Tony Woodcock’s World Cup and career ended by injury

“We have now given ourselves an opportunity to go and play a few finals footy, and whatever has happened in the last month is now irrelevant”.

“We have had to work hard during the pool stages and that has not been bad for us”.

“Confidence is a massive thing”.

“There’s no doubt we have the best coaches in the world, and this is proven by the demand for our people”, former All Black Jeff Wilson said. Hooker Elvis Taione overcooked a line-out and a swift counter attack saw New Zealand romp up-field before Ben Smith was the benefactor of a few neat interchanges down the narrow side to run in for the opener, converted by Dan Carter. Carter, looking to recover from scratchy performances and a wayward kicking radar, should feel more comfortable with Ma’a Nonu outside him instead of Sonny Bill Williams.

For individual players there are also milestones to be reached, and Ma’a Nonu will be celebrating his 100th test.

As in previous wins over Namibia and Georgia, the New Zealanders veered at times between carelessness and brilliance, especially in the first half. Replacements: Barrett for Naholo (68), Kerr-Barlow for A. Smith (76), Crockett for Woodcock (43), Mealamu for Coles (67), B. Franks for O. Franks (62), Retallick for Romano (50), Messam for Whitelock (68).

Kieran Read leads the side from number eight in McCaw’s absence, Sam Cane starts at openside flanker and blindside Liam Messam looks set for his first run-out of the tournament from the bench after recovering from a calf injury. Hansen said he didn’t care which team it was. “We’re okay with it and the people who are anxious about it don’t need to be anxious”, Hansen said. He would be available to play if this was the quarter-final.

The result lifted Argentina into the quarterfinals, and confirmed Georgia as third in the pool and an automatic qualifier for the 2019 World Cup.

Impressed by the level of interest in the planned open coaching event, he said: “You wouldn’t get 5,000 people for an All Blacks training event in New Zealand. Whoever we come up against is going to be a huge challenge and one that we’re really going to have to step up for”.

“This is a great achievement for a very popular player who’s made a tremendous contribution to the All Blacks and New Zealand rugby”.

Were Samoa to win, Japan would be well placed to go through if they beat the United States on Sunday, in what would be their first appearance in the knockout phase of a Rugby World Cup four years before they host the event.

“They have come back from games when they have been down after 60 minutes, 70 minutes”.