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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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Company profile: buybackbazaar.com
Name: buybackbazaar.com
Started: January 2018
Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech, micro finance
Initial investment: $1 million
Stamp duty timeline
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Ukraine 2 (Yaremchuk 06', Yarmolenko 27')
Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
