The semifinals of the 2015 Rugby World Cup will be an all-Southern Hemisphere affair.
South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia all secured spots this weekend in the tournament’s final four, marking the first time in World Cup history that the penultimate round will not include a European nation.
South Africa was the first to advance after toppling Wales 23-19 on Saturday at London’s Twickenham Stadium. The Springboks had looked nearly unstoppable since their tournament-opening upset loss to Japan, but they trailed a determined Welsh squad for the majority of the second half.
Wales could not hold on, however, as a 75th-minute try by Fourie du Preez sent South Africa through to the semis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyjNnK9RWqI
Saturday’s second quarterfinal was considerably less dramatic, as New Zealand thrashed France 62-13 in a rematch of the 2011 World Cup final. Julian Savea led the way with three of the All Blacks’ nine tries, including one in the 38th minute that would make Marshawn Lynch proud.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1pnf_1v-3M
Argentina then earned the tournament’s most surprising semifinal berth Sunday morning, beating down an Ireland side that had outscored opponents 134-35 in pool play but was playing without star flyhalf Johnny Sexton. Man of the match Nicolas Sanchez booted five penalties and four conversions in the 43-20 win, which put the Pumas one win away from their first-ever Cup final.
The final spot went to Australia, which knocked off Scotland 35-34 in a match that easily could be considered the best of the tournament.
Scotland appeared to have pulled the upset after Mark Bennett intercepted an errant pass in the 75th minute and took it in for the go-ahead try. Five minutes still remained, however, and a controversial call on a Scottish lineout gave the Wallabies a penalty kick in Scotland’s end.
Bernard Foley, who’d struggled with his kicking throughout the afternoon, booted it through in a driving rainstorm to send Scotland home heartbroken.
Scotland has reached the quarterfinal round in seven of the eight Rugby World Cups contested but has advanced beyond it just once.
South Africa now will play defending champion New Zealand in the first semifinal next Saturday, with Argentina and Australia squaring off the following day. Rugby fans in the United States will have the chance to watch South Africa-New Zealand, which will be broadcast on NBC at 11 a.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@talkSPORT
