These daily files will give you the latest reporting from around the World Cup as well as betting lines, what to watch for information and best reads. Check in with ESPN throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest from France.
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THE LEAD: Thirty-seven phases of All Blacks grit
Thirty-seven phases of All Blacks grit.
That’s what it took for New Zealand to get over the line on Saturday night in Paris, as Ireland threw everything they had at the All Blacks in one last unrelenting attacking raid, only to see it brought to an end by Sam Whitelock.
With it for Ireland went the opportunity to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time, the equalling of the Tier 1 Test match record of 18 consecutive wins, and the chance to extend skipper Johnny Sexton’s career by at least another week.
But it wasn’t to be, as New Zealand completed a mighty defensive effort – they made 226 of 257 tackles – with an exhaustive final sequence when they simply had to grit their teeth, keep getting up off the deck, and then pounce when the moment arrived.
And that’s exactly what Whitelock did.
“I was just like everyone else, heaving because we’d been defending for a number of phases, but it just felt like I was in the right spot,” a modest Whitelock said. “I missed one earlier, so really nice to get one at the end.”
Whitelock again started on the bench, but came on to play a vital role late in the contest alongside fellow locks Brodie Retallick and Scott Barrett, who had already taken on a hefty defensive workload.
That was true of a number of All Blacks, who kept Ireland to three tries, one of which was a penalty try, while Jordie Barrett produced arguably the decisive play of the game when he held up Ronan Kelleher as the replacement hooker peeled off the side of a maul and appeared certain to score.
“I’m not sure if I’ve been in one [with] that many phases, but a couple of times you’re challenged, and if you actually look at the whole game, especially that first couple of phases [early in the match], we had the ball for a long time,” Whitelock reflected.
“So both teams just showed they weren’t willing to submit, both teams showed they wanted to play with the ball and both teams defensively were very good tonight.”
His skipper, Sam Cane, had one of his finest games in an All Blacks jersey while Ardie Savea was in everything as per usual. The duo combined for 37 tackles and worked superbly in tandem on a number of occasions, a fact that wasn’t lost on Whitelock.
“Yeah, I think everyone had a really big defensive game,” the veteran lock said. “There were some big shots out there and I can definitely think of one when Sam came out of the line and put a good shot on, I’m not sure who it was on, and Ardie got over the ball straight away.
“And it’s great when the loose forwards are working together and putting pressure on the opposition – it was great to see them do that tonight.”
AROUND THE CUP: Biggar bids farewell to international rugby
Dan Biggar finished his Wales career playing on one leg. He was limping around the Stade Velodrome, still giving his all to the famous shirt, fighting through the pain but even he – one of the country’s greatest fly-halves – didn’t have one last moment of magic. He wasn’t ready for this journey to end, but that’s the brutality of knockout rugby. There’s no sentimentality.
He was eventually substituted in the 74th minute of their eventual 29-17 defeat. He’d played the previous 10 minutes at inside centre, covering Nick Tompkins’ absence as he underwent a Head Injury Assessment. But this defeat shouldn’t be the abiding memory of Biggar’s Wales career – the journey’s been so much more than that.
He’ll continue playing on at Toulon, but for now – barring an appearance in the match against the Barbarians after the Rugby World Cup, or a late change of mind – it is it for him and Wales.
“He’s been a great servant for Welsh rugby,” Gatland said of Biggar. “He has had some incredible highs and some lows as well, when I remember him as a youngster coming in and the way he has matured and developed as a player. It’s been pretty special.
“He’s made the decision to finish international rugby. For us we are probably not going to have Gareth Anscombe available either. We’ve got young Sam Costelow – we think he’ll be pretty special going forward, there’s lot of growth in his game. But Dan has been an incredible servant. He really wants to win, he wears his heart on his sleeve and that is one of the big accolades that he has brought to this team over the years.”
Cheika wants more from Pumas despite unfair start
Michael Cheika didn’t really buy the whole suggestion that Argentina have somehow turned their Rugby World Cup around. He’d just witnessed his Pumas team defeat Wales 29-17 in Marseille, just five weeks after they were dispatched by 14-man England 27-7 on the same patch of sun-scorched grass, but he was phlegmatic about the whole process.
“I don’t think there has been some radical turnaround,” Cheika said. “We knew the first game would be a bit rough from us. We learned a lot because there was a lot of first-time World Cuppers in there. I think they learned a lot from that game in terms of handling what is knock-out footy in what wasn’t knock-out footy – every game since has been knock-out.”
