The pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup has lived up to its fiercely competitive anticipation, with 20 nations rushing ferociously for a coveted quarter-final spot.
There is nothing better than watching these beasts of athletes devour the field. The only sad thing is that the event is slowly reaching the final.
Among the successful nations navigating through to the last eight are England and Wales, as teams from the northern hemisphere have impressively topped all four pools. This success sets the stage for some explosive quarter-final clashes, which we’ll delve into shortly.
If for whatever reason you’ve missed the tournament so far, here are some of the notable highlights: Triumphs for England, France Beat New Zealand, Win for Ireland, and Wales at the Rugby World Cup
Following a series of five thrilling weekends filled with pool stage exploits, the knockout formations of the Rugby World Cup have ultimately closed.
Ireland affirmed their ranking as the world’s No. 1 with a resounding victory over the reigning champions, South Africa, and a subsequent dismantling of Scotland. The splendid French team overwhelmed New Zealand in a spectacular opening match, and Fiji delivered a shock to Australia in what have been some of the tournament’s standout moments thus far.
However, the stage for the quarter-finals was cemented as the group phase reached its climax on October 8th, with Fiji narrowly clinching a spot in the last eight, notwithstanding their 24-23 defeat to Portugal.
Which Teams have Qualified for the Rugby World Cup Quarter-Finals?
Ireland, South Africa, Wales, England, France, New Zealand, Argentina, and Fiji have secured the coveted eight qualification spots.
England, under the leadership of Steve Borthwick, ascended to the pinnacle of Pool D, while Warren Gatland’s squad stylishly navigated through Pool C, decimating Australia 40-6 in a pivotal confrontation in Lyon.
Fiji managed to grasp second in Pool C, tailing Wales, who solidified their premier position with a 43-19 triumph over Georgia in their concluding group game.
In the meantime, England strung together four consecutive victories and, thanks to outcomes elsewhere, assured their progression as group leaders with a game in hand.
France elegantly sailed into the last eight, commanding a 60-7 victory over Italy, while New Zealand secured the second spot as Pool A wrapped up. Their players are very popular in the OVAL3 fantasy rugby game, especially Antoine Dupont, who is 100% fit for their game against South Africa.
In Pool B, both Ireland and South Africa demonstrated their superiority over Scotland, progressing in the first and second slots respectively.
Lastly, Argentina clinched their forward move by defeating Japan in a decisive Pool D encounter.
This outcome forged a knockout match against England and condemned Eddie Jones’ Australian squad to their inaugural exit from the World Cup during the pool stage.
Quarter-Finals Match Ups
Even though all matches in the quarter-finals will be exciting to watch, two of them really stand out.
The world number one Ireland will lock horns with the All Blacks (New Zealand), and host nation France will confront reigning champions South Africa.
Vincent Koch, a South African star had a good feeling and showed confidence in his team’s abilities, and he was not wrong.
The opening quarter-final bout is slated between Wales and Argentina’s Pumas, who narrowly surpassed Japan in a pivotal contest earlier on Sunday.
Wales vs. Argentina Scheduled for 5 pm, Saturday, October 14, in Marseille
Wales dove into the World Cup with tempered expectations, following a somewhat disappointing fifth-place landing at the Six Nations.
However, after surpassing Group C, leaving behind the remarkable Fijians, they might be cautiously optimistic about their chances against Los Pumas that, after a robust defeat by England, managed to stave off Japan to advance to the knockout stage.
Ireland vs. New Zealand is scheduled for 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, in Saint-Denis
Undoubtedly living up to their number one world ranking, Ireland emerged victorious in all four pool matches, which included a colossal showdown against the defending champions, South Africa.
Never having claimed a quarter-final victory before, they’re now aiming to shatter their World Cup jinx against the three-time champions, the All Blacks – a team they triumphed over twice last year during a tour of New Zealand.
Notably, Ireland achieved consecutive historic victories over the All Blacks in New Zealand during their last meetup in July 2022.
England vs. Fiji is Scheduled for 5 pm, Sunday, October 15, in Marseille
Following an uneasy lead-up to the tournament, England manifested a stable performance during the pool stage, propelled notably by George Ford’s masterful kicking game.
Fiji ousted the Wallabies during the pool stage after securing a momentous warm-up victory over England at Twickenham in August.
France vs. South Africa Scheduled for 9 pm, Sunday, October 15, in Saint-Denis
Les Bleus navigated seamlessly through the pool stage, particularly highlighted by a radiant win against New Zealand in the tournament’s opener.
However, an injury to star captain Antoine Dupont has cast a shadow over the French camp’s spirits. Obstructing the path to France’s potential first World Cup title are the defending champions, South Africa, who are aiming to seize a record fourth title.
I am Robert Harris and I specialize in news media. My experience has been focused on sports journalism, particularly within the Rugby sector. I have written for various news websites in the past and currently work as an author for Athletistic, covering all things related to Rugby news.
