Who could have bet, in September, on the poster for the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup? Funny final four, indeed: Argentina, New Zealand, England and South Africa, if we stick to the chronological order of qualifications. Two of the favorites, Ireland and France, left the competition prematurely, beaten in the quarter-finals, to the great dismay of their millions of enthusiastic supporters. Farewell to world numbers 1 and 2, who had nevertheless each finished at the top of their group.
Of the four teams still in the running, the Springboks hold their position as reigning world champions without blinking and demonstrated it again, Sunday evening, at the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) , defeating the French XV in a suspenseful match.
But what about, to begin with, the presence of the unexpected Argentina and New Zealand, which were said to be demonetized? This table sounds like a revenge for the Southern Hemisphere, judged to be less efficient in recent years.
We remember that these nations particularly suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. Zero Covid policies, notably introduced in Australia and New Zealand, had led to the cancellation of numerous Rugby Championship matches, the tournament which allows them to challenge each other each year.
The All Blacks have come a long way
Subsequently, the results were not quite there. The Argentine Pumas, eighth in the world rankings, have not shown their claws for several years. Moreover, the South American team had already not made it out of the group stage during the 2019 World Cup. In addition, the finances of its rugby federation, far from being in good shape, continue to influence the resources granted to the national team. It is no coincidence that many Argentinian internationals have moved to European clubs.
The All Blacks, too, seem to have come a long way. Beaten by France on September 8, during the opening match of the 2023 World Cup, New Zealand had lost its luster – or so we thought. A fortnight before this defeat against the French XV, the All Blacks were humiliated on August 25 by South Africa at Twickenham, losing 7 to 35 – unheard of in terms of points difference. The black jersey was no longer as scary as before. The pride and challenge of world competition have visibly invigorated the men of coach Ian Foster.
The fourth team to secure their place in the semi-finals also looked rather pale: England. His last messy performances distressed even his fans, normally so quick to support their XV de la Rose. No English supporter has forgotten the beating inflicted on his team by France (10-53), on March 11, at Twickenham (near London), during the Six Nations Tournament. Suffice to say that few bookmakers had bet this year on a possible performance of the former finalists of the 2019 World Cup.
Of course, England recovered, but they also benefited – no one doubts it – from a very favorable draw which placed them in Pool D, where they had to face Japan, Argentina, Samoa and Chile, so many opponents within his reach. What would have happened to Owen Farrell’s teammates if they had fallen into Pools A or B, headlined by the top four teams in the world?
Funny 2023 World Cup, where England now becomes the standard bearer of the Northern Hemisphere against three teams from the Southern Hemisphere again represented in force. The first semi-final will pit New Zealand against Argentina on Friday October 20. The next day, South Africa will face England. If, and only if, the world hierarchies are respected this time, the final meeting to win the Webb Ellis trophy will be played between the All Blacks and the Springboks, two teams in search of the same unprecedented feat: to be crowned world champions for the fourth time.
