There have been 40 games played at the Rugby World Cup and there are only eight more to go before we find out the 2023 winners.
The quarter-final line-up is complete after a final round of pool fixtures which threw up a huge shock, plenty of drama, selection questions and injury concerns.
Portugal rewarded with first World Cup win
Portugal have gained many new friends and followers with their attacking displays in France, so it was fitting that they should wrap up the pool stage with a dramatic late try that completed a massive upset against Fiji.
It appeared their chance of a first World Cup win may have gone when, having twice led by seven points in the second half, Portugal trailed 23-17 with the clock ticking towards 80 minutes.
However, Rodrigo Marta’s converted late score sparked celebrations akin to a team who had just won the tournament.
Centre Jose Lima summed up his team’s victory at the end of a draining pool stage for Os Lobos: “I think it comes from the heart when you are tired, you have to think of all the stuff before. Get with your partners and say ‘let’s go, let’s do it’.
“That’s what we said at half-time and look at this, it is unbelievable.”
Flanker Nicolas Martins added: “It’s incredible, I have no words. It’s historic, I’m so happy. I think it’s the best moment of my life.”
As for Fiji, the Pacific island nation needed only a losing bonus point from the match to qualify for the last eight and set up a quarter-final with England.
Both teams were far from their best in their final pool games (more to follow on England v Samoa later…) and will need to raise their respective levels if they are to progress beyond the last eight.
Ireland set for ‘biggest challenge in rugby’
Ireland reaffirmed their position as the world’s number one team with a clinical six-try win over Scotland in Paris that confirmed Andy Farrell’s side as Pool B winners.
A mouth-watering quarter-final against New Zealand awaits.
All Blacks full-back Beauden Barrett said he and many of his team-mates are “still hurting” after a home series loss to Ireland in 2022 and determined for revenge.
But Ireland are ready for the challenge.
Captain Johnny Sexton said: “We learned so many lessons on that tour to take with us for the Six Nations, to win a Grand Slam, to put us in this situation again, to have to play them again.
“They have said it’s the one they want, they are hurting and they want to put it right. That is the biggest challenge in rugby, to beat them when they are in that frame of mind.”
Scotland coach Townsend looking at the long term
Nobody said it would be easy for Scotland to progress from a pool that also included Ireland and defending champions South Africa.
Gregor Townsend’s team entered the World Cup fifth in the world rankings and although their pre-tournament form promised much, the task proved too much.
Understandably, the end of one four-year cycle and another ahead brings questions about potential improvements in the years to come.
Townsend said: “The way Irish rugby is set up, they could dominate world rugby for the next five to 10 years. They’re the number one team in the world and they have a pro rugby system that is very strong and they’ve got an age-group system that is very strong.
“We’ve got to do better. This group of players has got to fifth in the world, which is the best we’ve been in terms of the Scotland national team, but we know we have to make sure that continues not for the next couple of years but for the next 10 years.”
The clock beat record-breaker Farrell
Owen Farrell kicked his way into the history books by breaking Jonny Wilkinson’s 12-year record as England’s leading all-time points scorer.
Farrell kicked an 18th-minute penalty in England’s 18-17 Pool D win over Samoa to surpass Wilkinson’s career haul of 1,179 points.
A second penalty and a conversion took his tally to 1,186, but he also claimed another rather unwanted record.
With England trailing 17-11 in the 64th minute, Farrell became the first man in World Cup history to be timed out by the ‘shot clock’ as he attempted to kick a third penalty.
“I didn’t see the clock,” Farrell said. “I wasn’t aware. It was above where I was picking my target. I got lost a little bit in the kick.
“It wasn’t good enough and I’m glad for the team’s sake that it didn’t cost us. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again.”
Fortunately, Danny Care’s try saved Farrell’s blushes and maintained England’s 100% record heading into the quarter-finals.
Hat-trick heroes set up quarter-final meeting
Wales maintained their winning run to top Pool C with a hard-earned win over Georgia in Nantes, helped by a hat-trick of tries from Louis Rees-Zammit.
However, victory came at a price as experienced number eight Taulupe Faletau will play no further part in the tournament after going off in the second half with a broken arm.
Wales will play Argentina in the last eight – the Pumas’ win-or-bust game against Japan resembled a basketball game at times, but they prevailed 39-27 to finish second behind England in Pool D.
Mateo Carreras of Newcastle Falcons made his mark at the World Cup with a treble of his own for the South American nation, who have appeared in semi-finals in 2007 and 2015. Will they add 2023 to that list?
Hosts preparing for ‘another World Cup final’
France cruised past Italy 60-7 to claim top spot in Pool A and secure their place in the quarter-finals after four wins from four games.
The hosts overcame perennial World Cup heavyweights New Zealand on the opening night, something head coach Fabien Galthie referred to as their first of four remaining finals.
The big question for France will be whether they can call on their talismanic leader Antoine Dupont, who shared a word with his coach before kick-off, for that “second” showpiece with South Africa.
“We turn our attention to the quarter-final, which after playing a first World Cup final against New Zealand in the opening match, will be a second World Cup final,” said Galthie.
“For us, it’s clearly a World Cup final playing against the reigning world champions, who have prepared for back-to-back titles. The draw has done its job, it’s up to us to do ours.”
But it all goes wrong for Italy…
Italy put themselves in a strong position to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history after opening with bonus-point wins over Namibia and Uruguay.
They were not favourites to overcome New Zealand or France in their remaining Pool A games, but their campaign fell away spectacularly as a thumping 96-17 defeat by the All Blacks was followed by a 53-point deficit against the hosts.
Outgoing head coach Kieran Crowley pointed to his young side’s pride and their chances of reaching those elusive knockout stages in four years.
“These boys, they’d die for you,” Crowley said. “They’ve got a lot of pride. I just hope they start getting treated with a bit more respect after this. For the next World Cup cycle there will be a lot of players with 50 or 60 Test matches by then so that will be good.”
McKenzie or Barrett?
The dilemma facing New Zealand coach Ian Foster.
Whether at 10 or 15, the versatile Beauden Barrett has been influential for the All Blacks in recent years.
But Damian McKenzie took his tournament try-scoring tally to five with two more in the 73-0 win over Uruguay, as well as producing some world-class touches.
McKenzie chased his neat kick through to reclaim the ball and offload to Will Jordan, with the touchline for close company, in one movement.
Ireland will pose a greater threat in the quarter-finals but with Richie Mo’unga expected to retain his place at fly-half, it is set to be a tough choice between McKenzie and Barrett at full-back.