That mentality has seen Argentina book their third World Cup semifinal spot in five tournaments. It’s a brilliant return, and their latest foray into the final four is partly thanks to Cheika’s experience, having taken Australia to the 2015 semifinal. But Cheika is far from done.
“I am pretty happy to be here,” Cheika said. “A semifinal won’t be the end, that’s what I am expecting. That sounds pretty obvious but teams who are playing in Paris look to be already in the semifinals and finals. We are happy but that is not the final step, we want to go further.”
But their journey to Paris will have to wait. The Pumas will not travel there until Monday, much to Cheika’s annoyance as the All Blacks lie in wait.
“We cannot go there before Monday,” Cheika said. “We are not going to do anything [on Sunday]. We are going to travel on Monday so we are going to lose one day of preparation. The [All Blacks] will obviously already be in Paris waiting for their semifinal. This will have to change. I cannot implement the normal preparation phase in this short amount of time I have been given.”
PREVIEWS
England vs. Fiji
The big selection call in the England team from Steve Borthwick saw Marcus Smith named at fullback and Owen Farrell back at fly-half. George Ford was therefore shifted to the bench with Freddie Steward out of the 23. The other change saw Elliot Daly restored to the starting line-up with Joe Marchant at outside centre with Manu Tuilagi at No.12. It’s the boldest call of Steve Borthwick’s tenure as he looks to take the game to Fiji and have a host of counter-attacking weapons at his disposal.
For Fiji, they include 10 of the 15 who started against England in their win back in August in their line-up with the brilliant Semi Radradra on the left wing while Tevita Ikanivere earns his first Rugby World Cup start.
This should be a fascinating, enthralling occasion in Marseille on Sunday as England look to book their place in a World Cup semifinal for the second competition running while Fiji are aiming to reach the final four for the first time.
Expect England to try and control the tempo as much as possible while Fiji will look to improve on their shock defeat to Portugal last time out.
TAB (tab.com.au): England $1.30, -9.5 $1.95; Fiji $3.50, +9.5 $1.85
France vs. South Africa
Box office drama. That’s what awaits in the final quarterfinal of the 2023 World Cup, with the defending champions facing the in-form hosts for a spot in the last four. France have lost only once in the past two years, that defeat coming against Ireland earlier this year, and the tournament hosts have been building for this moment — three weeks of knockout rugby for World Cup glory.
They received a monumental boost on Friday when Antoine Dupont was named at No. 9, Les Bleus’ talisman and skipper has not fully recovered from the fractured cheekbone he suffered against Namibia, but has still done enough to prove his fitness to be able to play.
The Springboks meanwhile have returned Manie Libbok to No. 10 and paired him with Cobus Reinach, while Duane Vermeulen has been selected at No. 8 over Jasper Wiese; coach Jacques Nienaber has also opted for a 5-3 bench split just a few weeks after he went for 7-1 against Ireland. The coach says that is about managing France’s tactical kicking game.
Incredibly, these two sides have not met at a Rugby World Cup since 1995, when the Springboks outlasted France in a sodden semifinal before going on to lift the trophy on home soil. France may not have the same country-uniting narrative behind them, but there is a groundswell of support and a belief that this truly is their year. Still, it is going to take an incredible 80-minute performance in a game that is likely to have several big momentum swings.
TAB (tab.com.au): France $1.74, -1.5 $1.85; South Africa $2.10, +1.5 $1.95
SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals
Saturday, Oct. 14
Quarterfinal 1: Wales vs. Argentina – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5p.m. local / 2a.m. AEDT / 4p.m. UK)
Quarterfinal 2: Ireland vs. New Zealand – (Stade de France Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Sunday, Oct. 15
Quarterfinal 3: England vs. Fiji – (Stade de Marseille, Marseille; 5 p.m. local / 2a.m. AEDT / 4p.m. UK)
Quarterfinal 4: France vs. South Africa – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9 p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Semifinals
Friday, Oct.20
Semifinal 1: Argentina vs. New Zealand – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8 p.m. UK)
Saturday, Oct. 21
Semifinal 2: Winner quarterfinal 3 vs. Winner quarterfinal 4 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Third place
Friday, Oct. 27
Runner-up semifinal 1 vs. Runner-up semifinal 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6a.m. AEDT / 8p.m. UK)
Final
Saturday, Oct. 28
Winner semifinal 1 vs. Winner semifinal 2 – (Stade de France, Saint-Denis; 9p.m. local / 6 a.m. AEDT/ 8p.m. UK)