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Michael Cheika refused to assess the entirety of Argentina’s Rugby World Cup campaign or his tenure as head coach of the Pumas games
Coming off a harrowing 44-6 semi-final defeat to New Zealand in which they’d been totally outclassed in every facet of the game, perhaps his reticence was understandable games
Next Friday’s third-place play-off against the loser of the second semi-final games between England and South Africa merely provided a handy excuse games
It’s a game that players don’t want to play, spectators don’t want to watch and media don’t want to cover but it did give Cheika a week’s buffer to collect himself before he will have to answer the tough questions games
“I can’t do that straight away,” said Cheika when asked to assess his time in charge of Argentina, which comes to an end after this World Cup games
“I haven’t finished yet games
“I know we won’t win World Cup but I’m happy to be at this level and they deserve to be here games
Their play, ambition, ability to raise themselves after the first game [a pool-stage loss to England] games
It’s another obstacle but we can be proud of our team and our capacity to deal with obstacles games
Next week we have a game to play, at the end of the World Cup we will summarise and assess it games
”The players were similarly on message with their adamance at the importance of the worst game in rugby games
“There is one more game left, one more final,” said flanker Marcos Kremer games
“We want to leave this World Cup winning and we are going to do everything to make it happen games
”“We are going to prepare like a final games
We are not satisfied with being here games
We want a medal and we are going to fight for that," added wing Mateo Carreras games
The value of a third-place play-off in an event defined by a trophy, rather than a medal podium, and its place in an already over-saturated playing calendar is a debate for another time but the Pumas can only keep the wolf at the door for so long games
They will soon have to address exactly what happened in the second-most one-sided World Cup semi-final of all time – the eventual margin of defeat just narrower than the All Blacks’ 49-6 triumph over Wales in 1987 games
The All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France (Getty Images)Three times in their rugby history, Argentina have reached the semi-final stage of the World Cup, with three losses to show for it games
They have scored just one try across those 240 minutes and have a combined losing margin of 76 points games
The celebrations and lap of honour after beating Wales in the quarter-finals in Marseille a week ago suggested that, deep down, the Pumas believed they had come as far as they could in this tournament games
Both history, and the performance that followed against New Zealand, made it a self-fulfilling prophecy games
They hardly imposed themselves on the All Blacks at the Stade de France games
Phases of attack came to a grinding halt once they reached the All Black 22, with the ball inevitably jackalled away, the defensive line was torn to shreds by their opponents’ quick hands and clever lines, the scrum was splintered by a dominant New Zealand pack and basic handling errors defined the game games
Frankly, it wasn’t a match befitting a World Cup semi-final and ensured the Pumas book-ended their tournament (barring next Friday’s bronze-medal irrelevance) with abject displays, after the lifeless opening loss to 14-man England games
It is hardly a squad bereft of talent games
The experience of Julian Montoya and Agustin Creevy leading the front row is complemented by an exciting, dynamic back-row trio of Juan Martin Gonzalez, Kremer and Facundo Isa that should be able to match almost any opposition games
While questions remain at nine and 10, a back three of Mateo Carreras, Emiliano Boffelli and Juan Cruz Mallia is explosive enough to give any team fits games
Argentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat (Getty Images)Perhaps a semi-final appearance shouldn’t be sneered at games
Yes, they benefitted from being in the considerably weaker half of the draw but it equalled their best World Cup performance and you can only beat who’s in front of you games
On paper, Cheika’s tenure – since taking the reins from the sacked Mario Ledesma in early 2022 – will be viewed as a success games
A first-ever win over the All Blacks in New Zealand last summer and a World Cup semi-final is not a bad return games
But in terms of the ‘eye test’, the Pumas never looked like an elite side and there’s a nagging feeling that they haven’t moved forward under the Australian games
Cheika’s preferred coaching style of creating a ‘siege mentality, us against the world’ environment always seemed at odds with the largely personable Argentina squad games
Media availability was limited – perhaps a poor fit for the historically open Pumas – and a bubble created around the team games
Putting your stamp on things in just an 18-month period is tough, with Felipe Contepomi always slated to become head coach after the World Cup and learning the ropes as part of Cheika’s coaching team in the interim games
The legendary Pumas fly half, who is also a cult hero at Leinster following playing and coaching spells there, will likely provide a different strategy in the build-up to the 2027 World Cup and it will be fascinating to see what he’s taken from his time working under Cheika games
As for the Australian, he departs with his reputation certainly not damaged and maybe even enhanced games
The 56-year-old will undoubtedly be in demand around the rugby world and should be able to have his pick from a number of exciting coaching opportunities games
“It is not a sad moment,” insisted Cheika in the aftermath of defeat in Paris games
“It’s a moment I’m proud of my team games
We were in the semi-final of a World Cup games
”Yes, they were games
But the suspicion that there was a version of this Pumas side that still had more to give remains games
More aboutMichael CheikaArgentina rugbyRugby World CupJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Argentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerThe All Blacks ran riot in the Stade de France Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerArgentina were dejected after slipping to a semi-final defeat Getty ImagesArgentina waste potential to leave Cheika with questions to answerMichael Cheika led Argentina to a World Cup semi-final but they were trounced by New Zealand Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today games
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Max Verstappen defied Lewis Hamilton to win a cat-and-mouse United States Grand Prix at a sizzling Circuit of the Americas in Austin - before Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified more than three hours later games
