They might just go all the way, but they’ll face an arduous task against Scotland who have shown great resilience and fight since the tournament began.
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Of course, the travails of another United Kingdom team, Wales, are well known. Warren Gatland has seen five members of his squad ruled out during the competition, with Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Webb and Eli Walker forced out on the eve of the World Cup.
While likely replacements Jordi Murphy and Chris Henry will bring an unknown quantity to the quarter-finals, Argentina must be considered the favourites for this one. Yes, they were just a Taulape Faletau try line fumble from taking a lead that may have proved decisive, but when they needed to conjure magic, they suddenly discovered Dan Biggar’s limitations as a playmaker. They’ve tended to finish with a flourish, with several tries being scored, and suddenly the sharpness that was absent before emerges. I have no idea if Israel Folau, the Wallaby full-back, was truly fit to start a game of such magnitude, but during the first 40 minutes he was unusually fragile under the high ball.
Every single one of them has fascinating little subplots, nuances, history, niggle, mouthwatering one-on-one match-ups. It sure looks like it. However, the problem Vern Cotter’s charges have, that they like to play an attacking brand of rugby from inside their own half. The All Blacks will be well aware of that and won’t underestimate them at all. And I think maybe they underperformed because he got his selection wrong.
However, there will a new system for the quarter-finals this Saturday.
“To have achieved this really is a testament to all the hard work and commitment put in by so many across the country”.
This is payback time for New Zealand.
Back-to-back losses to Wales and Australia ended England’s hopes of advancing from the toughest of the pools. In games against England and Wales, the Wallabies looked a complete package.
“There is no favourable side of the draw”.
Imagine a World Cup with that kind of energy – award Ireland 2023 hosting rights immediately! It will be a surprise if they don’t reach the final.
Wales have been to the quarter-final four times.
To be deprived of Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams at centre is cruel and we saw the effect of that when they laid siege to the Australia line.
“That’s the whole of the Australian population plus the kangaroos, and New Zealand and all the sheep. The competition between the players will increase, the desire will increase, and, therefore, you get a stronger national team”. And so there are no second-tier teams in the last eight. It may well be a bridge too far. Having said that, surely rugby would be better served if the smaller nations received the bigger chunk of World Rugby funding? Last time at the World Cup we were very close to beating them.
New Zealand’s Charlie Faumuina, left, during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match between New Zealand and Georgia at Millenium stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Friday, October 2, 2015.
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Most of the blame so far has been directed at coach Stuart Lancaster for selecting inexperienced players and sticking to a conservative game plan. “It’s not just going to happen”. The more remarkable figure, not mentioned by Sweeney, is the fact the average viewing figure for TV3’s coverage of the Italy match (956,600) was 70,000 more than the number that tuned in to watch the Republic of Ireland versus Germany (786,000). A suspension for the flanker will hurt Ireland perhaps more than the loss of their captain and rock, Paul O’Connell, and Peter O’Mahoney.
