Three-time champions New Zealand on Saturday inflicted more Rugby World Cup heartbreak on Ireland, beating them 28-24 in a tense quarter-final to bring a bitterly disappointing end to Irish captain Johnny Sexton’s stellar career, while Argentina defeated Wales to advance.
The All Blacks avenged a historic home series defeat at the hands of Ireland last year, taking their chances when they had them in clinical fashion at the Stade de France to reach a semi-final against Argentina.
The defeat ended Ireland’s run of 17 successive Test victories and denied Andy Farrell’s team the chance of reaching the last four for the first time in their history.
Photo: AFP
“You’ve got to work hard for fairytale endings and we didn’t get it, but that’s life,” 38-year-old Sexton said. “We left no stone unturned, we ticked every box, trained the house down, and played pretty well tonight, but fair play to the All Blacks.”
The All Blacks came into the eagerly awaited clash in what for them was the unaccustomed position of underdogs.
However, the New Zealanders roared into a 13-0 lead, and although Ireland hit back again and again, the All Blacks kept their noses in front and showed their pedigree to reach the semi-finals.
Ireland did pierce the New Zealand defense on a couple of occasions, but their discipline let them down and it was their opponents who turned their chances into points.
“We all knew it was going to be a monster game. It was a real arm wrestle,” New Zealand coach Ian Foster said. “They’re a proud team, Ireland, they really hung in there. I thought we had them a couple of times, but they kept making the game really tight.”
“Sometimes the sweetest victories are when your opposition plays very well and tests you to the limit,” he said.
In Marseille, Emiliano Boffelli kicked 19 points to help Argentina to a dramatic 29-17 victory over Wales.
Los Pumas came into the quarter-final at the Stade Velodrome as underdogs, having finished Pool D runners-up to England, while Wales booked their place in the quarters with a perfect four wins from four in Pool C.
However, Argentina played the territorial game, and while not shining in attack, proved to be solid in defense, disruptive at the line-out and disciplined enough to contain a fancied Welsh side seeking to make the semi-final for the third time in four tournaments.
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