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This week’s version of Good, the Bad, the Eddie is going to be extremely top heavy.
After a weekend of magical quarter-final action – where three of the games went down the final play – it’s going to be tough for a neutral to pick out the negatives. As for Eddie? There will be plenty more of him later today!
New Zealand’s incredible win over Ireland was built on many heroes – the decisive goalkicking and last ditch desperation of Jordie Barrett, nerveless playmaking from Richie Mo’unga, Sam Cane doing the watching Richie McCaw proud, and Sam Whitelock, there at the death to ice the game in his 151st Test.
But Springboks legend Bobby Skinstad, and the man of the match panel, got it bang to rights when they elevated Ardie Savea for his fabulous 80 plus minutes.
He bagged a try finishing it off like a star winger, put up a decent box kick and produced several massive turnovers. It seems almost redundant to rave about Savea. But it’s a bit like Lionel Messi in the round ball game: just because he’s reliably brilliant doesn’t mean we should undervalue his impact.
“Ardie Savea was head and shoulders above any player on the field, amazing,” said Springboks World Cup winner Skinstad. “Best display I’ve ever seen from a No.8. If I’d ever been able to play like that I’d be a lucky man.”
Savea said he was grateful for the praise and tried to explain his all round excellence.
“Things just happen, it’s instinctive, that’s sometimes rugby,” Savea said.
Ardie Savea of New Zealand celebrates victory at full-time following the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Justin Setterfield – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
“I think it was all the years when I was a kid thinking I was a first-five (fly-half) that helped me. There is still stuff on my game I need to work on.”
Skinstad’s words were acknowledged by All Blacks assistant Scott McLeod.
“It’s huge praise isn’t it, and he deserves that,” McLeod said. “Ardie wants to perform on the world-stage and he’s been doing it for a long time now. He did it throughout the game, didn’t he. We ask a lot of him both sides of the ball and we’re really proud of the effort that he put in for us.”
McLeod revealed that last year’s loss to Ireland had forced a tactical rethink – and bravo to the staff for how it was effected.
“After the series loss at home last year which really hurt, we had to have a really good look at some fundamentals in the defensive game for the All Blacks and a big part of that was in Super Rugby in New Zealand they tend to defend the man,” said McLeod. “So, they line up on a man and they defend the man. Whereas that doesn’t work against Ireland, it doesn’t work against Italy, it doesn’t work against France and we knew we had those teams more than likely in this World Cup.
“So, we had to develop our ability to be able to defend the ball. Wherever the ball is we had to put people in front of that.
“That was the most pleasing aspect, that we’ve built the players’ skillset from last year. That loss against Ireland and then the end of year tour and we’ve learned some really harsh lessons. Last night the majority of the time we got that right and we had to get that right against Ireland and the way they attack.”
Where there’s a Will there’s a way to the tryline. The Kiwi flyer has now scored 28 tries in 29 games and his touch down against Ireland showed his natural ability to be in the right spot at exactly the right time.
There was a break from Richie Mo’unga, sensing the Irish defence was preoccupied by the prowling Jordan, and then the No.10 perfectly sent his team mate to the line.
“We practised that throughout the week. The move wasn’t actually made for me, it was made for Will Jordan on the inside and I saw the two defenders hold on him because obviously he’s a big threat at the line,” Mo’unga explained.
“I was able to get through, and thank God it happened that way because I wouldn’t have had the wheels to finish that thing off. Luckily I gave it away to the speed, which was a good way to finish. And it became pretty crucial in the end.”
Will Jordan and Aaron Smith of New Zealand celebrate following the team’s victory during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 14, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
He said Jordan is “just a freak. You know the charisma that he has, just the presence.
“What people don’t usually see is his ability to understand the game of rugby. You see it in games where he pops up at the right time. His anticipation is probably his biggest strength, that and his speed. He is able to read plays ahead and see where the ball is going to get to. And he sniffs out any opportunity.
“He has a huge, huge future.”
The Springboks winger had already shown his jets by racing onto a grubber kick and scoring a try for the Boks. But it was his charge down of the Thomas Ramos kick which showcased his insane speed.
It’s like a spellbinding magic trick – and one of a couple of moments of sheer audacity in the Boks performance along with their decision to set a scrum after taking a mark. Neither are exactly common place.
French fans have predictably blown up about the charge down, with some vision suggesting the South African made a “false start”.
But when you talk about one percenters it’s moments like this that come to mind.
“I have never charged down a kick before, it was my first one. I played with Thomas [at Toulouse] and you have an idea of what his process is when it comes to goalkicking and you analyse players throughout the week,” Kolbe said
“I am in a fortunate position to get the charge-down tonight and everything goes towards the team, and it is about leaving everything out there. I just tried chasing as hard as I could.”
A player can charge down an attempted conversion so long as they are behind their tryline until the kicker starts their kick approach.
