It doesn’t get much better than this! Nowhere on a rugby field is a match-up more fierce than between New Zealand and Australia, with the top-two ranked nations facing each other for a place in the World Cup final.
After a month of eventful rugby, it’s down to the last four at Auckland’s Eden Park with two compelling semi-finals on offer: tournament revelations Wales against the great enigmas France and another instalment in the long-standing All Blacks-Wallabies rivalry.
Ironically, the same semi-finalists that lined up at the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand will do so again this time out - albeit with a twist. But the big question on everyone’s lips is whether we’ll see a repeat of the 1987 final. For that to happen, New Zealand and France must prevail in their respective semi-finals.
Easier said than done.
New Zealand: 1. Tony Woodcock, 2. Keven Mealamu, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Sam Whitelock, 5. Brad Thorn, 6. Jerome Kaino, 7. Richie McCaw (capt), 8. Kieran Read, 9. Piri Weepu, 10. Aaron Cruden, 11. Richard Kahui, 12. Ma'a Nonu, 13. Conrad Smith, 14. Cory Jane, 15. Israel Dagg.
Reserves: 16. Andrew Hore, 17. Ben Franks, 18. Ali Williams, 19. Victor Vito, 20. Andy Ellis, 21. Stephen Donald, 22. Sonny Bill Williams.
Australia: 1. Sekope Kepu, 2. Stephen Moore, 3. Ben Alexander, 4. Daniel Vickerman, 5. James Horwill (capt), 6. Rocky Elsom, 7. David Pocock, 8. Radike Samo, 9. Will Genia, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Digby Ioane, 12. Pat McCabe, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper or Anthony Fainga'a, 14. James O'Connor, 15. Kurtley Beale or Ashley-Cooper.
Reserves: 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17. James Slipper, 18. Rob Simmons, 19. Ben McCalman, 20. Luke Burgess, 21. Berrick Barnes, 22. Fainga'a or Rob Horne.
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