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Australia Secures Finals Spot In Rugby World Cup Win Over Argentina

Australia Secures Finals Spot In Rugby World Cup Win Over Argentina

Adam Ashley-Cooper and David Pocock have led Australia to a 29-15 win over Argentina, to secure a place in the Rugby World Cup grand final against the All Blacks.

Ashley-Cooper went over the line for three tries, a first in the tournament's semi-final since Jonah Lomu's effort for New Zealand two decades ago.

Named Man of the Match, Ashley-Cooper's hat-trick and a game-changing run from Drew Mitchell were what it took for the Wallabies to have the wood over the Pumas.

The winning margin did not reflect the tough, hard contest that started strong and endured until the final moments.

Early pressure in the scrum led to an exhausting encounter, and the game was ultimately notable for the open spread, reflecting the much talked about southern style.

The ball moved quickly and the passing covered the width of the field.

The Wallabies got tries on the board early and although the Pumas hit back hard and put Australia under constant pressure, they never got near the try line with Australia’s much-lauded defence playing its role in the outcome.

The turning point was the brilliant run by veteran Mitchell in the 71st minute, when he broke through the Argentine defence and found some space to dodge and weave his way towards the line.

With a long pass across to Ashley-Cooper running up the wing, Australia got its fourth, Ashley-Cooper his third and the fate of the Pumas seemed sealed.

In a match that saw the experienced heads of Moore, Giteau and Ashley-Cooper leading from the front, the Wallabies held fast despite both sides showing signs of tiring early in the second half.

Ultimately, a team cannot win a World Cup semi-final with no tries scored and Argentina fell prey to a persistent Wallaby defence and saw the dream of a World Cup final slip away.

Despite the historic rivalry between Australia and New Zealand on the field, this will be their first World Cup Final encounter.

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