Cheika keeps consistent side for World Cup showdown with New Zealand

Wed, Oct 18, 2023, 4:50 PM
AW
by AFP and Nathan Williamson

Facundo Isa will win his 50th cap for Argentina in Friday's Rugby World Cup semi-final with three-time champions New Zealand.

The 30-year-old No 8 is one of seven players in the matchday 23 to have played in the Pumas 2015 World Cup semi-final defeat to Australia.

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Head coach Michael Cheika, who was in charge of Australia when they beat the Pumas in 2015, has made just the one change to the starting XV from the one that surprised Wales in the quarter-finals. 

The 56-year-old has selected Gonzalo Bertranou at scrum-half at the expense of Tomas Cubelli, who drops out of the 23 altogether.

Bertranou is one of six players in the 23 who featured in both Argentina's wins over New Zealand since the 2019 World Cup.

Argentina's captain in 2015 hooker Agustin Creevy at 38 years and 219 days will become the oldest player to appear in a World Cup semi-final if he comes on.

"New Zealand has always been an example in rugby, a benchmark. They make you think of high-level skills in an open game but there are always threats in the lineout, mauls and rucks," Cheika said.

"In a World Cup semi-final they are dangerous everywhere. We have been training as best we can, we will be ready. We'll see what happens."

He will surpass South Africa's Victor Matfield who was 38 years and 166 days against the All Blacks in 2015.

Cheika's team will start as underdogs against an All Blacks side that posted a hugely impressive performance in beating Ireland 28-24 last Saturday.  

"You have to take the moments you are in the game and see them coming at you at different times. In the game in 2020 there were things you could pinpoint. You can't say that one game means we can do it as there are a lot of games where we haven't," he added.

"That moment has to be just a part of it. What we have done since then, all the success and failures [matters in our preparation]. The other team are heavy favourites, everyone is expecting a New Zealand and South Africa final. We just have to focus on what is required.

"...We have a goal that we set out and it's not a straight line. We need to create momentum, to create an impact. We need to learn from the game and bring those lessons to the next game and, since 2022, that all counts."

Argentina (15-1): Juan Cruz Mallia; Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Facundo Isa, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez; Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti; Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (capt), Thomas Gallo

Replacements: Agustin Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Rodrigo Bruni, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Moroni

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