Rugby World Cup: Seven things you need to know

NZ Herald

6 Oct, 2015 03:48 AM4 mins to read

Prince Harry reacts during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool A match between England and Australia at Twickenham Stadium. Photo / Paul Gilham / Getty Images

Steve Deane looks at seven things you need to know for the Rugby World Cup going into tonight.

1. 12 matches to go

Scarcely believable, we know, but the end of the pool stages is finally in sight. Just 12 more matches remain until we get to the business end of tournament. By 'we', we of course mean the not-so-royal we; the we that includes every serious rugby playing nation on the planet bar the one supported by the Ginger Prince. Woe is England. So, with the pool of death having claimed its victim, what's left to sort out? Let us break it down for you.

POOL A

With Harry's England goneburgers and winless Fiji and Uruguay also eliminated, the only thing left to settle is who of Australia and Wales claims top spot, and with it a quarter final match-up against the runner up of Pool B. The two nations meet on Saturday morning at Twickenham (a happy recent hunting ground for both) in a match well worth winning given that the winner will probably get Scotland in the quarters while the loser will almost certainly get South Africa.

The pool is officially wrapped later in the morning when England plays Uruguay in a meaningless contest in Manchester.

2. POOL B

Poor old Japan. What remains one of the greatest upsets in rugby's history appears set to go down as a mere footnote when it comes to qualification from Pool B. Emphatic Springbok victories over Samoa and Scotland meant the normal order of things was very quickly restored, with a gimme victory over USA on Thursday almost certain to confirm the African powerhouse tops the group. Scotland - long assumed to be the second qualifier in the pool - have a two point buffer over Japan, meaning a victory over the disappointing Samoans in Newcastle on Sunday will secure their passage.

The Brave Blossoms, unfortunately, appear likely to exit even if they beat USA on Monday. That would be a harsh fate indeed for a nation that lost only one game while knocking off one of the game's genuine heavyweights.

3. POOL C

Almost good riddance to the Pool of Snores, thankfully. If ever there was a pool where fates were pre-ordained and nothing of interest happened, this was it. The All Blacks will come first by belting Tonga on Saturday and the impressive Argentines will monster Namibia on Monday to confirm second place.

The major questions coming from a pool that hasn't even had the decency to generate an injury crisis is whether the unimpressive All Blacks can turn it on in the knockout stages after sleepwalking for a month; and whether Argentina are as good as they seem to be.

4. POOL D

The pool of one meaningful contest saves its best for last - at least in terms of a match that actually matters. Ireland and France have safely, if uninspiringly, reached the point we all knew they would - a showdown match with the prize of not playing the ABs in the quarterfinals up for grabs. Of course, there's every chance the French couldn't give a blind toss about drawing us in Cardiff, and will turn in a suitably disinterested effort.

Either way, the Monday 4.45am encounter is sure to be one of the most analysed matches of the tournament. Have either team got what it takes to topple the title-favourite All Blacks? The answer, of course, is yes, they both do. But that won't stop us pouring over the footage like it's a potential crime scene.

5. STANDINGS

6. PLAYER RANKINGS

7. TEAM RANKINGS

EXTRA TIME

The final round of pool play isn't all about jockeying for favourable quarterfinal slots. For Fiji, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Romania and Namibia it's all about avoiding going home without having put a win on the board. Fiji and Uruguay go head-to-head, as do Romania and Canada. USA have two cracks at getting off the schneid* (with matches against South Africa and Japan), as does Romania, who play Canada and Italy.