April Ieremia at the Rugby World Cup: All Black machine to face running Welsh

George North of Wales charges forward. Photo / Getty Images

Opinion

The business end of the Rugby World Cup is here and it's shaping up to be a beauty.

Who would have expected Ireland to be a pool winner, Tonga to undo France, Dan Carter to exit early or Wales to play running rugby?

I know I have gone on about boring and stodgy Northern Hemisphere rugby, exemplified by England, but let's be honest, that's what it is.

But look at the state of Wales. From Graham Henry to Warren Gatland, the Kiwi influence over the Welsh game is finally paying off. Their running game is exciting stuff.

England's defensive game, however, is incredibly dull to watch. The best thing that could happen is for all their goal kickers to slip into a 100-year slumber, forcing players to use their own cunning and speed.

Looking for atmosphere, I have been fortunate to go to a number of World Cup games but on Saturday I was eager to experience Party Central first-hand.

The weather was miserable and wet, doing little to entice anyone out but gladly we made the effort. Walking into the Cloud at Queens Wharf was like another world. Who cared about the weather and who cared if you were wet. The wave-like structure housed a fun-filled atmosphere.

The Cloud is the perfect place for anyone not going to the game but wanting to get into it. With giant monitors everywhere, its vibe is colourful, festive and incredibly playful, the perfect place to start.

Not thinking, I was prematurely dressed in Scottish blue.

I received the odd Polynesian stare as if to say, "What about Tonga?" Naturally, I support any Pacific team who aren't playing Samoa but on Saturday night I was gearing up for a few verses of Flower of Scotland and a Pommy whipping. Alas, the party poopers came through and spoiled it all.

But now to the business end ... I am going to skip right across the quarter-finals and semifinals to the big one: New Zealand to meet Wales with their new-found running game in the final.

New Zealand will be missing Dan Carter but the All Blacks are a great machine led by a brilliant captain in Richie McCaw.