PARIS – New Zealand’s incoming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has joined the chorus of praise for the national rugby team, the All Blacks, after their impressive journey to the Rugby World Cup final.
In a dominant performance, New Zealand defeated Argentina 44-6 in the semi-final match, earning them a spot in the Rugby World Cup final where they will face the winner of the second semi-final, contested between England and defending champions South Africa.
The All Blacks, who are three-time Rugby World Cup champions, were initially considered as outsiders by many rugby enthusiasts in New Zealand.
This skepticism was due to their mixed form leading up to the tournament and a decisive loss in their opening pool game against France.
The dramatic turnaround began with a hard-fought 28-24 victory over the top-ranked Ireland in the quarter-finals, which rekindled national expectations.
Their recent 44-6 victory against Argentina in the semi-final has left fans and headline writers searching for superlatives.
Christopher Luxon, whose centre-right National Party secured victory in the general election last week, took a moment from post-election parliamentary negotiations to share his admiration for the All Blacks on X (formerly Twitter).
“The All Blacks – what a team!” Luxon tweeted. “They’ve been incredible this tournament – fighting hard when it counted and proved the pundits wrong to reach rugby’s greatest showpiece – the Rugby World Cup final. One more mountain to climb.”
Foster improves New Zealand
The New Zealand Herald highlighted the remarkable improvements under head coach Ian Foster since the “chaos” of his team’s first-ever loss on home soil to Argentina just over a year ago.
Despite Foster’s impending departure, with successful domestic coach Scott Robertson set to take over next year, the NZ Herald recognized his potential redemption story, saying, “Foster is now 80 minutes away from writing one of the greatest redemption stories in rugby history.”
The article acknowledged the All Blacks‘ clinical performance in dismantling Argentina and described Foster’s coaching as a “withdrawn efficiency of a surgeon on his fourth in-grown toenail operation of the day.”
Former World Cup-winning All Blacks star Israel Dagg commended Foster for silencing his critics, stating, “Fozzy will be chuffed. Everyone has bet against him. He has stayed true to who he is and what he’s about and potentially could leave on a winning note.”
As New Zealand gears up for the Rugby World Cup final, the nation’s expectations have significantly shifted, and their support for the All Blacks continues to grow.
