Namely this underwhelming and frankly quickly forgettable semi-final back at the same venue. It was, some would say, the semi-final World Rugby probably deserved.
That’s not to say that New Zealand didn’t play with trademark efficiency and skill when required and that hattrick hero Will Jordan did again underline his special talent but the gulf in class between the All Blacks and the Pumas and indeed the chasm in class between their side of the draw and Argentina’s has been staggering and cruelly evident from the earliest of games.
This should have been a showpiece occasion, a high octane game going to the wire and wowing both the rugby world and the casual sports fan. Alas, it was over by half time and the All Blacks were able to get most of their key players off after 55 minutes. We had hoped for so much more. Apparently we enjoyed 43 minutes of ball in play time but massive ball in play time doesn’t always produce a satisfying spectacle.
Acute Post Lord Mayor’s show syndrome (APLMSS) was always going to be an issue and the capacity crowd sniffed it from the off. Those colourful hordes of Pumas fans from their Marseille quarter-final against Wales seemed largely absent and were badly missed. Getting tickets for semi-finals when the big corporates and tour groups hold sway is often difficult and ruinous financially even if you can locate them on the black market. Nor did New Zealand seem overly supported. Perhaps itinerant Kiwis were taking a very modest punt of saving their hard earned for the final.
この記事は The Rugby Paper の October 22, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は The Rugby Paper の October 22, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Minikin sparks a party at Twickenham for Yorkshire
EUPHORIC scenes swept round Ionians ground as Lewis Minikin dashed over to score Yorkshire's fourth try to send the white rose to Twickenham for the first time in 16 years.
Rebels facing tough test against 'Canes
SUPER Rugby Pacific play-off spots were confirmed this weekend, with the soon-to-be extinct Melbourne Rebels living to fight another day in eighth place.
Ospreys' Nicky just too tricky for Cardiff
LEICESTER-BOUND, Smith scored Nicky two tries as Ospreys squeezed into the playoffs with a bonus-point victory over a battling Cardiff in an enthralling game.
Quins want to throw fitting farewell party
HARLEQUINS stars Shaunagh Brown, Rachael Burford and Emily Scott start their final game for the club today.
Mapletoft set for Georgia challenge
ENGLAND U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft has confirmed his 30-player squad that travel to Georgia next week in preparation for next month's World Championship.
Gloucester put faith in 'some old heads'
IT was typical of Gloucester's season - make that the last couple that when they came up against a front five in last weekend's Challenge Cup final that contained four World Cup winners they were missing three frontline forwards.
Smith has final say for Saints
NORTHAMPTON Saints, having run teams ragged in glorious fashion all season, scrummaged and muscled their way to their first Premiership final since 2014 but a resilient Saracens contested the issue until the final whistle.
Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks
BATH are one victory away from winning the Premiership for the first time after surviving a Sale comeback, but they are likely to be underdogs against a Northampton that has been a couple more years in the making.
Chessum 'gutted' to miss out on England
OLLIE Chessum admits he is \"gutted\" to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere.
Boyd got me back on track - Ludlam
LEWIS left the Ludlam Franklin's Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after he thought about ending his career because he feared it was going nowhere.