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So the pool stages have come to an end and, hosts England aside, all the big hitters will be in action when Rugby World Cup really begins to heat up with this weekend’s quarter-finals.
Yet there is still time to look back fondly at the final week of pool fixtures, in which we said goodbye to nations like Japan, Georgia and Canada, each of whom have lit up the last month of matches in their own way, and had our appetites whetted by a pair of heavyweight encounters between Wales and Australia and Ireland and France.
Try of the week
Italy and Romania played out a highly-entertaining Pool D finale, the highlight of which was Tommy Allan’s first-half try. Clearly, the Italians are keen students of Irish back play, as they employ a loop move favoured by Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray to devastating effect, with scrum-half Eduardo Gori’s delayed pass sending Allan through the defensive line.
Kick of the week
Namibia have had their moments in the tournament, and despite a 64-19 defeat by Argentina in their final match, they managed to have the last word with Eugene Jantjies’ scoring a try and substitute prop Johnny Redelinghuys being given the honour of taking the kick at goal in his final appearance.
It didn’t quite come off, unfortunately, but nice footwork all the same.
Tears of the week
Yes, we know all about Ian ‘Gazza’ Madigan, but Florin Surugiu takes this one after his emotional reaction to Romania’s tremendous comeback win against Canada. It’s been quite the couple of weeks for the scrum-half, who proposed to his girlfriend on the pitch after his side’s game against Ireland.
Gag of the week
If England’s performances weren’t laughable enough, the memes at the hosts’ expense have kept us all going strong.
England preparing for the next stage of their world cup journey #rwc pic.twitter.com/XHS7n4dZuR
— Daire Humphries (@Official_Daire) October 9, 2015
If you think #England are playing well then you've had too much to drink. Don't cook, get a takeaway #ENGvURU pic.twitter.com/Ci4wSsbEVh
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) October 10, 2015
Nobody’s perfect of the week
With Welsh backs continuing to drop like flies, fly-half Dan Biggar’s boot has been the rock upon which Wales’ campaign has stood. The Ospreys kicker was 15 out of 15 before finally showing he was human with this unexpected miss against Australia.
Don’t worry though, Dan, you’re still throwing the best shapes at the World Cup.
Performance of the week
Sean O’Brien gets an honourable mention for his all-action man-of-the-match display against France, but the award goes to the Australian front row.
For so long the Wallabies’ major weakness, Messrs Sio, Moore and Kepu can take a huge share of the credit for their victory over Wales. Yes, the normally formidable Welsh scrum is not at full-strength, but the utter destruction wrought by the Aussies at the set piece sent a warning to those hoping to zero in on that facet of their game.
