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Date: 2023-12-04 18:04:19 | Author: Online Games | Views: 527 | Tag: phl
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New Zealand head coach Ian Foster says he’ll watch the second semi-final at the Rugby World Cup with popcorn in hand as he waits to find out who they will face in next Saturday’s final phl
The All Blacks thumped Argentina 44-6 at the Stade de France in the first semi-final on Friday evening as the best quarter-final weekend in the tournament’s history was followed by a damp squib to open up the last four phl
The second semi-final in Paris on Saturday evening should be a closer affair as England face South Africa, although the Springboks are heavy favourites to repeat their victory from the 2019 World Cup final phl
The winners will take on New Zealand in the showpiece next weekend and Foster is adamant he has no preference as to who his side face, although he is looking forward to watching the clash and is also eager to use the additional day’s rest the All Blacks will have ahead of that encounter to his advantage phl
“I’ll be watching it [England vs South Africa], probably have some popcorn,” said Foster in his post-match press conference phl
“I don’t care who wins phl
We’re very much in a focus on ourselves stage phl
“What the extra day [of preparation] does give us is a chance to have a break mentally and not spend too much juice worrying about who it is that we’ll play next week phl
“They’re both good teams phl
South Africa are playing some brilliant rugby but we’ve also seen the English team build away quietly phl
They’re starting to get really good at how they want to play phl
It should be an interesting contrast of styles phl
”Foster has endured some tough times during this World Cup cycle with the normally dominant All Blacks struggling at times and his job security being called into question phl
Ian Foster has helped guide New Zealand to the World Cup final (REUTERS)The fact they have reached a record fifth World Cup final, and the team appear to be having fun, could be seen as vindication for the head coach but he was keen to dismiss any notion of a personal revenge mission phl
“There’s not a personal agenda here, this is about the All Blacks and the team,” explained Foster phl
“Things have happened to individuals and to me, but the team comes first phl
Right now we’re making a lot of those decisions together as a group and it is working well phl
“You have to enioy your work phl
It’s not like it’s a focus for us to go out there and have fun, but to make sure we execute our game to the level we need to phl
The team takes a lot of pride when they do that phl
“The work the players and leaders are doing is a real credit to them phl
As you go through tournaments, you have to enjoy it phl
There is a lot of pressure, so if you don’t celebrate moments, it is a long old time phl
“I am proud to be part of this group, the coaches are linking well with the players and there is a nice synergy about it phl
But you know, one more week phl
”More aboutIan FosterAll BlacksNew Zealand rugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/2‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foes‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foesIan Foster has helped guide New Zealand to the World Cup final REUTERS‘I’ll have some popcorn’: All Blacks coach keen to learn final foesIan Foster will watch the England vs South africa semi-final with bated breath REUTERS✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today phl
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Hi {{indy phl
fullName}}My Independent PremiumAccount detailsHelp centreLogout @keyframes spin{0%{transform:rotate(0)}to{transform:rotate(1turn)}} phl
It’s the game that players don’t want to play, fans don’t want to watch and the media don’t want to cover phl
All of which begs the question, why does the Rugby World Cup third/fourth place play-off still exist? Answers on a postcard please phl
Actually, the answer is fairly simple, of course phl
It follows the old adage that when you’re not sure why something counter-intuitive is happening in sport, the reason is always the same phl
Money phl
World Rugby and its sponsors will undoubtedly make a bit more cheddar from England facing Argentina on Friday evening at relatively little expense, although it remains to be seen how many of the Stade de France’s 80,000 seats are filled, let alone what sort of atmosphere those in attendance create phl
You suspect it might not quite reach the level of fan delirium that some of the other instant classics at the Paris stadium have generated during this tournament phl
Let’s not beat around the bush – World Rugby can badge it as the ‘bronze final’ all they want but the third/fourth place play-off is an entirely pointless exercise and it’s long since time that this outdated relic of a concept was given the chop phl
Please, do everyone a favour phl
In a tournament that is based around winning a trophy rather than climbing onto a medal podium, a battle for third serves precisely no purpose phl
At the Olympic Games, bronze medal matches/contests make perfect sense and having one athlete or team rightfully earn their place as a sole bronze medallist is far more satisfying than both losing semi-finalists stepping on the podium phl
But there’s no podium at a Rugby World Cup – there’s the winning team, the runners-up and then the losing semi-finalists, quarter-finalists and those who were knocked out at the group stage phl
So what are we doing here? The stakes have truly never been lower phl
Here’s a question for you, a little pub debate if you will phl
What’s your favourite ever third/fourth place play-off at a Rugby World Cup? Which one springs to mind first when you run through the Rolodex of all the iconic clashes in your mind?New Zealand comfortably beat Wales in the 2019 third-place play-off phl
Apparently phl
(Getty Images)Don’t worry, I couldn’t remember a single one either… Although a quick scroll through Wikipedia tells me that, for example, New Zealand beat Scotland 13-6 in 1991, Argentina beat France 34-10 in 2007 and Australia beat Wales 21-18 in 2011 phl
Apparently phl
If not to save the fans from its pointlessness, then how about axing the game for player safety reasons? As they proudly announced the new global calendar after 16 years of negotiations earlier this week, World Rugby consistently mentioned ‘player load management’ as one of their main drivers phl
The crowded fixture schedule and incredible physical intensity of modern rugby already push players’ bodies to their limits, so in an age of increased focus on player welfare, getting rid of an entirely worthless fixture such as this should be an easy decision phl
Imagine if one of the players gets injured in this futile fixture on Friday evening and misses months of club action as a result – it would really not be a good look phl
Of the two teams condemned to play out this fixture on Friday – rather than licking their wounds from harrowing semi-final losses last weekend and returning home to their families after five months away – Argentina have remained more on message about its importance phl
“It is the most important game of the year; it is playing for third and fourth place with this shirt,” insisted Pumas hooker Julian Montoya earlier this week phl
Oh… Well, let’s give Montoya the benefit of the doubt and assume that either something was slightly lost in translation or he has really bought into the classic coach-speak of “the most important game is always the next game” or maybe even that he was being brutally deadpan and sarcastic phl
Because otherwise, he appears to have forgotten about, for example, the semi-final he played against the All Blacks literally seven days ago when ranking his most important games of 2023 phl
Argentina will try to forget last weekend’s heavy defeat to New Zealand (Getty Images)While Montoya may have stretched the bounds of believability with his sentiment, Los Pumas genuinely do seem far more up for the game than England phl
Perhaps the combination of wanting to forget the 44-6 humbling by New Zealand, avenge the pool-stage loss to England and send off Michael Cheika, who will be replaced as head coach by Felipe Contepomi after the World Cup, in style has given them a greater sense of purpose phl
Making just three changes to the starting XV, compared to England’s eight, from the semi-final side has left them with a team much closer to full strength phl
In the fine margins of Test rugby, that fact, combined with the added motivation, may prove the difference phl
But regardless of the result, I implore World Rugby to do the right thing phl
Please make this the last-ever third/fourth place play-off and save us from having to endure this nonsense again in 2027 phl
More aboutRugby World CupWorld RugbyEngland RugbyArgentina rugbyJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Scrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicNew Zealand comfortably beat Wales in the 2019 third-place play-off phl
Apparently phl
Getty ImagesScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicArgentina will try to forget last weekend’s heavy defeat to New Zealand Getty ImagesScrap the third-place play-off: Rugby’s pointless and outdated relicIt isn’t the third-place play-off that has made Ollie Chessum upset in this pitcure but it does evoke that reaction in a lot of people REUTERS✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today phl
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsphl BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy phl
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply phl
Hi {{indy phl
fullName}}My Independent PremiumAccount detailsHelp centreLogout @keyframes spin{0%{transform:rotate(0)}to{transform:rotate(1turn)}}@keyframes slidedown-video{0%{transform:translateY(-100%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}}@keyframes slideup-video{0%{transform:translateY(200%)}to{transform:translateY(0)}} phl
