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Date: 2023-11-30 16:46:05 | Author: PFF | Views: 688 | Tag: games
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Michael Cheika refused to assess the entirety of Argentina’s Rugby World Cup campaign or his tenure as head coach of the Pumas games
Coming off a harrowing 44-6 semi-final defeat to New Zealand in which they’d been totally outclassed in every facet of the game, perhaps his reticence was understandable games
Next Friday’s third-place play-off against the loser of the second semi-final games between England and South Africa merely provided a handy excuse games
It’s a game that players don’t want to play, spectators don’t want to watch and media don’t want to cover but it did give Cheika a week’s buffer to collect himself before he will have to answer the tough questions games
“I can’t do that straight away,” said Cheika when asked to assess his time in charge of Argentina, which comes to an end after this World Cup games
“I haven’t finished yet games
“I know we won’t win World Cup but I’m happy to be at this level and they deserve to be here games
Their play, ambition, ability to raise themselves after the first game [a pool-stage loss to England] games
It’s another obstacle but we can be proud of our team and our capacity to deal with obstacles games
Next week we have a game to play, at the end of the World Cup we will summarise and assess it games
”The players were similarly on message with their adamance at the importance of the worst game in rugby games
“There is one more game left, one more final,” said flanker Marcos Kremer games
“We want to leave this World Cup winning and we are going to do everything to make it happen games
”“We are going to prepare like a final games
We are not satisfied with being here games
We want a medal and we are going to fight for that," added wing Mateo Carreras games
The value of a third-place play-off in an event defined by a trophy, rather than a medal podium, and its place in an already over-saturated playing calendar is a debate for another time but the Pumas can only keep the wolf at the door for so long games
They will soon have to address exactly what happened in the second-most one-sided World Cup semi-final of all time – the eventual margin of defeat just narrower than the All Blacks’ 49-6 triumph over Wales in 1987 games
The All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France (Getty Images)Three times in their rugby history, Argentina have reached the semi-final stage of the World Cup, with three losses to show for it games
They have scored just one try across those 240 minutes and have a combined losing margin of 76 points games
The celebrations and lap of honour after beating Wales in the quarter-finals in Marseille a week ago suggested that, deep down, the Pumas believed they had come as far as they could in this tournament games
Both history, and the performance that followed against New Zealand, made it a self-fulfilling prophecy games
They hardly imposed themselves on the All Blacks at the Stade de France games
Phases of attack came to a grinding halt once they reached the All Black 22, with the ball inevitably jackalled away, the defensive line was torn to shreds by their opponents’ quick hands and clever lines, the scrum was splintered by a dominant New Zealand pack and basic handling errors defined the game games
Frankly, it wasn’t a match befitting a World Cup semi-final and ensured the Pumas book-ended their tournament (barring next Friday’s bronze-medal irrelevance) with abject displays, after the lifeless opening loss to 14-man England games
It is hardly a squad bereft of talent games
The experience of Julian Montoya and Agustin Creevy leading the front row is complemented by an exciting, dynamic back-row trio of Juan Martin Gonzalez, Kremer and Facundo Isa that should be able to match almost any opposition games
While questions remain at nine and 10, a back three of Mateo Carreras, Emiliano Boffelli and Juan Cruz Mallia is explosive enough to give any team fits games
Argentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat (Getty Images)Perhaps a semi-final appearance shouldn’t be sneered at games
Yes, they benefitted from being in the considerably weaker half of the draw but it equalled their best World Cup performance and you can only beat who’s in front of you games
On paper, Cheika’s tenure – since taking the reins from the sacked Mario Ledesma in early 2022 – will be viewed as a success games
A first-ever win over the All Blacks in New Zealand last summer and a World Cup semi-final is not a bad return games
But in terms of the ‘eye test’, the Pumas never looked like an elite side and there’s a nagging feeling that they haven’t moved forward under the Australian games
Cheika’s preferred coaching style of creating a ‘siege mentality, us against the world’ environment always seemed at odds with the largely personable Argentina squad games
Media availability was limited – perhaps a poor fit for the historically open Pumas – and a bubble created around the team games
Putting your stamp on things in just an 18-month period is tough, with Felipe Contepomi always slated to become head coach after the World Cup and learning the ropes as part of Cheika’s coaching team in the interim games
The legendary Pumas fly half, who is also a cult hero at Leinster following playing and coaching spells there, will likely provide a different strategy in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup and it will be fascinating to see what he’s taken from his time working under Cheika games
As for the Australian, he departs with his reputation certainly not damaged and maybe even enhanced games
The 56-year-old will undoubtedly be in demand around the rugby world and should be able to have his pick from a number of exciting coaching opportunities games
