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Key posts
- How do you see this one panning out?
- Argentina lineup
- How the All Blacks are lining up
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Argentina takes the lead from the tee
The Pumas have made a positive start, stringing together 13 phases and setting up camp deep in the All Blacks half.
They are asking questions of the All Blacks which the New Zealanders are largely answering.
All Blacks are penalised for tackling off the ball and Argentina gratefully opt for the points from the tee.
Argentina 3, New Zealand 0
The Anthems
It’s a rainy night in Paris as the teams line up for the anthems.
Cheika is belting out Argentina’s himno nacional with vigour.
We’re almost ready to start.
Argentina soccer team behind the Pumas
Argentina have received support from the national soccer team ahead the semi-final.
Goalkeeper Emi Martinez was seen with a rugby ball at training nailing a torpedo kick, and his manager Lionel Scaloni name-checked the Pumas after their performance against Wales in his weekly press conference.
“Whoever was watching the game got goosebumps … what they transmit fills us with pride.”
Sadly, Lionel Messi hasn’t been sighted with a rugby ball. Yet. He could do a decent job off the tee tonight.
All Blacks team prep
The All Blacks were one step ahead of the Irish pack last week and they have been finding new ways of hardening their forwards ahead of the semi-final against the Pumas.
The players physically moved a car that was in the way of the team bus.
You imagine there was a nervous New Zealand physio quietly praying off camera that no backs were twinged in the making of this content.
Sweeping the sheds was a far easier affair.
How do you see this one panning out?
Argentina lineup
Here are the Pumas!
Coach Michael Cheika has made only one change to his match-day team from the side that defeated Wales 29-17, recalling Gonzalo Bertranou at scrum-half ahead of Tomás Cubelli.
The Argentina fans will be hoping for a repeat of the 2019 World Cup when New Zealand defeated Ireland in the quarter-finals and then were surprisingly beaten by England in the semi-finals.
Can lightning strike twice? It’s unlikely, but not impossible.
How the All Blacks are lining up
Here is how the All Blacks are lining up.
Captain Sam Cane silenced the critics with a world-class performance against Ireland, expect more of the same from the breakaway who is leading by example.
Mark Tele’a is back in the starting lineup on the wing after doing his time on the naughty step for breaching protocol.
Finally, veteran second-row Sam Whitelock is rewarded with a start after his heroic turnover to win the All Blacks the game against Ireland.
Good morning
Good morning, kia ora, hola and thank you for joining us bright and early for this World Cup semi-final between Argentina and New Zealand.
My name is Jonathan Drennan and I will be taking you through all the action from Paris.
After the All Blacks thrilling quarter-final victory over Ireland last week, can Michael Cheika’s Argentina stop them?
Every form book points to a comfortable All Blacks victory, but the Pumas will be desperate to upset the odds in their third World Cup semi-final appearance.
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