Rugby World Cup news LIVE: Argentina and New Zealand name line-ups for semi-final clash

The Rugby World Cup semi-finals take place this weekend with England and South Africa completing the final four

New Zealand withstand Ireland comebacks to win epic Rugby World Cup quarter-final

The Rugby World Cup is quickly drawing to its conclusion with just three matches left to be played before one of the remaining four teams is crowned world champions. Argentina, New Zealand, England and South Africa are the final four teams left in the competition and will duke it out in the semi-finals this weekend for a place in the tournament’s showpiece.

First up is Argentina vs New Zealand. The Pumas reached the semi-finals having defeated Wales, rather comfortably in the end, 29-17 in their quarter-final clash while the All Blacks slugged it out against Ireland, just edging it past the world’s No.1 side 28-24. Now, the teams face each on Friday night with their starting XVs set to be announced later today.

On Saturday, England face current world champions, South Africa, in what should be a barnstorming encounter. Steve Borthwick’s side have had a relatively comfortable journey to the semi-finals but if they want to lift the trophy for the first time in 20 years then they will hope to continue their strong form. Their quarter-final win over Fiji was their strongest performance of the tournament so far but they’ll need to improve again against the Springboks.

Follow along for all the updates from the Rugby World Cup plus get all the latest odds and tips right here:

Rugby World Cup news live

• The Rugby World Cup semi-finals are quickly approaching
• Argentina name team to face New Zealand
• New Zealand pick team to take on Argentina
• England prepare for clash with South Africa
• Owen Farrell silences critics as England survive Fiji fightback
• Andy Farrell admits it’s ‘the end’ for Ireland after World Cup heartbreak

[18 October 2023 15:45 · Mike Jones]

Revenge no motivation for England’s semi-final with South Africa – Ollie Chessum

England second row Ollie Chessum insists revenge is not a motivating factor for Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against South Africa.

The rivals collide for the sixth time in the tournament’s history with the most recent of those meetings taking place in Yokohama four years ago when Eddie Jones’ side were toppled 32-12 in the final.

Having demolished New Zealand a week earlier, England were expected to topple the Springboks but instead they were off the pace from the start and overwhelmed as a consequence.

[18 October 2023 15:35 · Mike Jones]

Warren Gatland reacts to ‘disruptive’ referee change after Wales knocked out of Rugby World Cup

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has described the referee change during his side’s quarter-final defeat to Argentina as “disruptive”.

Gatland’s side exited the Rugby World Cup after a 29-17 defeat in Marseille.

Karl Dickson, who began the game as an assistant, was pressed into duties with the whistle after referee Jaco Peyper suffered an injury after 15 minutes at the Stade Velodrome.

[18 October 2023 15:24 · Mike Jones]

Wounded warrior Dan Biggar bows out to usher in next Welsh generation

As the Argentina players joined their joyous, jumping fans in celebration, a lone Welsh figure sloped away. Across the Stade Velodrome touchline Dan Biggar went, eyes turning red like his shirt as the tears started to come on the fly half’s last, lonely trudge out of international rugby.

Biggar greeted his children with a brave face but this wasn’t how it was supposed to end. By the time of his substitution, five minutes from the finish, Biggar’s body was in bits, Wales’ wounded warrior off with a grimace and knowing that this was, surely, it. He’d barely sat down when his successor-in-waiting, Sam Costelow, threw that final, fateful pass for the Nicolas intercept score that sealed it - the last hope had drained away.

“You know sometimes when you’re absolutely hands-down beaten, you can hold your hands up and let it slide a little bit but we felt like we had control of that game, certainly for large periods of that first half,” the fly half reflected. “We probably could have been a couple more scores ahead.

[18 October 2023 15:15 · Mike Jones]

France vs South Africa referee responds to Antoine Dupont criticism

Referee Ben O’Keeffe has brushed off Antoine Dupont’s criticism of his performance in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final between France and South Africa, accepting that “players and coaches are going to say things”.

Dupont suggested that the officiating had not been “up to the mark” in France’s narrow last eight defeat.

O’Keeffe has subsequently been appointed to take charge of the Springboks again, with the New Zealander set to have the whistle for Saturday’s semi-final against England.

[18 October 2023 15:07 · Mike Jones]

‘Everyone wants England to lose’: Ellis Genge takes aim at World Cup critics

Ellis Genge has said that “everyone” wants England to lose as Steve Borthwick’s side begin to ready themselves for a World Cup semi-final against South Africa.

