# rwc 15

All time

# Numbers Game

7 key stats from the weekend's Rugby World Cup semi-finals

Tackles, positive carries and line-out steals: every little helps.

6.9k

Oct 26th 2015, 7:30 AM

# Emotional

They broke Irish hearts, but the Pumas have been a joy in this World Cup

Head coach Daniel Hourcade says he has no regrets about the way Argentina played.

9.0k

Oct 25th 2015, 8:06 PM

# Top XV

Here's The42's Team of the RWC semi-finals

Who were your top performers in this weekend’s two games?

10.4k

Oct 25th 2015, 7:59 PM

# into the final

Ashley-Cooper's hat-trick helps Cheika's Wallabies sink daring Argentina

Michael Cheika’s men outscored the Pumas four tries to nil.

5.9k

Oct 25th 2015, 6:14 PM

# Neighbours

Australia will face reigning champions New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup final

It will be the fourth installment in a fierce World Cup rivalry.

7.3k

Oct 25th 2015, 5:54 PM

# party animal

Diego Maradona took that early Australian onslaught surprisingly well

He’s the personification of positive thinking, that wee guy.

8.1k

Oct 25th 2015, 4:32 PM

AS IT HAPPENED

Argentina v Australia, Rugby World Cup semi-final

Australia and Argentina fought it out for the right to play New Zealand in the World Cup final.

36.8k

Oct 25th 2015, 3:08 PM

# old pro

Cheika calls on knock-out experience to prep Wallabies for Pumas

The ex-Leinster coach says he never imagined coaching in the World Cup semi-finals.

5.2k

Oct 25th 2015, 1:50 PM

# mark of respect

'There’s nothing in it' - Hansen refuses to entertain talk of McCaw citing

‘If you can’t get him on the track, let’s get him off the track sort of thing.’

6.8k

Oct 25th 2015, 1:46 PM

# No Elbow

Spread of outrage over Richie McCaw ignores the facts of the matter

The New Zealand captain has unfairly been the target of headlines since last night’s World Cup semi-final.

27.2k

Oct 25th 2015, 10:18 AM

# black mark

Citing concern for Richie McCaw ahead of the Rugby World Cup final

The All Blacks skipper faces an anxious 36 hours to see if he will face disciplinary action.

25.7k

Oct 24th 2015, 11:26 PM

# Grit

2013 win over Ireland helped build this self belief - All Blacks coach Hansen

The Kiwi boss says he hopes Australia and Argentina ‘bash each other’ tomorrow.

11.3k

Oct 24th 2015, 8:25 PM

# Painful

'It's like kissing your sister' - Boks not looking forward to 3rd place play-off

Head coach Heyneke Meyer wasn’t ready to provide ‘loser talk’ at Twickenham.

8.5k

Oct 24th 2015, 7:45 PM

# Job Swap

'Matlock' made a surprise cameo for the last 20 minutes of New Zealand v South Africa

Hmmm…

11.8k

Oct 24th 2015, 6:19 PM

# clinical

All Blacks pass brutal Springboks test to secure World Cup final spot

Steve Hansen’s men took their two try-scoring chances wonderfully well.

7.5k

Oct 24th 2015, 6:05 PM

AS IT HAPPENED

South Africa v New Zealand, Rugby World Cup semi-final

A place in the World Cup final was on the line. We followed all the action from Twickenham.

34.2k

Oct 24th 2015, 3:12 PM

# Best in the World

All Blacks look to turn on basic magic again but Boks will be ferocious

Today’s World Cup semi-final at Twickenham is the latest instalment of a great rivalry.

5.0k

Oct 24th 2015, 2:25 PM

# scrumbags

We've crunched the numbers on Mario Ledesma's scrum revolution in Argentina

Australia’s scrum has shown a dramatic improvement in 2015.

5.4k

Oct 24th 2015, 10:00 AM

# Juan and the same

The two elder statesman guiding a young Pumas side through the World Cup

Juan Martin squared have helped the South Americans to a second semi-final in three attempts.

2.8k

Oct 24th 2015, 9:11 AM

# promise

'I'm certainly not going anywhere' - Joe Schmidt on England job speculation

The Irish coach was a guest on The Late Late Show this evening.

9.3k

Oct 23rd 2015, 11:16 PM

# column

Lynne Cantwell: Success at 2019 World Cup must be target in IRFU's review

Our World Cup columnist looks at a process that needs to be unforgiving and honest.

