RUGBY’S WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS AT A GLANCE
New Zealand v England
When: Saturday, 7pm (AEDT)
Where: International Stadium, Yokohama
Referee: Nigel Owens (WAL)
Head-to-head:
New Zealand (1st) and England (2nd) are the top two in the world rankings.
New Zealand have won 33 of their 41 matches against England, including 15 of their last 16. They last met November 2018 when NZ won 16-15.
England’s last win against the two-time defending champions came at Twickenham in 2012, a game which saw Steve Hansen suffer his first defeat as New Zealand’s head coach.
New Zealand have scored 29 tries so far in the tournament, eight more than England have managed.
Super scrums:
The All Blacks enter the semi-final with a 100 per cent scrum rate (30/30) in the tournament.
New Zealand have won their last 129 scrums on their own feed, a record which stretches back to June 2018.
Ruthless restarts:
The All Blacks have scored five tries directly from fielding a 50-metre restart at the tournament thus far.
Ones to watch:
Fullback Beauden Barrett’s 21 carries against Ireland was the most ever by an All Blacks player at the Rugby World Cup.
England captain Owen Farrell has kicked 44 points, more than any other player left in the tournament.
George Ford, who is expected to partner Farrell, has won 53 of his 55 tackles in 2019, giving him the best success rate of any international fly-half this year.
Wales v South Africa
When: Sunday, 8pm (AEDT)
Where: International Stadium, Yokohama
Referee: Jerome Garces (FRA)
Lineout kings:
South Africa have won all 57 of their own lineouts so far in the tournament, making them the only side to maintain a 100 per cent record.
Winning streak:
Wales enter the semi-final having won five World Cup matches in a row for the first time in their history.
Head-to-head:
South Africa have won 28 of their 35 meetings with Wales, but the Europeans have won the last four matches.
The Springboks have amassed more points (211) and scored more tries (30) than any other team in the tournament.
In comparison, Wales have recorded 156 points and scored 19 tries.
Ones to watch:
South Africa winger Makazole Mapimpi plundered two tries against Japan in the quarter-final, taking his tally to 13 in 12 games for the Springboks.
He joins Wales star Josh Adams – who is enjoying a superb tournament – at the top of the try-scoring list on five tries.
