Narrow Loss For All Blacks In Rugby World Cup Final

The All Blacks have suffered a narrow 12-11 loss to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup final. The biggest talking point from the match was the yellow card which was upgraded to red for captain Sam Cane after a 29th minute tackle resulted in a head clash, meaning he became the first person sent off in a Rugby World Cup final match. 

The third match official has been criticized for being inconsistent after South African captain Siya Kolisi was also yellow carded in the 46th minute for a similar tackle but it was not upgraded to red by the TMO. The All Blacks also lost flanker Shannon Frizell to a yellow card in only the third minute of the match after falling on the leg of a South African player in a tackle was deemed illegal.  

The All Blacks had several chances in the second half, with the TMO involved again by ruling out a Aaron Smith try after an earlier knock on, after referee Wayne Barnes had said play on. A missed conversion from the Beauden Barrett try and a late penalty shot were both wide which could have sealed a win.

The All Blacks will have new coach Scott Robertson replacing Ian Foster from this week, while they are also losing Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell to overseas club's, while Dane Coles is retiring.

New Zealand All Blacks: 11 

Try: Beauden Barrett, Penalties: Richie Mo'unga 2 

South Africa: 12 

Penalties: Handre Pollard 4

All Blacks Named For Rugby World Cup Final

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face South Africa in the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday morning 8.00am NZT.

Foster has put Brodie Retallick into start at lock, with Sam Whitelock in the reserves, while Samisoni Taukei’aho will be the reserve hooker with Danes Coles not included in the match 23. Other changes to the reserves see Nepo Laulala replace Fletcher Newell.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c). Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.

South Africa: 

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Reserves: 

16 Deon Fourie, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jasper Wiese, 23 Willie Le Roux.

All Blacks Named To Face Argentina In RWC Semi-Final

All Black coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Argentina at Stade de France in Paris for their Rugby World Cup semi-final on Saturday morning 8.00am NZT.

Foster has made two changes to the starting side from the win against Ireland, with lock Sam Whitelock replaceing Brodie Retallick who drops to the reserves, and wing Mark Tele’a returns from a one week team suspension in place of Leicester Fainga’anuku who drops out of the match 23. In the reserves, hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho replaces Dane Coles.

All Blacks: 

Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Mark Telea, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.

All Blacks Through To RWC Semi-Final

The All Blacks have beaten Ireland 28-24 to progress to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals against Argentina on Saturday morning, 8.00am NZT.

The All Blacks had to overcome yellow cards to halfback Aaron Smith late in the first half, and hooker Codie Taylor midway through the second half as well as defend against a 37-phase passage on attack by Ireland in the final minutes of the match. Captain Sam Cane and number eight Ardie Savea were two key defenders for the All Blacks, while first five Richie Mo'unga and Beauden Barrett had strong attacking games. 

New Zealand: 28

Tries: Leicester Fainga'anuku, Ardie Savea, Will Jordan, Conversions: Richie Mo'unga, Jordie Barrett, Penalties: Mo'unga, Jordie Barrett 2

Ireland: 24

Tries: Bundee Aki, Jamison Gibson-Park, Penalty try, Conversion: Jonny Sexton, Penalty: Sexton 

All Blacks Named To Face Ireland In RWC Quarter Final

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Ireland in their knock out Rugby World Cup quarter-final at Stade de France in Paris on Sunday morning, 8am.

Foster has bought in Leicester Fainga’anuku on the wing in place of Mark Talea, after he broke a team set curfew in staying out well past the decided time. There was also good news with prop Tyrel Lomax in the starting side after recovering from a knee strain that forced him from the field early in the Paraguay match last Friday. Foster also has Ethan de Groot back from a two game suspension, and has included young props Taimaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell in the reserves.

Other matches see Wales v Argentina at Stade de Marseille 4am Sunday, England v Fiji at Stade de Marseille 4am Monday, and France v South Africa at Stade de France 8am Monday NZT.

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Beauden Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot. 

Reserves: 

Dane Coles, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Sam Whitelock, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Damian McKenzie, Anton Lienert-Brown.

Ireland: 

Hugo Keenan, Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Bundee Aki, James Lowe, Johnny Sexton, Jamison Gibson-Park, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Peter O’Mahony, Iain Henderson, Tadgh Beirne, Tadgh Furlong, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter. 

Reserves: 

Ronan Kelleher, David Kilcoyne, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Jimmy O’Brien.

All Blacks Win Over Uruguay

The All Blacks have beaten Uruguay 73-0 in their final pool match at the Rugby World Cup in Lyon.

The All Blacks scored eleven tries in total, but only held a 26-0 lead at halftime after spirited play from Uruguay. It wasn't until the 19th minute that the All Blacks had finally scored their first try after numerous handling errors and a dis-allowed try. There was concern for prop Tyrel Lomax who left the field early in the match with an apparent knee injury, and then his replacement Fletcher Newell also left the field late in the match. The All Blacks quarter-final opponent will be known after the Scotland v Ireland match on Sunday morning 

New Zealand All Blacks: 73

Tries: Damian McKenzie 2, Richie Mo'unga, Will Jordan 2, Cameron Roigard, Fletcher Newell, Leicester Fainga'anuku 3, Tamaiti Williams, Conversions: Mo'unga 5 con; McKenzie 2, Beauden Barrett 2.

Uruguay: 0

All Blacks Named To Face Uruguay

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has named his side to face Uruguay on Friday at 8am NZT in their final pool match at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

After defeating Italy 96-17 in the weekend, Foster has made nine changes to the starting side, and seven on the reserves bench. In the starting side captain Sam Cane returns after being in the reserves last week, along with fellow Chiefs Luke Jacobson and Tupou Vaaí who will partner Sam Whitelock in his 150th test. In the backs Anton Lienert-Brown is in at center, Damian McKenzie at fullback, Leicester Fainga’anuku on the left wing and Cam Roigard at halfback. The additions to the reserves see flanker Ethan Blackadder included after initially missing the Rugby World Cup, but coming in two weeks ago as an injury replacement

New Zealand All Blacks: 

Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Richie Mo’unga, Cam Roigard; Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Tupou Vaa’i, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Codie Taylor, Ofa Tuungafasi. 

Reserves: 

Samisoni Taukei’aho, Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Ethan Blackadder, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke.