Rugby World Cup stats: How have the last four fared in previous semi-finals?

It is time! The Rugby World Cup semi-finals have arrived with some intriguing match-ups as the last four jostle for a spot in the final.

Ahead of the action, Planet Rugby takes a closer look at some of the numbers of how the four sides have done at this stage in the past.

General stats

The last time there was a margin of victory greater than 30 points in a semi-final was in France when the Springboks beat Argentina 37-13 in 2007. Most games at this stage are tight with eight of the last nine editions having at least one semi-final with a points difference of seven or less.

Interestingly no team has ever come back after trailing by more than seven points at half-time. The greatest comeback in semi-finals history was by France, who trailed the All Blacks 17-10 at the break in the 1999 clash in the last four only to go on and claim a 43-31 victory.

Since the inception of the Rugby World Cup in 1987 only one semi-final has gone to extra-time, between Australia and the Springboks in 1999.

Argentina

This is Los Pumas’ third time reaching this stage of the tournament, as they did in 2007 and 2015, making them one of three teams, alongside Wales and Scotland, to feature in a semi-final but not reach a final.

A stat they would like to rectify is that Argentina has never completed a semi-final having played the full 80 minutes with all their players on the field after yellow cards in 2007 and 2015.

New Zealand

The team with the most semi-final appearances, with eight to date, but the All Blacks have only won half of those games. Their last three losses at this stage were all by 12 points, against France in 1999, Australia in 2003 and England in 2019.

New Zealand has trailed in four of their semi-final appearances only managing to win one of those games which was against the Springboks in 2015 after which they would go on to claim the title.

The historic team could add another record to their name if they were to reach the final, becoming the first country to do so on five occasions.

England

The Red Rose have a stellar record in semi-finals at World Cups, only losing one from five heading into this weekend, and like New Zealand could become the first team to reach the final on five occasions.

Historically, England does not mind trailing in semi-finals having won two from the three games they found themselves behind at the break. The team also holds the record for most drop goals in semi-finals with five, three of which came from Jonny Wilkinson, who also has scored the most points at this stage of any player.

South Africa

The Springboks have won three from their five semi-finals with both losses coming at Twickenham in 1999 and 2015 against the Wallabies and All Blacks respectively.

The three-time champions have gotten into leading positions in four of their five semi-finals, losing one of those. Their source of points has mainly come from the kicking tee with 61% of points at this stage coming from penalties. South Africa has only scored six tries in the semi-finals with four of those coming against Argentina in 2007.

Should they progress it will be only the fourth time the defending champions have reached the final at the following tournament. The three teams who have done so are Australia in 2003, England in 2007 and All Blacks in 2015.

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