NZL eve of match: head coach Foster, McKenzie, Lienert-Brown

Ian Foster, head coach

On if New Zealand are favourites to beat Argentina:

“There are two teams in the semi-final. Anyone can win. That’s the first mindset both teams have.

“We are massively respectful of Argentina. We know that they have had a great tournament. We don’t live in the past in terms of past results. Rugby World Cup tournaments are really about the present, it’s about the best team on the night.

“If you go into a World Cup semi-final with any expectation that the past is going to happen again, you have got problems.

“We are just excited about being there ourselves. Been really impressed with Argentina, how they’ve carried their campaign. It was a great victory against Wales where they showed their tenacity. We know they’ve got that as we play them regularly and they’ve been difficult opponents. So there will be no surprises.”

On if the Argentina game will be as physical as the Ireland match:

“It’s different as they have different jerseys on, it’s not different from the physical side. We both know how tough each other is. 

“They are a very physical, combative team particularly at the breakdown and particularly the way they tackle with the likes of [flanker Marcos] Kremer. He has had a great tournament.

“It’s a little bit of the same from what we had in the quarter-final. We are not going in with any different mindset in that space. The moral of the story is that it’s a semi-final and we’re playing a team that we know scrap and fight for every little bit of possession. We are going to have to be at our best.”

On number eight Facundo Isa being back in the Argentina team:

“He is a good player. He looks fit, powerful. They have got a lot of damaging ball carriers and he is probably at the top of the tree."

On importance of discipline after yellow cards against Ireland:

“Discipline is always critical. The one thing we didn’t want to do against Ireland was get yellow cards. We got two. One we felt was pretty debatable and one was fair enough in the circumstances.

“It’s a constant. Our discipline and accuracy has improved consistently through this tournament and I felt that we had a really disciplined performance against Ireland.

“I know we had a couple of yellow cards but for the majority of that game I felt we were very much in control of everything that we did. We have just got to take the confidence from that and expand it out a few more minutes.”

On former All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter being at training this week:

“Really informal yesterday. He touched base with a few players, but it’s about having him there.

“We brought a number of them in before the tournament and we’ve been privileged enough to have some of them around during the tournament. The team love it and I love it as they’ve got a rich history of loving this jersey and what the jersey stands for.

“We have got a great way of transferring that on to this current group. Often it’s not done with words, sometimes it’s just about being there.

“We couldn’t get too close to Dan as he had a nice cream jacket on which meant none of us could hug him as we were all dirty. He was pretty protective about getting that dirty too so we kept our distance, but it was great having him in.”

On if he sees this game as a final like he said Ireland match was:

“It’s a final. Definitely a final. The concept of 'no tomorrow' from the last game is exactly the same as for this one.

“We know on the schedule there is another game for the teams that don’t win their semi-final but our mindset, and I’m sure Argentina’s is the same, is they just want to give everything they’ve got this week. It’s all about this week and that’s how we keep things nice and simple in our mind.”

On if defeat in 2019 is being mentioned to players:

“The talk about 2019 we covered off in a small amount of time. It is not lingering in our mind. Most of the lessons we got out of 2019 have been taken on board. We make sure we go back and revisit what were the keys and we have done that.

“Where I’m really proud of this group is that they are just loving being here and where they are at right now. The hardest thing to do in sport is to stay in the now, just to nail the thing in front of you. There is so much talk about the past and the future and the hardest thing is not to allow yourself to get distracted by those two conversations, but just to be the best you can be right now.

"We are working hard at that and that’s the coaching group as well. I’m incredibly proud of the way the players are dealing with that. They are not getting distracted by being too confused by lessons of the past.

“This group has its own way of doing things. There is a lot of honesty in the group. They have been preparing really well. We want to show we can deal with the challenges in front of us one at a time and just keep growing as a group.”

On importance of number eight Ardie Savea:

“We love Ardie, he is a special player. He is part of our group and he has got a role in our group. He is a leader and we love him when he expresses himself. But he will be the first to admit that he can express himself when our group is functioning at a level that enables him to do that. 

“He does some great things on the rugby park but he is part of the group that is excited about expressing themselves.” 

Damian McKenzie, fly-half 

On Dan Carter joining training, and on him [McKenzie] being on the bench against Ireland but not playing:

“We have had them in throughout the year. The big thing is just their presence in the environment. He has helped us a lot, especially us kickers.

“They are got a lot of experience and are legends of the All Blacks jersey.

“Last week was pretty nerve-wracking. I didn’t get on, but you do what you need to do for the team whether it’s on or off the field. If I get an opportunity this week to get on the field I’ll make the most of it.”

On making up for lost time if he comes off bench:

“Not at all. My role on the bench is to come on and make an impact where I can. It’s not about coming on to prove a point or make up for that lost time, it’s about getting on and nailing my role within the team. Usually that’s to try and speed the game up most times. It’s not a case of trying to prove a point."

On the crowd disrespecting the haka and what the next 24 hours will be like:

“The haka was loud, I guess we can’t control the crowd. It’s about us expressing ourselves. 

“In terms of rituals, not too many. Bit of cards tonight, bit of chocolate. Tomorrow is about chilling out during the day. Nine o’clock is a late kick-off so it’s about not getting too keen too early, just enjoying the day and getting ready to play.”

Anton Lienert-Brown, centre

On ensuring no repeat of semi-final defeat in 2019:

“In 2019, from that experience you learn a lot. It’s clear that we have got some outstanding leaders and pretty much all of them were there and that sort of loss is driving some of them.

“At a World Cup experience is key. I know it’s four years on but you can still look back to that week and think about what you’ve learnt from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

On resetting for this game after victory over Ireland:

“It was a special one last Saturday, but we didn’t come here to beat Ireland in the quarter-finals, we came here to win the World Cup.

“We enjoyed that night. We enjoyed Sunday and got back to work Monday, it was about resetting and getting back into the right mindset. We did that from Monday onwards as we know the challenge ahead tomorrow. We have to go again. 

“We’re here to win the World Cup and tomorrow is another step to do that.”

On what next 24 hours is like:

“I might play Damian in ‘500’ [card game], hopefully get the W, enjoy tomorrow. Late kick-off so in the morning catch-up with family, my partner then we’re in to it.