Tilt at a Record Fourth World Cup Crown

“To think New Zealand had entered this tournament with questions about their ability to assert themselves up front; this was a frightening display of forward strength, leaving Argentina’s Rugby World Cup dreams buried beneath the black mass,” The Independent’s Harry Latham-Coyle writes after a “one-sided semi-final” against the Pumas at the Stade de France resulting in a score of 44-6.

“With the Pumas struggling for discipline and the whistle of referee Angus Gardner providing much of the soundtrack amidst an absence of atmosphere, New Zealand could punt for the sidelines at their leisure,” Latham-Coyle writes.

“The intent was set from the All Blacks’ first mauling opportunity, a locomotive that chugged out of the station despite Argentina’s desperate attempts to halt it.

“A tilt at a record fourth men’s World Cup crown awaits.”

New Zealand plays South Africa in the Paris grand final on 28 October.

Original article by Harry Latham-Coyle, The Independent, October 20, 2023.