Old rivalries spark semis
The World Cup has distilled down to two compelling semifinals this coming weekend: tournament revelations Wales against the great enigmas France and another instalment in the prickly All Blacks-Wallabies rivalry.
The past weekend's quarterfinals were absorbing battles of wills with France bouncing back from their Tongan humiliation to oust their World Cup nemesis England, and Wales winning the Celtic showdown with Ireland.
The backs-to-the-wall Wallabies somehow conjured a fighting 11-9 win to knock out defending champions South Africa, while New Zealand took an hour before subduing Argentina's resilient Pumas.
So, after a month of eventful action, it's down to the last four at Auckland's Eden Park this weekend.
Wales have been the tournament surprise, losing their opener to the Springboks 16-17, but finishing pool runners-up with three wins before mastering the Irish 22-10 in Wellington in the quarters last Saturday.
Ireland went in uplifted by a 15-6 ambush of the Wallabies in their pool, but they were no match for the youthful Welsh - who continue to impress with their confidence and fearlessness.
It's Wales's first World Cup semifinal appearance in 24 years and optimism is bubbling in the Valleys.
"The Welsh players have achieved getting to the semifinal of a World Cup and we don't think we're finished yet," assistant coach Rob Howley said.
Wales will face twice finalists France, who staged one of their storied recoveries as they bounced back from a humiliating 19-14 loss to Tonga to outplay England and send the Six Nations champions home early.
But France, in common with Wales, are still searching for a first World Cup title and 'Les Bleus' No.8 Imanol Harinordoquy said they too had unfinished business at the tournament.
"We have to play two more games to do something really big. This is the beginning, not the end."
France have won nine of their last 12 encounters with Wales, including a 28-9 victory in the teams' most recent Six Nations clash in Paris in March.
The All Blacks remain the bookmakers' favourites for their first world championship since their inaugural 1987 triumph, which for Kiwi fans seeking an omen was also on home soil and featured the same semifinalists - although back New Zealand thumped Wales in the last four while France beat Australia.
But injuries are beginning to take a toll on the top-ranked team.
New Zealand lost flyhalf Colin Slade and fullback centurion Mils Muliaina with injuries in a brutal 33-10 win over the feisty Pumas at Eden Park at the weekend.
Star goal-kicker Dan Carter is already out of the tournament and understudy Slade is now doubtful with a groin injury, leaving third-string No.10 Aaron Cruden as New Zealand's remaining option heading into Sunday's semifinal with Australia.
Cruden, who had not played at Test level since last year, was on for the last 47 minutes against the Pumas after Slade went off and is now in the hot seat.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry said the All Blacks would be far better prepared for their semifinal after the Pumas' strenuous examination.
The All Blacks have won 11 of their 13 past encounters with Australia and have not lost to the Wallabies at their Eden Park citadel for 25 years.
But the Wallabies will be buoyed by the way they hung on to edge out the Springboks in a match where South Africa were on top on the stats sheets but not on the scoreboard.
"Whilst the All Blacks have dominated Australia in the last couple of years on the scoreboard as far as statistics go, there's no doubt the team will know you've never beaten us in a World Cup, you've lost in two-semi finals to us," Australia's former World Cup-winning skipper Nick Farr-Jones said.
An intriguing sub-plot will be the tactical jousting between Henry and the Wallabies' Kiwi coach Robbie Deans.
"What you saw was the most experienced World Cup side ever really turn the screws on the youngest," Deans said of the win over the Springboks. "The boys came of age in the way they accepted that challenge and stood up to it."
AFP