Tokyo (AFP)

Almost a final before the time: England and New Zealand, two of the favorites of the World Cup, face Saturday (10:00 French) in Yokohama in a salivating semifinal, which promises to be relentless and indecisive.

Eddie Jones has been thinking about it for a long time, he is now. Since he took the reins of the XV of the Rose there is a little less than four years after the fiasco of the World-2015 (elimination in hens at home), the coach claims to want to bring him his second world crown, after that of 2003. And since the draw, in May 2017, he thinks of this probable confrontation.

Instead of doing it, then, and the All Blacks, who did not need a wrong straightener, they once again dominated the oval planet four years ago, for the third time (after 1987 and 2011), and advance undefeated in the competition since 2007.

The totem retreats Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith seem to have slipped on their black tunic, which has won 86% of its meetings since the last edition.

They happen to lose, six times exactly, and we swear that a seventh loss can happen Saturday, and thus cut off the road to a triplet that would place them a little more alone at the top of rugby.

Because, for about a year, they seem less untouchable than after the World-2015, where they had stretched their series of success to 18 (until November 2016). To try to surprise in Japan, coaching led by Steve Hansen has also tried a blow by replacing the opener Beauden Barrett in the back.

- Tactical Battle -

Because England seems much better equipped than Ireland, rolled in the quarter-finals (46-14), to "change the history of rugby on Saturday", in the words of Jones. She thrashed Australia in the previous round (40-16) and accumulated automatisms and confidence, including over 18 victorious matches of rank, until March 2017.

The XV of the Rose pique in front, with its big ball carriers (Vunipola brothers, Itoje, Tuilagi), to which the All Blacks, as well provided (Retallick, Whitelock, Read, Savea), will have to "go for coup" their assistant coach Ian Foster, who expects "a good old-fashioned battle". "A boxing fight between two heavyweights, one in black, the other in white," pictured Jones.

A tactical battle also, between the British openers George Ford and Owen Farrell, new partners by Jones to walk at the foot of New Zealand Barrett and Richie Mo'unga. She also attempted a tactical move, moving "cage" to third row Scott Barrett to interfere with the English roster, as last November in Twickenham.

- "For history" -

The All Blacks had won a breath (16-15) to inflict England, which had been denied a try for a short-playing offside, his 33rd defeat in the confrontations between the two teams - she won only seven, the last in November 2012 (38-21).

"We learned against New Zealand last November that we should never let go - we let them get back in. That's the big lesson we've learned," said Jones.

In old road of the international circuit the madré Australian, vice-champion of the world in 2003 with the Wallabies, was enlisted this week to put the pressure on the New Zealand side, by his declarations or the revelation of an alleged attempt of spying on his team's training on Tuesday.

The pressure, Hansen gladly takes it, before drinking one with Jones after the meeting: "Before, we fled, now we assume it.We have it every game, whether it's a quarterfinal, a semi-final or a simple test-match, but one would have to be very naive not to recognize that it will weigh on both teams "in this" match for history ". The term does not seem usurped.

© 2019 AFP