Borthwick’s unfancied England are the only unbeaten team left in France after a weekend that saw all of Ireland, France and Wales exit the tournament.

They remain outsiders to win the World Cup, particularly with an outstanding Springboks side up next fresh from felling the hosts.

But some players within Borthwick’s squad appear to be relishing that position as underdogs, repeatedly insisting that a side that had won just three of nine games under their head coach before this tournament had been written off too soon.

[18 October 2023 14:58 · Mike Jones]

Was Cheslin Kolbe’s crucial charge-down in South Africa vs France illegal?

Video footage has emerged on social media suggesting that Cheslin Kolbe’s crucial chargedown in South Africa’s win over France should not have been permitted.

Kolbe blocked the attempt from the tee of former Toulouse teammate Thomas Ramos as the France full-back looked to convert Peato Mauvaka’s second try with the game tied at 12 point apiece.

The Springboks went on to win the game by a single point, sustaining their defensive effort across a long final passage as France sought to set up a position from which they could snatch the win.

[18 October 2023 14:46 · Mike Jones]

South Africa brimming with confidence for England ‘challenge’ after epic win

Manie Libbok admitted South Africa will be loaded with confidence going into their World Cup semi-final with England after coming through one of the greatest rugby matches in living memory with a one-point victory over hosts France.

In a titanic quarter-final in Paris on Sunday, the Boks twice came from behind to eke out a 29-28 triumph, ending Les Bleus’ 18-game winning run on home soil and ruining their talismanic captain Antoine Dupont’s much-hyped return from injury.

Having pulled off such a momentous victory, the defending champions are now hot favourites to see off Steve Borthwick’s England at Stade de France next Saturday and reach the final for a second tournament running.

[18 October 2023 14:36 · Mike Jones]

Johnny Sexton exits as Ireland’s best ever but with an even greater legacy

Very few athletes get the fairytale ending to leave their sport at the top. For every Steve Redgrave (who retired after a fifth straight Olympic rowing gold medal at Sydney 2000), Mark Spitz (who followed a then-record seven Olympic golds at Munich 1972 by hanging up his swimming goggles) or Rocky Marciano (bowing out as heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1955 with a perfect 49-0 record), there are thousands of greats who step away after one final moment of heartbreak and disappointment.

It might not diminish their legacies but it’s not the satisfying finale that Hollywood would have us believe is the norm.

So in that sense, after Ireland’s 37 phases of agony against New Zealand led to the latest Rugby World Cup quarter-final exit, Johnny Sexton isn’t special. Yet ask almost anyone involved with the game just how much he’s done for Irish rugby and you quickly see exactly how special he is.

[18 October 2023 14:26 · Mike Jones]

Ireland’s 37 phases of agony define greatest heartbreak as World Cup curse continues

This time was supposed to be different. This Ireland team were different… are different. But, come the end, the result was the same. On quarter-final weekend, for the eighth time in 10 Rugby World Cups, Ireland head home defeated and the wait for a first-ever knockout win goes on.

You could feel the desperation around the Stade de France, awash with green thanks to the Irish fans doing their part, as Ireland went through phase after phase after phase after phase hunting the try that could overturn the 28-24 scoreline staring back at them from the giant screen.

A move that started well inside their own half, with 77 minutes on the clock, ended 37 phases and five minutes later in heartbreak. Thirty-seven gruelling phases of Bundee Aki grinding out extra yards with each punishing carry, Tadhg Beirne left at a literal standstill through tiredness and Johnny Sexton – for the final time ahead of retirement – running the famous wraparound upon which he’s built maybe the greatest Ireland career of all-time. But it ended, almost inevitably, with a turnover deep in the New Zealand 22, the ball being kicked to touch and the men in green sinking to the floor bereft.

[18 October 2023 14:18 · Mike Jones]

England rugby fans dressed as Lord Nelson involved in chaotic fights during World Cup clash

England rugby fans dressed as Lord Nelson were thrown out of the World Cup quarter-final against Fiji after fights broke out in the stands in Marseille.

Video surfaced on social media that showed multiple fans involved in scraps at the Stade Velodrome, with one supporter being picked up and launched down several rows of seats amid the scuffles.

The fight appeared to involve a group of men in fancy dress and was during a thrilling quarter-final clash, which England won 30-24 after surviving a late Fiji comeback.