Three rare clashes to sink your teeth into at the Rugby World Cup
When the World Cup pools were first announced way back in 2017, it was hard to get too excited about the flagship competition which was still almost two years away.
It’s now less than a month until the first match kicks off, between Japan and Russia.
The last year-and-a-half has added a lot of spice to some of the match-ups we’re bound to get a taste of throughout the tournament.
New Zealand, who have been on top of the world for a decade, suffered rare defeats to South Africa, Ireland and Australia. That South African side have gone through a huge transformation and are now shaping up as possibly the tournament favourites. Even the Wallabies have turned on the form in patches, recording their biggest ever victory over New Zealand.
Further north, it’s been a helter-skelter sort of time with England, Ireland and Wales all enjoying periods of dominance over their neighbours.
It’s not just the build-up that means expectations should be high for the 9th-ever Rugby World Cup. A few eagle-eyed fans would have noticed that we’re set for some rare match-ups during the tournament – including some head-to-heads that have somehow never occurred in a World Cup to date.
Mark these matches down on your calendar, folks, they’re sure to be absolute rippers.
Ireland v Scotland (September 22)
The Celtic rivals have managed to navigate 28 years-worth of World Cup competitions with only one clash between them – way back in 1991.
Of course, the neighbours do go hammer-and-tongs at least once a year thanks to the Six Nations. Ireland have had the wood over the Scottish since the turn of the century but up until then it was Scotland who dominated their matches.
The current ledger still has Scotland barely a whisker ahead overall, winning 67 matches to Ireland’s 63. For the final decade of the 20th century, between 1989 and 1999, Scotland actually went undefeated against the Shamrocks.
It should therefore come as no surprise that the first and only World Cup battle between the two sides fell Scotland’s way, with the game ending 24-15. Notably, that match was played in Edinburgh.
The upcoming 22 September fixture will be the first time that the two nations have clashed at a neutral venue in over 140 years of games.
Looking at the bigger picture, the loser of that match will, at best, likely be tasked with taking apart the winner of the game between New Zealand and South Africa in the quarter-finals. Ireland have never made a World Cup semi-final whilst Scotland last made it to the final four in 1991.
There’s also the small issue of Japan’s emergence as a genuine threat. Japan will have a leisurely seven-day rest before taking on Scotland, whereas the Scots will be coming off a small three-day break. Scotland won’t fancy going into that match dependant on a win.
South Africa v Italy (October 4)
The pool matches will throw out a first-ever fixture just 12 days later when South Africa take on Italy in Shizuoka.
You could be forgiven for assuming that this match will be a walk in the park for the Springboks. After all, South Africa are the champions of the Southern Hemisphere whilst Italy finished dead last in the Six Nations.
Italy, however, know they stand at least a small chance against the Springboks after tipping them over for the first time back in 2016.
If Italy are to have any shot at earning an historic quarter-final berth then they’ll need to get one over either South Africa or New Zealand. Italy’s closest-ever match against the All Blacks was a 10-point loss at the 1991 World Cup – but they’re more used to being on the side of huge floggings. Italy and NZ have faced off in five separate World Cups, with the accumulated scores reading New Zealand: 348; Italy: 51.
That means that their best shot of booking a spot in the playoffs will be to ambush the Springboks. This match will effectively be a knockout game for the Azzurri, so they won’t be holding anything back.
You can also expect Rassie Erasmus to roll out a full-strength South African side. Expect some fireworks.
South Africa/New Zealand v Ireland (October 19)
One way or another, we’re set for a very rare fixture in the quarterfinals.
Short of one of the above three teams having a cataclysmic loss in form, Ireland will meet either South Africa or New Zealand in the knockout stages of the competition.
Choosing whether you’d rather face the Springboks or the All Blacks in a sudden death match is a lot like choosing which of your kids you love more.
New Zealand and Ireland last played each other in the 1995 World Cup. That match in Johannesburg ended in the All Blacks’ favour, 43-19.
Don’t expect a similar result this year if these two superpowers do end up facing off in the quarter-finals. Although it took 111 years for Ireland to get their first victory of the men in black, Ireland have now won two of the last three matches played between the two sides. They also won the last game played on a neutral ground when the teams took their battle to Chicago in 2016.
Ireland are one of the sides that really trouble the Kiwis due to their ability to retain possession and not give the All Blacks counter-attacking opportunities. Ireland will arguably be the side that New Zealand most fear facing come the knockout stages of the competition.
South Africa have never played Ireland at a World Cup – and they’ll be the favourites to take on the Shamrocks in the quarter-finals.
Despite having a comfortable 18-7 victory count over the Irish, the Springboks have lost six of the last ten games played between the two teams in green.
Their most recent fixture, in 2017, saw Ireland run away 38-3 victors in a comprehensive pasting which will leave the Irish oozing with confidence.
2019 has seen a bit of a turn in the fortunes of the two sides, however, with South Africa suddenly looking like legitimate World Cup contenders and Ireland slipping up against both England and Wales in the Six Nations earlier this year.
When it comes to the sudden-death stages of a Rugby World Cup, you couldn’t ask for two tougher opponents than the pairing of South Africa and New Zealand. They’ve failed to qualify for the semi-finals just three times between them – whereas Ireland have never managed to make the final four.
The October 19 clash will be an absolutely epic encounter. Despite it coming at a relatively early time in the competition, it could well be the match of the competition. The fact that the sides have rarely lined up in World Cups to date just adds some extra spice to the battle.
Don’t be surprised if the winner of this match goes on to take out the World Cup.
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments