Beauden Barrett of the All Blacks arrives at Stade Omnisport Croissy Photo: Hannah Peters
Just like that, the All Blacks are now in the box seat to win the Rugby World Cup. Alright, it took what will go down as one of the team's greatest ever performances in order to gain that status, but things are looking pretty good.
Standing in their way are the Pumas of Argentina on Saturday morning, a side that's flown under the radar considering they were in the much-maligned other side of the tournament draw. That was until they held their nerve to close out a very good win against Wales in their quarter-final, a game that's almost been forgotten already after the incredible displays that followed it.
Which is unfair and probably not something the All Black coaching staff have done, because the Pumas showed in that game that they are a real threat. Of course, Ian Foster knows full well what coming off an epic win and getting ambushed by Argentina feels like, because it happened last year in Christchurch.
Foster has made some changes to his side, with Samisoni Taukei'aho coming back onto the bench in place of Dane Coles. Naughty boy Mark Telea has served his time and retaken his wing position from Leicester Fainga'anuku, while the two old warhorses, Brodie Retallick and Samuel Whitelock, have switched places on the bench with Whitelock getting the start.
The changes can be described as cosmetic rather than structural. They're not without precedent either - if this was a Rugby Championship match the tinkering going into a test match against the Pumas wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.
Photo: AFP
Telea and Fainga'anuku are basically interchangeable at this point, with the only slight difference being the license Telea seems to have to get himself involved at the breakdown infield. Whitelock and Retallick's shifting is clearly designed to rest their legs for what will happen if the All Blacks win - whoever makes the final between England and the Springboks (probably the Springboks) will demand a decent bench shift from one of them to compliment Scott Barrett.
Taukei'aho is an interesting one, though. He's been on the outer during the tournament and it very much looks like he's just been getting a run before Dane Coles takes back his bench spot for the final. Taukei'aho was most people's bolted on starter going into this season, however Codie Taylor's impressive run of form for the Crusaders and the All Blacks has seen him relegate Taukei'aho back to being a future project. Meanwhile, the fact that Coles has seen and done it all before and carries himself that way - a quality that's invaluable when things start to get hairy on the field - has seen him extend his test career far past the point that many thought it'd go.
There is a bit of a feeling that the All Blacks might have played their final last weekend. To be fair, the same could be said of the Pumas - their victory was a come from behind effort that required some serious adjustment at halftime. Michael Cheika and David Kidwell can't really afford to fall behind this weekend, Italy found that out the extremely hard way not that long ago, because most of the time the All Blacks are just too good once they establish an arm's length reach.
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 15: The players of South Africa celebrate victory at full-time following the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between France and South Africa at Stade de France on October 15, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images/Warren Little
Then it'll be all eyes on Sunday. The rematch of the 2019 final looks like it should go the Springboks' way, because if both teams go into this game trying to play the same style, they are the ones who are far better at it. Steve Borthwick's England have embraced the fact that they are the one guy at the party that is only there because someone accidentally included him in the group chat, but with a bit of luck they have all the blunt instruments to cause an upset.