“It is not a sad moment,” insisted Cheika in the aftermath of defeat in Paris games
“It’s a moment I’m proud of my team games
We were in the semi-final of a World Cup games
”Yes, they were games
But the suspicion that there was a version of this Pumas side that still had more to give remains games
More aboutMichael CheikaArgentina rugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Argentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerThe All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerMichael Cheika led Argentina to a World Cup semi-final but they were trounced by New Zealand Getty Images✕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 games
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World Rugby have insisted their new plans for a “Nations Championship or Cup” are “for the many, not the few” despite critics suggesting that it will block the progress of emerging nations games
The sport’s governing body have unveiled a new global calendar that will include the creation of a new, two-tier competition in 2026 games
The top tier will include the four Rugby Championship teams, the Six Nations and two more sides yet to be confirmed but expected to be Japan and Fiji games
Below this will sit a second tier of a further 12 teams, with the earliest that one of those dozen could feature in the top tier being 2032 games
And World Rugby insist that the “certainty and opportunity” that regular fixtures against peers will provide is where the real opportunities for development exist games
“If rugby is to become a truly global sport, we simply have to make it more relevant and more accessible to more people around the world,” said Bill Beaumont, chairman of World Rugby games
Bill Beaumont and Alan Gilpin have defended World Rugby’s plans (Getty Images)“A new era is about to begin for our sport games
An era that will bring certainty and opportunity for all games
An era that will support the many, not the few and an era that will supercharge the development of the sport beyond its traditional and often self-imposed boundaries games
All boats will rise together games
”Alan Gilpin, chief executive, added: “There is more certainty for more nations as a result of today’s decisions than there has ever been games
It is not perfect games
Would we all like relegation and promotion and pathways in these competitions to start sooner in some cases than they are? Absolutely games
“But those compromises allow for that type of pathway, that type of relegation to take place in the foreseeable future, rather than not in the foreseeable future, which is what the status quo provides games
Is it perfect? Probably not games
Is it a hell of a lot games better than the current situation? Absolutely games
”The revamped calendar will not include a “Nations Championship” in years in which a men’s World Cup or British & Irish Lions tour will occur, in theory providing room for increased “crossover” fixtures games
World Rugby could not provide any clarity on what these fixtures will be, and admitted that no agreements had yet been put in place, though insisted that there will be a 50 per cent aggregate increase games
That would mean a rise from 18 to 27 games for the 12 teams, though it is unclear how these fixtures will be allocated or arranged games
Gilpin said: “I think what we say to the teams – Portugal, Chile, others that have had fantastic tournaments here – is this competition structure from 2026 will provide them with guaranteed certain schedules, particularly against their peers, which is actually the type of teams they need to be playing against, in July and November on an annual basis games
Portugal upset Fiji to secure their first Rugby World Cup win (Getty Images)“In addition, the package that was agreed today provides for more crossover fixtures for what we used to call tier one and tier two fixtures in the years when this championship isn’t being played than is currently the case games
So, 50 per cent more guaranteed crossover fixtures in those other years than is currently the case, in addition to guaranteed fixtures against their peers that they don’t currently have games
“This is about looking at other years – traditionally what we have called ‘Lions years’ and the Rugby World Cup years – and populating those periods with fixtures that allow those possibilities and that the high-performance unions agreeing that some of their Rugby World Cup warm-up matches have to be against those other teams games
”Bill Sweeney, chief executive of England’s Rugby games Football Union (RFU), was later unclear on whether England would be open to touring or playing fixtures against emerging nations games
He did, however, confirm that talks were underway over a fixture games between a resurrected England ‘A’ and Portugal after a standout tournament for Os Lobos games
“We’re all interested in growing the game globally,” Sweeney explained games
“We saw Portugal here and Chile, they were great competitors games
So we’re fully supportive of that games
I think there’s a number of factors here that people should feel encouraged about in terms of emerging nations games
”More aboutWorld RugbyRugby ChampionshipSix NationsBill BeaumontRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3World Rugby insist new competition will benefit all despite criticismWorld Rugby insist new competition will benefit all despite criticismBill Beaumont and Alan Gilpin have defended World Rugby’s plans Getty ImagesWorld Rugby insist new competition will benefit all despite criticismPortugal upset Fiji to secure their first Rugby World Cup win Getty ImagesWorld Rugby insist new competition will benefit all despite criticismUruguay gave hosts France a scare during the World Cup pool stages but may now be denied regular opportunities against major rugby nations Getty Images✕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 games
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