LONDON // Australia brought Argentina’s inspirational Rugby World Cup journey to an end with a blitzkrieg 29-15 victory to progress to their fourth tournament final yesterday.
Argentina had ambushed Ireland in the quarter-finals with a quick start, and the Wallabies led 14-3 inside the first 11 minutes and were far too streetwise to give up their lead from there.
Adam Ashley-Cooper became the first player since Jonah Lomu in 1995 to score a hat-trick in a World Cup semi-final, and Rob Simmons intercepted a well-telegraphed pass from Nicolas Sanchez to open the scoring in the first minute.
Much like New Zealand had done 24 hours previously the Wallabies cared little for giving away penalties, and in their own half especially, which gave their opponents a consistent lifeline through Sanchez’s five kicks at goal.
And it may have been closer had Wayne Barnes not capped a record 15th appearance at the World Cup with his most forgettable performance as referee.
Blaming the arbiter is not in the DNA of this hugely spirited and proud Argentine squad, however. Coach Daniel Hourcade refused to use Barnes as a scapegoat for what was essentially a display that lacked the sort of nous that comes with playing the southern hemisphere sides more regularly than in the Rugby Championship for only the last four seasons.
“We have to accept it. The referee’s decisions should not be questioned,” Hourcade said.
“The players were very committed and never gave up. That really hurt because we were excited and emotional but I feel very proud. They left their lives on that pitch.”
From the outset Argentina tried to run the ball at every opportunity, despite the presence of Australia’s hugely impressive backrow of David Pocock, Michael Hooper and the largely unheralded Scott Fardy.
Even in the second half when Australia adopted a more territorial approach, Los Pumas failed to adhere to the basic tenet that trying to build up phase play only works if you are winning the breakdown.
Australia struggled markedly to generate turnovers in their quarter-final match against Scotland without the injured Pocock, but the loose-forward triumvirate tackled everything that moved, turned over possession in defence, and carried the ball with distinction going forward.
The face-off against New Zealand’s Richie McCaw back here on Saturday will be priceless.
The battle of the breakdown was not the only area in which Australia had a clear advantage. The distribution skills of Sanchez and Juan Martin Hernandez have been of great importance to Argentina during this tournament, but Matt Giteau and Bernard Foley worked beautifully in tandem at first receiver. And it was their ability to fire and float passes off either hand to wide runners that propelled Australia to a 19-9 lead at the break.
From a scrum just inside Argentina’s 22, Will Genia picked up to feed Foley, whose pass found Ashley-Cooper so wide that he faced no cover to touch down.
Just before half time Argentina were reduced to 14 men after Barnes sent lock Tomas Lavanini to the sin bin for tackling without his arms, although replays suggested it was a harsh call.
Australia dragged in Argentina’s defenders under the posts and it was Giteau’s turn to loft a cut-out pass to Ashley-Cooper, who once again dived over.
Argentina came out with renewed vigour in the second half with more variation, which included a handful of kicks to gain much-needed territory, but after Sanchez added two penalties, they did not score again from the 55th minute.
Ashley-Cooper had previously secured a hat-trick in the 2011 tournament, against USA, and he got his third after Drew Mitchell’s coruscating run from the touchline at halfway resulted in the recalled wing beating five defenders. It mattered little that Mitchell’s offload may have been forward, and Ashley-Cooper’s 37th career try reduced Hourcade to tears.
In midweek Marcelo Bosch revealed that the Argentine squad had watched Jake Gyllenhaal’s Southpaw in their weekly film club.
“He is a boxer,” the centre said. “His wife was murdered and at the end he fought back and won.”
Argentina’s World Cup did not quite adhere to the fairytale script many neutrals had hoped for, and following their early setback they never quite had enough to generate a happy ending.
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