The Laws of the Game state: “All players retire to their goalline and do not overstep that line until the kicker moves in any direction to begin their approach to kick. When the kicker does this, they may charge or jump to prevent a goal but must not be physically supported by other players in these actions.””
What constitutes a movement from the kicker is down to the discretion of the referee.
“Cheslin’s charge-down, you don’t see that often – somebody chasing a lost cause,”said Boks coach Jacques Nienaber. “We were opened up a couple of times but the scrambling, the effort the players put in was enormous.”
Fiji’s coach Simon Rawailui had every right to blow up about the officiating from Mathieu Raynal in his team’s close loss to England but he chose peace and love, as usual. If the refs had an award for their coach of the year, Simon would be a shoo-in.
“There’s obviously decisions where they go 50-50. The referees do a brilliant job, it’s the hardest position and you’re isolated. Sure, there’s things that you contest, there’s things that maybe you don’t agree on.
“We’re a huge supporter of every facet of the game and that includes refereeing. They do a wonderful job. They don’t go out there to pick a team and have their favourites. Sometimes there’s mistakes, sometimes the rub of the green doesn’t go your way.
“It is important that we support them and not isolate them. I’m very appreciative of everything they do.”
Fiji won hearts throughout their journey – and did it under extreme personal torment at times.
“It’s very emotional for everyone. Josh’s (Tuisova) son was lost then Sam Matavesi’s dad passed away,” said Semi Radradra after the loss.
“It’s really tough on us, but the good thing is we stick together as a brotherhood. Sam is part of our team, part of the family. We are there with him.
“It was his call to play today. It was really big from him to make that call. It was unlucky we didn’t get the win tonight.”
Johnny Sexton bowed out amidst massive disappointment but his son Luca was on hand to keep him grounded as he walked around the pitch afterwards.
There was a beautiful moment afterwards when Luca told Sexton he was “still the best dad” then vision emerged of a heartwarming exchange between the youngster and New Zealand assistant Joe Schmidt, a former Ireland coach.
The aforementioned refereeing of Mathieu Raynal – well known to Wallabies fans of course for his role in the Bernard Foley “we play” debacle – left a bad taste after England’s progression to the semifinals, where they’ll be up against it versus South Africa.
While there was plenty of focus on the final play where Fiji were penalised as they pushed for a winning try, the Frenchman’s whole game approach made fans bristle.
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles said he hoped “we don’t see him again” while Fiji’s captain Waisea Nayacalevu walked away from the ref in disgust before Owen Farrell booted the ball out to seal England’s win.
“I’m quite emotional at the moment,” said the skipper. “A lot’s been happening during the week. I’m just proud of the boys, they turned up today. I just ask that we can have a fair decision like every team has, so we can play rugby, so everyone can enjoy the game.
“I’ll be honest. I was frustrated with a few calls.
“They had already formed a ruck and then (Maro) Itoje just came in and grabbed onto the ball and there was no penalty there. Three times in the game.”
France also had complaints about the performance of Ben O’Keeffe in their loss.
“What did you think from the outside? It’s hard to say because there’s a lot of disappointment and frustration. We want to see the images again – which will give us even more disappointment and even more frustration – but I think some clear and obvious things weren’t whistled,” said skipper Antoine Dupont.
“At crucial moments, we could have had a penalty. When you’ve gone forward 60 metres and you’re slowed down in the rucks, it’s pretty easy to whistle. I don’t want to sound bitter, moaning about the refereeing because we lost the match, but I’m not sure the refereeing was up to the challenge.”
For all the predictable refereeing complaints, perhaps the biggest disappointment of the week gone is the loss of the hosts and the impact that could have on the final two weeks of the tournament.
The atmosphere has been next level and hopefully Parisians will continue to get behind the remaining teams.
It’s also a shame to lose Ireland and their enthusiastic support – who weren’t too happy to be farewelled by All Black Rieko Ioane.
Sexton and the Kiwi centre had words after their match and according to the Irish Times “Ioane, in a classless gesture, put his finger to his lips while looking at the Irish crowd, and then felt compelled to bid farewell to Sexton.”
Speaking of classless, maybe this is the appropriate time to ask what’s up with the England fans?
It’s one thing to sing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot – with its links to slavery – through the Fijian pre-match challenge (Ireland fans did similar to the New Zealand haka) but another to roundly boo Owen Farrell for having the temerity to be selected by Steve Borthwick.
Farrell stepped up with 20 points in the win.
Then in World Cup notable for its healthy international relations, a couple of bozos in fancy dress thought they were watching a different code.
The Wallabies coach (at least for now) arrived home during the week and had a typically confusing interview at Sydney Airport with Channel Seven. The gist of it is he remains committed to Australia. More will be revealed later Tuesday.
Wales coach Warren Gatland took the chance to get a little Eddie sledge in at his press conference post the loss to Argentina when asked about his contractual situation
“This is like an Eddie Jones question, isn’t it?” he joked.