Rugby World Cup: Five thoughts for week five

THANKS, PART ONE

The seismic shock of losing to Japan in the opening round of pool matches caused all manner of recriminations but might, just might, be the best thing that could have happened to South Africa in this tournament.

Forced to confront their own demons, the Springboks underwent a prolonged bout of soul-searching and have emerged stronger and more focused, and are cold-eyed contenders to become the first nation to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after dropping a group game.

Arguably the most intensely physical rugby-playing nation of them all have found another level of ferocity that Wales will battle to match in Saturday’s eagerly awaited first quarter-final.

Warren Gatland’s squad have suffered enough injury heartache to last several World Cups and, for all their bravery, blood and guts, it’s surely expecting too much to overturn the odds that are now stacked against them.

THANKS, PART TWO

They made friends wherever they went, thrilled neutrals with their energy and spirit, and have been welcomed home as sporting heroes. Now let’s hope that the Brave Blossoms of Japan can continue their remarkable progress and find a consistent level of performance that will make them serious contenders for a place in the knockout stages of the next World Cup, due to be staged on home soil in 2019.

Crucially, an as yet unnamed new team from Japan is to take part in next year’s expanded Super Rugby competition. And this chance to regularly take on the best that New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina have to offer can only help Japan build on their fabulous work in England.

Eddie Jones, though, leaves behind some pretty sizeable boots for the next coach to fill.

NOT A TIME TO JOKE AROUND

I can understand the disappointment and hurt, but I hope that Stuart Lancaster was joking when, after hosts England’s premature exit, he said he had no intention of watching any of the World Cup knockout matches.

Let me see if I’ve got this right — you want to keep your job but you don’t want to learn anything from at least eight other nations who have a better understanding of how to find their best form when it matters most? Don’t want to study their tactics and see what they’re getting right when so much is patently wrong with England?

Just in case you need help with a little list, how about picking your best players in their best positions, and making sure you go into a tournament with established partnerships and combinations? And that’s just for starters.

BLACK CLOUD

France finished a distant second behind Ireland in last weekend’s momentous pool encounter in Cardiff, with the result that Les Bleus were handed the short straw of returning to the Welsh capital to face champions New Zealand. But is it?

France, who were totally nullified by the absolutely magnificent Irish, will surely embrace the fact that they now go into this intriguing quarter-final as underdogs with low expectations, against a side they defeated in such memorable style in both the 1999 and 2007 knockout stages.

The All Blacks have good reason to be wary. Their last three pool victories were comfortable enough but Tonga, in particular, caused the champions plenty of headaches before running out of steam.

And there’s still a nagging concern that New Zealand run the risk of being a little under-done ahead of what could be a red-hot battle.

GREEN FOR GO?

It’s a record that no Irish supporter needs reminding of — five World Cup quarter-final appearances, five defeats. And although the men in green produced one of the displays of the tournament to last weekend finish top of their pool, that win now sees them go head-to-head with an Argentinian side more than capable of repeating their 2007 run into the last four.

This is a team, don’t forget, that has overcome Australia and South Africa in the last year and now faces an Irish squad reeling from injuries to key men and the banning of flanker Sean O’Brien.

The South Americans will still be underdogs against Ireland, who will expect to receive the same phenomenal support in Cardiff behind the memorable victory over France.

But it is a brave man who writes off an Argentinian outfit that has added attacking flair to a formidably powerful forward pack.

— The writer is a freelance journalist and rugby expert