Rugby World Cup 2015: Best XV from Semi-Finals
New Zealand and Australia will contest their first-ever Rugby World Cup final against one another next Saturday after defeating South Africa and Argentina, respectively, to reach the climax of the 2015 tournament.
This weekend's semi-final did not fail to entertain, with the All Blacks deservedly edging the Springboks 20-18 before the Wallabies ousted the Pumas from the running with a 29-15 triumph on Sunday.
Argentina and South Africa leave the competition with pride intact, however, and all four teams are represented in our best XV of the semi-finals.
15. Ben Smith
1 of 15The swirling conditions at Twickenham, London, were a testing factor for the airborne Ben Smith, but his prowess under the high ball saw him overcome the best of the Boks back line to claim man-of-the-match honours on Saturday.
Willie le Roux was good, but not as good as the Highlanders man once again staking his claim for the title of best full-back in world rugby, catching, returning and kicking well for a complete 80 minutes.
14. Santiago Cordero
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A gutsy performance in the defeat to Australia on Sunday showed Argentina's progress as a rugby nation in all its glory, and Santiago Cordero justified his place as a player upon whom they can tag their future.
Rugby World's Owain Jones emphasised as much after the 21-year-old conceded an early mistake to the Wallabies but showed resolve beyond his years to hit back with a typically explosive individual performance.
Cordero ravaged his way to 106 metres in total on Sunday, the most managed by any player in this year's semi-finals, and beat seven defenders as he shimmied and bamboozled the Australians all afternoon.
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
3 of 15It's almost unfair to shift Adam Ashley-Cooper to outside centre following his hat-trick display against Argentina on Sunday, but he's versatile enough to handle the switch and make room for our wings.
It seems particularly acceptable to do so as well, considering the Bordeaux-bound talisman was more than happy to shift from flank to flank and even act more as back-line conduit for periods of Sunday's victory.
Ashley-Cooper has risen to establish himself as one of, if not the most reliable finisher in Michael Cheika's Australian arsenal, and his positional awareness was at its best to capitalise upon some poor Pumas defence.
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12. Ma'a Nonu
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Ma'a Nonu was one of those who took a few games to really hit his peak at this year's World Cup, but coach Steve Hansen will be relieved to see his star midfielder hitting stride just as it mattered against the Springboks.
Only Nehe Milner-Skudder could match Nonu's 11 carries in Saturday's semi-final clash against South Africa, where the centre also beat the joint-most defenders with four—once again matched by Milner-Skudder.
11. Drew Mitchell
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How glad the Wallabies are that they decided to alter their policy on the selection of overseas players after seeing winger Drew Mitchell tear Argentina apart at times on Sunday and ultimately prove a telling factor between the two teams.
His setting up of Ashley-Cooper's third, decisive try was marred by the controversy of a forward pass that was never called, but the run leading up to that score was deserving of its own recognition.
Toulon flyer Mitchell beat an astonishing 10 players in Sunday's win and enters the final in devastating form, although the threat of New Zealand demands his defensive work improves dramatically, having missed five tackles on Sunday.
10. Bernard Foley
6 of 15Sunday's showdown between Australia and Argentina featured a mesmerising compilation of silky miss passes and flowing back-line moves, at the heart of which was Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley.
Dan Carter can count himself unfortunate to miss out on the best XV of the semi-finals, but Foley was a constant catalyst for Australia, slotting four of his six attempted kicks and executing the backs' movement to a tee.
9. Aaron Smith
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New Zealand are blessed to have such a fine array of scrum-half talents in their midst, but at the top of the pile sits Aaron Smith, who played a crucial role in orchestrating Saturday's slim win over the Springboks.
The All Blacks were always the more threatening team with ball in hand thanks in large part to Smith's influence, particularly as the weather worsened towards the end of the game, but his standards never dropped across 80 minutes.
8. David Pocock
8 of 15Whether at No. 8 or flanker, it seems to matter not where David Pocock plays, just so long as he's on the pitch to have his almighty influence on proceedings, as he did against the Pumas this weekend.
His return of 14 tackles was the second-highest registered by any Australian player, while he led the Wallabies in carries made with 13.
Simon Thomas of Wales Online heaped praise on the Brumbies star by labelling him the "best player in the world" after Sunday's result, where his pressurising presence at the breakdown was again phenomenal.
7. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
9 of 15The second Argentinian to make our lineup ended his semi-final with one of the most dogged final 10 minutes one's likely to ever see, with Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe evidently aching to earn Argentina a win on Sunday.
It didn't come to fruition for all his efforts, but his 10 tackles and two turnovers were nonetheless influential, leading Rugby World's Paul Williams to "guarantee" the back-rower's place in rugby's hall of fame.
6. Francois Louw
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Prior to the run-in with McCaw's elbow that required 16 stitches, Francois Louw was enjoying a tide-turning performance against the All Blacks, one that, if prolonged, might have flipped the result in their favour.
The player's tenacity at the breakdown noticeably dampened a bit following the knock, but blindside Louw was a fiend in securing breakdown ball for the Boks and contributing a sizeable 13 tackles to the cause, ending the defeat bloodied and battered.
5. Brodie Retallick
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A fascinating lineout duel always looked likely on Saturday as New Zealand pair Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock contested against South African duo Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager for set-piece dominion.
Somewhat predictably, it was Chiefs lock Retallick who starred as the best of that lot, making a big 10 carries to act more as a fourth back-rower for periods, not to mention stealing one lineout that had a major impact on the result.
4. Kane Douglas
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Going from potential World Cup exile to a tournament final in a matter of months suggests in some small way the impact former Leinster lock Kane Douglas has had for Australia since returning to the Test team this year.
His 15 tackles were second only to flanker Scott Fardy on Sunday, and he finished alongside Pocock and Michael Hooper as one of the only Wallabies forwards to play the entire semi-final against Argentina.
3. Frans Malherbe
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The lineout may have gone to New Zealand on Saturday, but South Africa did their part to defend the scrum with pride, and the future of the tighthead jersey looks secure in the hands of Frans Malherbe.
Tony Woodcock's replacement Joe Moody struggled to contend against the 24-year-old when packing down, and Malherbe was one of only two starting Springboks forwards who managed to not miss a tackle, recording eight successful hits.
2. Dane Coles
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Dane Coles had very little offensive presence against the Springboks at Twickenham, but his throwing at the lineout, sometimes critiqued as a weakness of his, was spotless.
The hooker continues to show himself as one of the most athletic and mobile players in his position, too, and ex-England international Tom May couldn't help but gasp at Coles' futile—but entertaining—attempt to call a ball in play.
1. Marcos Ayerza
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You'd find it difficult to find a better prop display at the scrum this weekend than that of Argentina loosehead Marcos Ayerza, who showcased his finest at the set piece against the Mario Ledesma-orchestrated pack of Australia.
Sekope Kepu and James Slipper struggled to contend against the Pumas No. 1 and Ramiro Herrera for stretches, and a tally of eight tackles was the joint-second-most managed by any Argentina player.
All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum.
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