The absurdity of the decision to stage the draw for the pool stage of the Rugby World Cup three years out from the tournament will really hit home this week. The quarterfinals are upon us and it means arguably the best 48 hours the sport can offer. Look at the weekend schedule for the last eight and it’s hard not to feel sorry for the two teams out of Ireland, France, New Zealand and South Africa whose World Cup hopes will be over by Sunday night. They are comfortably the four leading rugby nati
Ireland’s Johnny Sexton, left, and Tadhg Beirne celebrate after the Rugby World Cup Pool B match between Ireland and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis outside of Paris, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Ireland won the match 36-14. New Zealand’s Damian McKenzie, centre, celebrates with captain Sam Cane after teammate Cam Roignard scored a try during the Rugby World Cup Pool A match between New Zealand and Uruguay at the OL Stadium, in Lyon, France Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023.
On Sunday, it’s No. 6-ranked England vs. No. 8-ranked Fiji followed by No. 2-ranked France vs. No. 3-ranked South Africa. “The way the draw was made three years ago, it turned out a bit unfair,” Ireland captain Jonathan Sexton said, somewhat diplomatically. “It is the hand that we were dealt.”For their match against the All Blacks, Ireland has concerns over the fitness of wingers Mack Hansen and James Lowe and lock James Ryan . Wales will be without irreplaceable No. 8 for its quarterfinal against Argentina, for whom star flanker Pablo Matera could be missing with a hamstring injury.
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