PARIS (AP) — Punished one week, punisher the next.
New Zealand winger Mark Tele'a responded to being dropped for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with a powerful performance in their semifinal thrashing of Argentina on Friday.
Tele'a didn’t score a point in the All Blacks' 44-6 win, unlike fellow wing Will Jordan who scored three tries, but Tele'a was even more outstanding.
His willingness to work, especially around the ruck, ability to get over the gainline and crack the Pumas defense bagged him a brilliant outing in an All Blacks career less than a year old.
“Mark was strong in the close-quarter areas and defended really well,” New Zealand coach Ian Foster said.
Tele'a had a point to prove after he was axed from the team last week for breaking curfew. The All Blacks weren't willing to overlook what they called a minor breach of protocol ahead of a monumental quarterfinal with Ireland they were tipped to lose, and made a statement about their principles by dropping one of their first-choice wingers.
His replacement Leicester Fainga'anuku had a great try-scoring game in the win against Ireland but Tele'a was returned to the starting side this week without hesitation, a statement by the All Blacks about his value.
Foster said Tele'a did the time, and, “We have got faith in him and think he is in a good place to play this game.”
He stripped Pumas scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou to launch the counterattack for the second try, and made the decisive break for the third try on halftime, when he smashed past the tackles of Julian Montoya, Facundo Isa and Juan Martin Gonzalez. He had another big say in the sixth of New Zealand's seven tries, when he tied up four defenders.
Tele'a finished the match with 14 defenders beaten, joint most for a game in this World Cup.
His 13 carries, many of them off rucks, earned him a team-leading 129 meters. He also contributed eight tackles, one of them dominant.
Less than a year after his two-try debut against Scotland, Tele'a is heading towards a Rugby World Cup final.
He's certain to be in the team hotel on time this week.
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