‘Didn’t come here to beat Ireland’: All Blacks focused on World Cup glory
The All Blacks have their sights set firmly on the Rugby World Cup prize ahead of a blockbuster semi-final against southern hemisphere rivals Los Pumas on Friday night.
New Zealand made a statement in their thrilling quarter-final win over Ireland as they knocked out the team who, at that stage, were the No. 1 side in the world. Ireland were on a 17 Test unbeaten run but that came to a heartbreaking end.
Veteran halfback Aaron Smith broke down in tears and the All Blacks celebrated their momentous feat accordingly, and so did their fans to be fair. New Zealand had never been an underdog in a men’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final but they harnessed the pressure and made something special.
But the All Blacks know that the job isn’t done. The New Zealanders didn’t come to France just to participate – they’re here for the grand prize.
“It was a special one last Saturday, but we didn’t come here to beat Ireland in the quarter-finals, we came here to win the World Cup,” midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown told reporters on Thursday.
“We enjoyed that night. We enjoyed Sunday and got back to work Monday, it was about resetting and getting back into the right mindset. We did that from Monday onwards as we know the challenge ahead tomorrow. We have to go again.
“We’re here to win the World Cup and tomorrow is another step to do that.”
New Zealand can become the first nation to book their spot in the World Cup final if they get the better of Argentina at Stade de France.
If they manage to beat their familiar foes at the Parisian venue – just as they did by a margin of 41-12 in Mendoza during The Rugby Championship – then the All Blacks will compete in their third final in four World Cups.
After going back-to-back in the 2011 and 2015 tournaments, the men in black bowed out of contention at the 2019 event in Japan after losing 19-7 to England in their semi-final at Tokyo Stadium.
It’s a learning experience that the All Blacks are looking to channel ahead of their date with destiny against a physical Pumas outfit.
“In 2019, from that experience you learn a lot. It’s clear that we have got some outstanding leaders and pretty much all of them were there and that sort of loss is driving some of them,” Lienert-Brown added.
“At a World Cup experience is key. I know it’s four years on but you can still look back to that week and think about what you’ve learnt from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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