Los Pumas have confirmed the lineup to face the All Blacks, in what will be Argentina's third semi-final in a World Cup. New Zealand media have commented on how they see the Argentine team heading into the match against the men in black, in Paris. Watch the game from 14:30 on ESPN Scrum Star + and ESPN.
Firstly, the NZ Herald stated that the evolution of Michael Cheika as Los Pumas' head coach has been interesting. However, he would be the man capable of defying the odds of a possible All Blacks victory in the World Cup semi-final. Additionally, the Aussie coach has gradually led the Argentine team to have more possession of the ball in order to have better control of the game, which will be necessary against Ian Foster's team.
Despite that, the Kiwi media was critical of Los Pumas' performance in the debut against England, calling it a terrible match by the Argentinians. However, they were able to recover with the victories over Samoa, Chile, and Japan. The Herald also commented on the similarities to the start of the quarter-final against Wales, but in the second half, the Argentine team managed the situation well.
On the other hand, the New Zealand press affirmed that if Los Pumas defeat the All Blacks, it would only be their second most surprising victory, following their win in Christchurch. Similarly, the NZ Herald emphasized that Foster should not consider Cheika's team an easy opponent, given their high ranking in World Rugby and their achievement of reaching another semi-final in a World Cup. Finally, it was stressed that the best chance for Los Pumas to beat the men in black would be if they play like they did in Christchurch and the All Blacks make the same mistakes.