The All Blacks spoke all week about wanting there to be a "tomorrow" after this Rugby World Cup semifinal. They wanted a meaningful final week, and that fuelled this ruthless dismantling of Argentina as New Zealand won 44-6 on a stormy night in Paris.
Any hopes of an Argentinean upset were extinguished by the 17th minute. The All Blacks had their second try and a vice-like grip on the match, the machine clicking with ruthless, familiar efficiency. New Zealand barely broke stride in victory, one which means they're now in their fifth men's World Cup final.
There was a sense of inevitability about it all. Those fans clinging on to hopes Argentina could somehow pluck a repeat performance and result like their two historic victories in 2020 and 2022 over the All Blacks were soon brought crashing back to reality.
Frizell grabbed his second and Jordan completed his hat-trick to move level with Jonah Lomu (1999), Bryan Habana (2007) and Julian Savea (2015) with a record eighth try in a single Rugby World Cup to seal the All Blacks' place in a record fifth final.
Jordie Barrett put in a huge defensive effort to be named Mastercard Player of the Match. "It's so sweet," he said. "It's special times."
"I thought our forwards did an outstanding job," New Zealand captain Sam Cane said. "Set-piece, maul time, earned a few penalties, got a bit of dominance and it kept a lot of pressure on the Argentinians."
Argentina captain Julián Montoya admitted his team were second best: "Awesome team, they were better today by far but we could be better; set-piece, too many mistakes ... every opportunity they have they score, so we need to look inside each other.
"Today, far from our level that we wanted to show. I am gutted and I am really disappointed of that."
A streaking break by the fly-half then set up the All Blacks deep in Argentine territory and with Tele’a proving a handful, Frizzell showed incredible strength to muscle his way over for his second try.
A raft of replacements disrupted the rhythm of the game, but Tele’a was on hand to draw in three defenders as New Zealand ran through the phases, leaving Finlay Christie to feed Jordan for his second five-pointer.
Scott Barrett saw yellow for needlessly playing the ball in a ruck, but Jordan was on hand to finish off his own chip-and-chase for a third try and his eighth at a single World Cup to draw level with Jonah Lomu, Julian Savea and Bryan Habana.
Argentina hung in there, however, and at least avoided the ignominy of suffering the highest margin of defeat in a World Cup semi-final, the All Blacks having beaten Wales 49-6 in 1987.
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