Verstappen has been on easy street this season, but the triple world champion was made to fight for the 50th win of his career – becoming only the fifth driver to reach a half-century games
Indeed, at one stage, Hamilton dared to dream of ending a losing streak which stands at 686 days and counting games
Yet, as so often been the case this year, Verstappen’s speed in his all-conquering Red Bull machine came to the fore games
He moved ahead of Lando Norris on lap 28 of 56 to all but seal the win games
Hamilton might bemoan a questionable strategy decision which saw him lose 10 seconds to Verstappen in the opening round of pit stops games
But in reality, he probably did not have the pace to stop the Dutchman from claiming his 15th win from the 18 rounds so far games
The drama did not stop there though games
Hamilton and Leclerc were later found to have breached the rules governing the floor of their cars and, in a shock end to the race weekend, were disqualified from the race games
Logan Sargeant, therefore, earned his first F1 point games
The seven-time world champion enjoyed a decent getaway at the start, but he was blocked by Norris under braking allowing Sainz to sneak through games
Norris had seen off pole-sitter Leclerc with a lunge at the first bend to assume the top spot games
As Norris set about building a lead – already two seconds clear of Leclerc at the end of the second lap – Hamilton set about passing both scarlet cars games
First up was Sainz games
Hamilton used the tow to latch on to the back of Ferrari on the 210mph drag to Turn 12, and, assisted by DRS, drew alongside Sainz before sliding underneath the Spaniard games
On the following lap, Verstappen, who started in sixth after his pole lap in qualifying was chalked off for exceeding track limits, relegated Sainz to another place when he made his move at the same corner games
Lando Norris took the lead at the start of the race (Getty)Hamilton has won six times across the Pond – with five of those victories here in Austin – and the 38-year-old required only two laps to swat Leclerc aside for second games
Deeper on the brakes at Turn 12, Hamilton sailed round the outside of the Monegasque at the left-hander, with Norris now three seconds up the road games
Behind, and Verstappen was not finding it as easy to make progress games
He was stuck behind Leclerc for an additional five laps before finally making his move on the Monegasque games
He trailed Norris by seven seconds, and Hamilton by four games
In the Mercedes garage, Prince Harry cut a pensive figure as he gnawed at his fingernails games
The Duke of Sussex has been something of a lucky charm for Hamilton games
He was a guest of Mercedes when Hamilton secured his second title in the 2014 season decider in Abu Dhabi, leading the congratulations to his fellow Briton on the radio games
Verstappen was the first in for new rubber at the end of lap 16 with Norris stopping the next time round games
But Hamilton stayed out games
Was Mercedes attempting a one-stopper? Hamilton did not seem convinced games
Asked if he could complete another five laps on his current set of tyres, Hamilton replied: “I am not sure, man games
It is pretty tough games
”Hamilton then locked up before his race engineer Peter Bonnington was back on the intercom to inform Hamilton that Verstappen – who on new tyres had just lapped three seconds faster than the Briton – was now likely to gazump him when he eventually stopped games
TOP-10 - US GRAND PRIX1 games
Max Verstappen2 games
Lando Norris3 games
Carlos Sainz4 games
Sergio Perez5 games
George Russell6 games
Pierre Gasly7 games
Lance Stroll8 games
Yuki Tsunoda9 games
Alex Albon10 games
Logan Sargeant*Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified“No s***, man,” yelled Hamilton games
“I am struggling out here games
”On lap 20, in came Hamilton, and a slow front-right tyre change added to his woes by costing him a needless second games
When Hamilton emerged from the pits, he had dropped to third, five seconds adrift of Verstappen games
“I came out so far behind,” he said with a hint of dejection games
When the opening stops were completed, Norris led Verstappen by 2 games
4 sec with Hamilton 7 games
5 off the lead games
By virtue of taking on another set of mediums, Verstappen had to stop again, but Norris and Hamilton – now both on the hards – could, if their rubber allowed, go all the way to the end games
Hamilton, failing to make any inroads and sensing his best chance of ending a 22-month winning streak had faded, expressed his frustrations games
“You have given me a hell of a gap to close,” he said games
Verstappen celebrates his 15th win of the season on the podium alongside Lewis Hamilton and Norris (Getty)On lap 28, Verstappen dived underneath Norris for the lead at Turn 12 games
Norris had a nibble back at the Red Bull heading into the ensuing right hander, but he failed to make it stick games
The question now was whether Norris, and indeed Hamilton – now less than five seconds off the lead – could make their tyres last games
The answer arrived on lap 34 when Norris dived in for a fresh set of boots games
Verstappen followed in on lap 35, and despite, a slow left-rear tyre change, retained his position ahead of Norris games
Three laps later and Hamilton was in, changing to the faster medium compound games
Hamilton had the bit games between his teeth and within 10 laps he was crawling all over the back of Norris’ McLaren games
Norris slung his McLaren to the inside on the entry to the first corner in a move to stop Hamilton, but the older Brit gained games better traction out of the corner to slingshot by in his Mercedes games
Verstappen was five seconds ahead and Hamilton started to reel his old nemesis in only to run out of laps games
Sainz took fourth ahead of Sergio Perez with Leclerc sixth and George Russell seventh for Mercedes games
More aboutMax VerstappenLewis HamiltonLando NorrisAustinJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Max Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States GP victoryMax Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States GP victoryLando Norris took the lead at the start of the race Getty ImagesMax Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States GP victoryVerstappen celebrates his 15th win of the season on the podium alongside Lewis Hamilton and Norris Getty ImagesMax Verstappen defies Lewis Hamilton to edge United States GP victoryGetty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today games
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsgames BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy games
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply games
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