All Blacks book semifinal against Wallabies after beating Pumas in quarter-final: Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) hosts, All Blacks, have confirmed their semifinal outing against the Wallabies after giving a thrashing 23-point defeat to Argentina in the last quarter-final of the 2011 RWC. All Blacks hosted the Los Pumas at the Eden Park, Auckland on Sunday, October 9.
All Blacks have yet to lose a game in the tournament and the World Number 1 look forward to winning the RWC title for the first time in the last quarter of a century. Pumas secured their quarter-final clash, after finishing second in pool B behind England.
All Blacks, who entered the match as favourites, started off strongly. They were quick to control ball possession and gained territory but Pumas hold them back from scoring early in the game. All Blacks were first to score points in the game, with their scrum half Piri Weepu. Weepu successfully kicked the penalty in the 11th minute of the game to put the hosts in the lead.
Weepu extended All Blacks lead with his 24th minute penalty as Argentina turned over ball possession and gradually gained territory. Pumas sent their flanker, Julio Farias Cabello, to score their first points of the match, courtesy of his 30th minute try. Captain and inside centre, Felipe Contepomi, followed with a conversion to put the visitors in lead.
At this point Pumas looked to be in the driving seat but All Blacks recovered ball possession as they scored two penalties before the end of the first-half to leave Argentina trailing by 5 points at the end of the first-half. Weepu scored the penalties in the 35th and 38th minute of the game to take the scorecard reading 12 – 7, in favour of All Blacks.
Both teams started the second half aggressively. However, Argentina were first to score points in the second-half courtesy of their outside centre Marcelo Bosch’s 45th minute penalty. All Blacks again extended their lead by five points, with Weepu’s 5th penalty of the match in the 48th minute. Weepu scored again with a penalty in the 58th minute of the game to take the scorecard reading 18 – 10.
All Blacks were controlling the game, as Argentina found it difficult to generate any sort of forward momentum in their game. All Blacks number eight, Kieran Read, scored All Blacks first try of the game in the 66th minute to take the scorecard reading 23 – 10, however, All Backs failed to capitalise on conversion.
Weepu scored his seventh and last penalty of the game in the 72nd minute to extend their lead to 16 points. During the 77th minute, All Blacks lock, Brad Thorn, crossed the try line for the second time in the match for the hosts, which was followed by their substitute fly half Aaron Cruden’s conversion to take the scorecard reading 33 – 10. The scorecard remained the same until the end of the second half as All Blacks registered a 23-point win over Pumas.
All Blacks will take on the Wallabies in the semi-final of the 2011 RWC.
Tags: