Rugby World Cup Fixtures 2015: Top Storylines for Week 4 Matches
This week's Rugby World Cup 2015 schedule will see the tournament's quarter-final lineup completed, and we wait to see who will join hosts England on the departed list.
The Red Rose's early exit on Saturday came as one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history, but there are sure to be more twists and turns to come as the pool stage reaches its climax.
The order of finish in Pool A, the hunt to be crowned Pool B victors and the dimming hopes of a certain Asian minnow all feature in the top storylines to watch in Week 4 of the World Cup.
1. Wales Wary of Wallabies Woe in Pool A Decider
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Wales and Australia must quickly overcome the joy they're undoubtedly feeling just to be guaranteed a place in the final eight, as this Saturday brings with it a clash between the two to decide Pool A's first-place finisher.
It promises to be a pool clash for the ages, and though neither team can know who of the Pool B teams they'd be liable to face in the next round, both will be hugely motivated to claim maximum points.
The Dragons have endured a horrible record against the Wallabies since Warren Gatland took over their helm, however, beating their foes from Down Under in 2008 but going on to lose the last 10 meetings since.
Twickenham is likely to present the Welsh with a mixed audience of fellow European well-wishers and emotional English rivals baying for their defeat, but the stage is set for a classic nonetheless.
2. Ireland Battle Les Bleus in Bid to Dodge All Blacks
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Just as Wales and Australia currently sit tied on points in Pool A, so too are Ireland and France level on 14 points apiece in Pool D as things stand.
The Boys in Green might have claimed their advantage were it not for a dull 16-9 win over Italy on Sunday, where they failed to clinch the bonus point despite reclaiming the group's perch.
Coach Joe Schmidt couldn't help but admit his side need to improve if they're to beat Les Bleus next time out in a clash that was always going to decide who came first in Pool D, per the Belfast Telegraph:
"The French media have high expectations and so do the team.
It's going to be incredibly hard for us to beat them. They are armed with more weaponry than what we saw today.
It will be very difficult. We have to be more accurate than we were today.
Physically they have players who are very, very powerful and that will make things difficult for us as well.
I've watched their games and I'll be doing a lot of analysis over the next 24 to 48 hours.
We'll come up with a plan and hopefully we can be more accurate in putting that in place than we were today.
"
Defending world champions New Zealand are all but guaranteed to finish top of Pool C and will therefore face whoever comes second-best in Pool D for their quarter, a match both Ireland and France hope to avoid.
Of course, their trajectories mean the team will have to come into contact with the All Blacks eventually, but that won't stop them delaying that date for as long as possible.
3. South Africa and Scotland Scrap for Top-Spot Finish
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South Africa's 34-16 beating of Scotland on Saturday has all but clinched first place in Pool B for Heyneke Meyer's side, with just a fixture against the United States to come this Wednesday.
A win against the Americans would put South Africa's first-place fate beyond doubt, with the Scots having already put five tries past the Americans them to claim a bonus point of their own.
A superb length-of-the-field try on Saturday saw Tommy Seymour show South Africa the Scots aren't to be trifled with, and the Pool B finishing order now sits in the Springboks' hands.
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4. Can Japan Extend Their Underdogs' Run?
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No matter what comes to pass from here, Japan will be the underdog story of the Rugby World Cup 2015 thanks to a historic 34-32 win over South Africa on just the second day of the tournament.
But let us not speak of Eddie Jones' side in the past tense just yet, as the Brave Blossoms still have a chance to make the quarter-finals, albeit requiring a lot of variables to go in their favour in order to do so.
Japan currently sit third in Pool B and are two points off second-place Scotland, so they would need Vern Cotter's men to lose against Samoa while beating the United States themselves in order to advance.
Even if Scotland win, third place in what's become a very tight pool would still be a big achievement for Japan, but their campaign isn't over just yet.
5. The Least Important Match in England's World Cup History
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OK, so maybe it's not billed to be a classic or even warrants attention in the eyes of many a home supporter, but that doesn't mean England's dead-rubber against Uruguay is any less historic an encounter.
England are the first host nation to fail in making it out of the pool stage of a Rugby World Cup, and a lot of questions are now swirling around their team ahead of a demoralising game against Uruguay.
Coach Stuart Lancaster commented he doesn't think he'll "ever come to terms with" their pool-stage departure, per the Guardian's Owen Gibson, and Saturday's Uruguay tie has become the equivalent of a most depressing walk of shame.
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