Wales v Argentina
Four Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, four massive North vs. South eliminators. Knockout rugby has often brought out the best in Wales under Warren Gatland, but he will stress that the real hard work begins here. They have reached the semi-finals in two of the past three World Cups, and the basic trends are similar. They protect it like their lives depend on it, take points for points given, and ignore perceived reputations. History also favors them. Argentina may have had a belated breather with a win over Japan in their final pool match, but the Pumas have only beaten Wales once in seven attempts over the past decade. The key this time is to stop Argentina at the source, but the injury to back-row defender Pablo Matera has made that job a little easier. Wales will be without Taulupe Faletau, who broke his arm against Georgia, but the Pumas are not as much of a threat in the scrum as they used to be, with Jack Morgan also in the squad for this tournament. Argentina have the fleet-footed Mateo Carreras, while Wales have the increasingly prolific Luis Rees-Zammit. Assuming Dan Biggar is fully fit, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Wales pull off a muddy victory.
Stade de Marseille, 4Afternoon BST (5Afternoon CEST) Saturday, October 14th
Ireland v New Zealand
Just imagine for a moment that Ireland wore black jerseys in a pool game. A team ranked No. 1 in the world, relentless with the ball in their hands, and an indefatigable defense… New Zealand are developing the kind of aura they have historically had. That doesn’t mean they’re certain to become world champions – as All Blacks fans will attest, top-level rugby doesn’t always work out that way – but if they The quality it has is obvious. We also provide on-site support to cheer up teams that are on the cusp of a tournament. On paper, their performance in the World Cup finals has been terrible, never making it to the final four. But their 17 consecutive Test wins (one away from the men’s Tier 1 world record) suggest they are far less likely to succumb to pressure. . new zealand? The way they tore through a lower-ranked opponent showed the individual talent they still possess and will need revenge for their 2-1 loss in last summer’s Test home series. Even so, he will need to make a big step up physically to stay on top of an Irish team that is slow on the ball and out of rhythm. A small chip or two over Bundy Aki’s head in midfield, or a diagonal kick pass to a flying Will Jordan, might pay off, but Aki and the relentless Irish back-row are here to stay. . There’s a reason Andy Farrell’s team are the narrow favorites to win.
Stade de France, 8pm BST (9pm CEST), Saturday 14th October
england v fiji
Will England really lose to the team that lost to Portugal at the weekend? If they play as poorly as they did against Samoa on Saturday, the answer is yes. The disconnect between England’s individual ability and their lofty collective performance remains one of rugby’s biggest challenges. It’s hard to talk about a mystery that has so few variations. However, Steve Borthwick’s side remain unbeaten in France, with 80-and-a-half minutes remaining until the World Cup semi-finals. They are expected to target Fiji’s lineouts, kick into territory and generally not give their opponents a chance to build sustained momentum. For their part, the Fijian side will need to rediscover the tactical nous that provided so much energy for Australia and helped them eliminate England from selection in the warm-up match between the teams at Twickenham. As Samoa showed, if England can rush, and if soft penalties are not awarded to make it easier to get up the touchline, the whole machine can start to break down. That said, England cannot be as poor again – can it be? – and their fitness makes them a difficult team to shake off in the final 20 minutes of a close game. It won’t be until sometime in the next decade that the Pacific Islands side reach the semi-finals, but for now England should still have the know-how and experience to win.
Stade de Marseille, 4Afternoon BST (5pm CEST), Sunday 15th October
France v South Africa
For those who don’t know Antoine Dupont from Ant and Dec, it may seem strange that the return of one player is a huge deal in a 15-a-side sport. But in France, the captain’s return to contact training ahead of the quarter-finals was huge.dupont gives Les Bleus His ability to pop up from almost anywhere on the pitch, kick with both feet and connect with defenders is on another level. In a big fight against the defending world champion, it could be decisive. Assuming, of course, that he starts and has fully recovered from the facial fracture that required surgery following a fateful challenge from Namibia’s Johan Deisel in the pool stages. If he were to writhe under the first heavy challenge from the mighty Springboks, the story would take on a very different picture. Therefore, a case could be made to keep Dupont on the bench and, if necessary, use him in the all-important final 20 minutes. Maxime Luuk and Mathieu Jalibert played halfback against Italy and are Bordeaux’s club partners. Jalibert seems to be growing heading into this tournament, and his passing vision is a particular strength. South Africa are clearly stronger and better organised, but they will also have to deal with an enthusiastic home crowd. Goal kicking from Thomas Ramos and Melvin Jaminet also gives the hosts a potential advantage.
Stade de France, Sunday 15th October 8pm BST (9pm CEST)