15.3k

Oct 23rd 2015, 10:30 PM

# Influence

'I was just running on instinct, I didn't want to stuff it up': Old, wise McCaw still wary of over-thinking the biggest games

The captain is ready to get more battle scars to reach a second consecutive World Cup final.

6.2k

Oct 23rd 2015, 8:29 PM

# rwc 15

'The schedule works against us while giving the southern hemisphere teams an advantage'

Dr Liam Hennessy has called for a sensible evaluation of Ireland’s World Cup.

10.4k

Oct 23rd 2015, 5:54 PM

# infamous

Niall Quinn on appearing in the photo that 'cursed' the Irish rugby team

The former Ireland striker was part of a picture that has gained a degree of notoriety of late

13.9k

Oct 23rd 2015, 5:19 PM

# Ageless

'He used to antagonise the s**t out of the older guys, we had to talk to him'

Dan Carter and Richie McCaw remain vital to the All Blacks despite their age.

50.0k

Oct 23rd 2015, 3:36 PM

# BIG GUNS

Pocock and Folau fit enough to start for Wallabies' World Cup semi-final

Scott Sio, Kurtley Beale, and Ben McCalman drop out of the starting XV that scraped past Scotland.

3.5k

Oct 23rd 2015, 2:56 PM

# enforcer

'Hopefully Julian Savea never runs at me, that will be mildly terrifying!'

Schalk Burger has been in superb form ahead of South Africa’s World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.

6.2k

Oct 23rd 2015, 12:51 PM

# Set-back

Luckless Bowe may miss Six Nations through World Cup injury - report

The Ireland winger could be out for the remainder of the season with knee ligament damage.

12.5k

Oct 23rd 2015, 10:34 AM

# no surprise

Michael Cheika says Australia expected to see Argentina get past Ireland

The Wallabies are waiting anxiously on the fitness of David Pocock, Israel Folau and Scott Sio.

8.1k

Oct 23rd 2015, 10:32 AM

# Sports Round-up

We'll leave it there so: Holohan to headline, Walsh flies to the States and all of Thursday's sport

Plus New Zealand name their XV for the World Cup semi-final.

9.7k

Oct 22nd 2015, 8:23 PM

# Final Four

Letter from London: World Cup moves swiftly on without Schmidt's Ireland

Murray Kinsella checks in from the English capital as the tournament heads into the semi-finals.

5.5k

Oct 22nd 2015, 8:09 PM

# rwc 15

'New generation of young and fearless Pumas have taken this World Cup by storm'

Argentina’s attacking evolution has been fascinating to watch, writes Rory Keane.

5.0k

Oct 22nd 2015, 7:37 PM

# the quizziness end

Who should you support in the World Cup now Ireland are out?

Guaranteed to sort you out with a country to root for in the Rugby Championship too!

33.3k

Oct 22nd 2015, 5:00 PM

# Mistakes

'World Rugby has to fix that problem' - All Blacks coach defends Joubert

Steve Hansen says referees must be able to use the TMO for big calls such as last weekend’s in Twickenham.

7.3k

Oct 22nd 2015, 4:12 PM

# The master

'If you don’t fear the guy you're fighting, you're fighting the wrong bloke or you're stupid'

New Zealand coach Steve Hansen was in impressive form this afternoon in Weybridge.

6.1k

Oct 22nd 2015, 3:40 PM

# NO MAS

First Michalak, now Mas and Papé have retired from test rugby

150 more test caps have gone from the French side.

7.2k

Oct 22nd 2015, 2:51 PM

# New Zealand

All Blacks make just one change for 'live or die' showdown against South Africa

Joe Moody starts in the New Zealand front row on Saturday.

8.2k

Oct 22nd 2015, 12:00 PM

# resilience

Burger's brush with death an inspiration to Ulsterman Pienaar at RWC

The experienced scrum-half admits to a touch of sadness as Ireland’s quarter-final exit.

8.9k

Oct 22nd 2015, 7:00 AM

# brains

Drop-goal hero Larkham may be the most important man in Australia's RWC bid

One of Michael Cheika’s most important moves was bringing the former out-half in as his attack coach.

6.1k

Oct 22nd 2015, 6:00 AM

# Influence

Argentina hero Sanchez learned from 'best player of all time' Wilkinson at Toulon

The Pumas fly-half also praised opposite number Matt Giteau ahead of Sunday’s World Cup semi-final against Australia.

5.6k

Oct 22nd 2015, 12:10 AM