The weekend that promised so much delivered in so many ways.
Possibly the best opening match in the 10 World Cups so far, some outstanding games and tries and entertainment in conditions that would normally be an argument against summer rugby, and with Wales-Fiji applying the coup de grace in a non-stop, full-on rollercoaster of a game.
Time for the Rugby World Cup to take a breath!
The one problem, as feared beforehand, about being treated to such a feast on the opening weekend is the relative famine that might follow.
France, buoyed by their ultimately commanding win over the All Blacks, begin their tour/love-in with their country by hosting Uruguay in Lille on Thursday, with games against Namibia in Marseilles and Italy in Lyon to come.
The All Blacks vent their anger on Namibia in Friday’s game, with Wales v Portugal, South Africa v Romania and England v Japan also falling into the category of seemingly foregone conclusions, as is commonplace in the World Cup pool stages.
Samoa’s entry into the tournament against Chile on Saturday adds a certain novelty, while we will obviously have acute interest in Ireland’s game against Tonga and the threat of the Pacific Islanders with Charles Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa and Adam Coleman among the recently eligible converts to their cause.
Otherwise, the most meaningful game of the second weekend looks like being Australia v Fiji. The Wallabies appeared to take more from their win over Georgia than most others watching, while Fiji are in last chance saloon after their acutely deflating defeat by Wales. Despite their two bonus points from Sunday night’s thriller, if they lose to Australia, then their hopes are all but extinguished.
And therein lies the rub, for despite the potential for an upset or two, ultimately the opening weekend reaffirmed the established order.
In the absence of any surprises, it will be no surprise if France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa advance from the brutally tough half of the draw, although Scotland would remain dangerous if their Pool B finale with Ireland is a glorified last 16 tie.
Likewise, the odds are that the old order of Australia, England, Wales and Argentina advance from the softer half of the draw, although on the evidence of their grim display against England, los Pumas could be vulnerable to Samoa or Japan.
Perhaps you had to be at the games, or being at them distorted one’s experience and viewpoint. Despite the slow crawls to the stadia, the overcrowded trams and trains, the disorganisation, the apparent cost-cutting with one eye on next year’s Paris Olympics, once the games kicked off it was a real buzz to be at three of them.
The sense of occasion on opening night was almost suffocating and that, along with their percentage tactics, appeared to restrict France.
Hence to break free from their shackles and virtually dominate the All Blacks will stand to them. When France beat New Zealand 40-25 in November 2021 it ended a run of 14 defeats in a row by the All Blacks. So to back that up by inflicting on the All Blacks their first World Cup pool defeat in 32 matches is significant – and that’s before even mentioning the manner in which they did it.
Yes, they missed 32 tackles and the All Blacks cut them open with a few Joe Schmidt-devised strike plays. Yes, Julian Marchand is their latest casualty in a growing injury list, but with Peato Mauvaka and Pierre Bourgarit, they have adequate cover.
What’s more, come the quarter-finals, with most likely another three wins under their belt, and Cyril Baille, Anthony Jelonch and Jonathan Danty back in the mix, they are best to be avoided in the quarter-finals.
The pub debate is over.
Hence, at the risk of counting chickens, the Ireland-South Africa game on Saturday week in Paris now looms as the most pivotal match in the remainder of the pool stages, with the biggest ripple effect into the knock-out stages.
The Springboks may not have scaled any of the attacking heights achieved by others in the opening weekend, but the unrelenting pressure of their game was a reminder that they are possibly best designed to stifle Ireland’s attacking game.
They gave Scotland nothing easy, not a scrum, lineout or solitary ruck, where they contested or counter-rucked relentlessly. Ultimately, they restricted one of the tournament’s most potent sides to three points.
Finn Russell kept believing he could unlock them, but no matter if it was short passes inside the outside-in defence, which a lot of teams are employing, or long passes which came with red crosses on them, he couldn’t do so.
The Boks tightened the screw with tries by the outstanding Pieter Steph du Toit, back to his 2019 vintage, and Kurt-Lee Arendse after a trademark piece of skill by Manie Libbok, even if his goal-kicking remains their biggest Achilles heel. Building scoreboard pressure is part of the Boks’ DNA.
England-Argentina was technically the same sport but it didn’t look it. As disappointing as Argentina were, England are perhaps better than we appreciated.
They’ve found the identity they’ve been looking for and maybe they’ve had so much practice playing with 14 men they’ve mastered the art. One ventures there could be plenty more drop goals from George Ford as the tournament goes on.
Watching Fiji’s fearless and ferocious carrying into contact reminded one of Japan four years ago, only their carriers look about three stone per man heavier. They seemed set to run rampant when coming within inches of a third try in the first half but Wales are probably not receiving the credit they deserve.
Their defence was typified by that astonishing Josh Adams tackle on Selestino Ravutaumada (granite wall meets extreme train, and 42,000 people gasped).
Typically, it seems Warren Gatland has again pulled together a team at short notice, and has them super strong and fit. That bonus point win is a helluva result for them. The Fijians will find the review painful, both Mathew Carley’s questionable decisions and their own.
Such is their thrillingly brave brand of rugby, they have also probably replaced Japan four years on in becoming everyone else’s second favourite team. We may yet have the same feeling about Tonga, but Fiji look a Pacific Island team to have avoided in this World Cup.
