The pressure is certainly on the host nation to produce the goods - not only have they failed to make it into a RWC final since 1995, the last time they lifted that little yellow cup (the Webb Ellis Cup) was 24 years ago.
Indeed, New Zealand have developed a jittery habit of bombing out of World Cups since their initial triumph on home soil all those years ago when ‘Three Men and a Baby’ was the top grossing film and ‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ by The Bangles spent the most time at the top of the US charts.
Twice they have been eliminated at the semi-final stage by Australia, in 1991 and 2003, and now face a monumental showdown with their trans-Tasman foes in one of the games of the tournament.
Only a month before this World Cup, the Wallabies downed the All Blacks 25-20 in Brisbane to claim their first Tri-Nations crown in a decade. Whilst losing to Australia always hurts Kiwis (in all sporting codes), defeat on Sunday would be catastrophic for the rugby-mad nation and the dreaded ‘c’ word will no doubt be doing the rounds in the morning papers.
Since 1903, the All Blacks have had the upper hand over the Wallabies. This weekend will be their 168th international meeting, with the All Blacks winning 115 times, the Wallabies 47 and five matches drawn. Now take all those stats and bin it, as past results always take a backseat when it comes to the Rugby World Cup - especially knockout matches like these.
Even Australia’s inability to win at their bogey ground Eden Park for 25 years shouldn’t be taken into account. What happened in the past, stays in the past - for now, it’s all about what happens in the 80 minutes come kick-off on Sunday.
To get here, 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.
Australia 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, and now get a second bite at the cherry after surviving last weekend’s onslaught.
Like a cat with nine lives, some will argue if the Wallabies even deserve to be in the semi-finals after losing to Ireland in the pool stages and then winning a quarter-final they should have lost to South Africa. But will they care? Hell no. At the end of the day, they’ve managed to use their “get out of jail” card in this World Cup and achieve what 16 other teams couldn’t - a place in the last four.
It doesn’t matter how Australia got there, all that counts for them is that - despite ongoing injury concerns - they are still alive and kicking with an opportunity to make it to their fourth World Cup final where they will strive to win a record third title.
Unlike the Wallabies, New Zealand have gone through this World Cup unbeaten, but much like Australia, their campaign has been plagued by one injury crises after another that has almost overshadowed the All Blacks’ performances over the last few weeks and is now beginning to take its toll on the top-ranked team.
Star fly-half Dan Carter is already out of the tournament, as is his understudy Colin Slade while centurion Mils Muliaina’s World Cup is also over and a grey cloud still hangs over the head of captain Richie McCaw and that right foot of his that is fast reaching the same celebrity status that was bestowed upon David Beckham’s prized asset.
Injury setbacks aside, whilst some may say that the All Blacks have had more of a challenge in their games leading up to the semi-finals compared to 2007 when they were found wanting by France in the quarters… I’m still unconvinced the hosts have been tested to the full this time round and are at risk once again of appearing like rabbits getting caught in headlights if things don’t go their way against the Aussies.
Simple wins over Tonga, Japan and Canada were expected while their “toughest” opposition in pool play (an out-of-sorts French team) were brushed aside easily enough. Argentina proved to be a handful, but were never going to last the whole nine yards and whithered away as the clock wound down.
The All Blacks are yet to be tested mentally and physically over the entire 80 minutes, and could come unstuck against a Wallabies side who know all about soaking up the pressure as seen in last week’s win over the Boks.
If there was any better time for the Wallabies to pounce, it’s now.
An intriguing sub-plot will be the tactical jousting between All Blacks coach Graham Henry and the Wallabies’ Kiwi coach Robbie Deans. Henry was in charge of the All Blacks at the last World Cup four years ago, but survived the cop at Deans’ expense after NZ suffered their worst ever exit in the showpiece tournament.
It’s a loss the New Zealand public won’t let Henry forget - at least not until the All Blacks end their 24-year wait for a second World Cup crown.
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