England winger Delon Armitage will miss the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against France after being banned for 1 match for a dangerous tackle in the last Pool B match against Scotland on the weekend. Armitage pleaded guilty to a charge of foul play and was banned for one match by RWC judicial officer Bruce Squire in Auckland Monday. England will play France in a quarterfinal at Auckland Saturday. Armitage will be allowed to return to prepare for the semifinals if 2003 champion England advances. England has 48 hours to lodge an appeal. Meanwhile, New Zealand heads into quarterfinals firm favorite to break its World Cup hoodoo. New Zealand, winner of the inaugural 1987 Webb Ellis Cup but win-less in the intervening 24 years, stormed through its pool, racking up a tournament-high 240 points and 36 tries. Its first obstacle will be 2007 third placegetters Argentina at Auckland's Eden Park Sunday. The All Blacks haven't lost at their citadel since 1994 – an unbroken 25-match unbeaten run – and they have never lost to the Pumas in 13 encounters. The hot house of national expectations will be a factor, so too will be the loss of influential goalkicking fly-half Dan Carter, out of the tournament with a serious groin injury. “He's a key All Black, not only on the field as the navigator of his team for a long time but a key person off it. We just need to show strength in this situation,” coach Graham Henry said. Defending champion South Africa is bidding for an unprecedented third Webb Ellis Cup. It faces a defining game against the Wallabies, themselves chasing a third World Cup title. South Africa will go into Sunday's sudden-death match without their in-form inside-centre Frans Steyn, who is heading home after damaging his shoulder in the bruising 13-5 win over the Samoans last Friday. The Springboks brought one of the most experienced squads, averaging 40 caps per player, and they have the players who know how to win a World Cup. Perhaps the most intriguing quarterfinal will be Ireland-Wales in Wellington Saturday.
