Well, we didn’t see THAT coming!
After a weekend of rugby that included what will be considered two of the best clashes in first-class rugby history, we have the time to sit back and ponder the implications of what just took place.
Short version: two favorites beaten and on their way home, dazed and confused; three of the four semi-final slots are southern hemisphere teams with England being the lone northern hemisphere representative.
Long version: four matches of which none were settled until the closing moments. A fantastic spectacle of spectator sport, which is after all the whole idea. Yes, winning is what all of these teams want to do and they have different ways of trying to achieve that aim, but if you can thrill the crowd and have pundits talking about the best halves of play EVER, something is going very right. Hats off to all 8 teams, they did us proud.
Wales v. Argentina: 17-29. Arguably the least nail-biting of the four QFs but a match of consequence nonetheless. Wales perhaps favored after a renaissance of play in the tournament (like England they have been off their best in recent months) but Argentina’s strength and absolute commitment won the day, with 2 converted tries and 5 penalties against 2 converted tries and just 1 three-pointer for Wales.
Ireland v. New Zealand: 24-28. The top-ranked team in the world playing against what had been a sub-par All Blacks team in earlier rounds, but not any more. The Kiwis came out hard and opened up and early lead before Ireland scored their first points and kept the lead for the match. But Ireland continued to press, only down by 1 at the half. Despite losing two players at different times to yellow cards, the All Blacks kept their composure withstanding a massive assault by Ireland in the closing minutes of the game. In a period of over 35 phases, Ireland were unable to break down the New Zealanders and saw the curse of the quarter-finals continue. A sad end to Johnny Sexton’s glittering career but for the spectators, a night to remember.
England v. Fiji: 30-24. England have not looked comfortable when challenged seriously for the last several months and although the first half went well, the Fijians, who had beaten England at Twickenham in a summer “friendly”, caught up in the second half and only a drop goal and a penalty late in the game saw England squeak a win.
France v. South Africa: 28-29. Another titanic battle, this time the defending champions against the host country in the Stade de France in Paris. In the first half, the speed and intensity of the French play overwhelmed the South Africans but they hung on with their backs scoring sensational tries. France were ahead until the last moments of the game when fly half Pollard slotted a 52 meter penalty to crush French hopes. In all, France scored 3 tries (2 converted) and 3 penalties while the Springboks scored 4 tries (3 converted) and only 1 penalty. Key moment: Springboks winger Cheslin Kolbe charged down a conversion attempt by Ramos, the France #15 - those two points lost would prove to be crucial in a 1-point victory.
So after the Quarters were settled the consequences of the Pool selections came into stark relief: The two top favorites, Ireland by virtue of their #1 ranking and France as the powerful hosts, were out, defeated in two matches that should have been Semi-finals and would have graced a Final. And, two teams from the lower ranks of the elite international teams, England and Argentina, were given an unexpected chance of a berth in the Final. And on a geographic note, at the start of the weekend there were hopes that rugby could see 4 northern hemisphere teams in the Semi-Finals for the forst time in rugby history - in all 4 matches the northern teams were given a good chance of winning. Imagine the dismay when only 1, England, survived.
On to the Semis!