for the team being tuned around, it's just players wanting to play.... [Now] the committment's there. I know you're bored of hearing me say it but we're just going day by day."
I haven't even paid attention to McCaw's alleged elbow, I hear it was a hip. So just another journalist looking for attention. ;) Who do I root for in the final, wait for my preview :D
phast phil
Guest
Seriously Johnno, Wallabies badly lost the penalty count. Argentina scored all their points from penalty goals. Argentina did not get over the line, Barnes was very ordinary but for both. The yellow card may have been unlucky but arms exist for a reason in terms of tackling