Rugby World Cup Fixtures 2015: Key Battles in Quarter-Finals

The Rugby World Cup 2015 reaches the quarter-final stage next weekend with four games to savour: Australia vs. Scotland, South Africa vs. Wales, New Zealand vs. France and Ireland vs. Argentina.

Here, Bleacher Report analyses the key battleground in each match that needs to be won to progress to the semi-final.

The pick of the bunch is a contest between two inspirational captains directly opposite each other who save their best for the big occasion.

New Zealand vs. France: Richie McCaw vs. Thierry Dusautoir

Richie McCaw wasn’t risked by New Zealand coach Steve Hansen against Tonga but is ready to play in the quarter-final against France at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. There he will face the challenge of Thierry Dusautoir.

Two captains and two opensides go head to head in this key battle: Don’t be put off by Dusautoir wearing No. 6. He is a No. 7.

Dusautoir saves his best for New Zealand. In his two World Cup outings against the All Blacks, he has stolen the show.

In 2007, when France beat the Kiwis 20-18 in the same stadium they meet in this time, Dusautoir scored a try and made a Herculean 38 tackles (see video above).

Dusautoir then almost inspired France to an unlikely World Cup final victory over hosts New Zealand in 2011, when the losing captain scored the French try and won the man-of-the-match award.

McCaw, arguably the game's greatest-ever forward, will not be relishing this contest. If he is outplayed by Dusautoir again, he might be playing his final match for the All Blacks, and his dream of retaining the Webb Ellis Cup could be in tatters.

Argentina vs. Ireland: Nicolas Sanchez vs. Jonny Sexton/Ian Madigan

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Nicolas Sanchez, particularly given Juan Martin Hernandez’s absence through injury, has run things expertly for Argentina through the Rugby World Cup pool stage.

Scoring 25 points in the victory over Tonga, the Daily Mail’s Joe Ridge claimed the No. 10 "stole the show."

Sanchez will either have Johnny Sexton or Ian Madigan opposite him—the latter in the instance Sexton doesn't recover from his injury against France.

Under pressure, Sanchez is a more reliable place kicker than the Irishmen, which—in a tight game—could prove the difference.

Alternatively, game management from fly-half may be the deciding factor in this contest.

Writing in the Guardian, Dean Ryan, the Worcester Warriors head coach, called Sexton “Schmidt’s mind in the middle and matchday manipulator in chief.”

Madigan stepped up in key matches for Leinster in the Champions Cup last season—most notably in the quarter-final against Bath—but Sexton’s absence would be a cataclysmic blow to Ireland winning the battle at fly-half, and it would have serious consequences for Ireland’s progression to the semi-finals of Rugby World Cup 2015.

Argentina vs. Ireland: The Front Row

If Sanchez vs. Sexton or Madigan is the key battle in Argentina against Ireland, then not far behind is the contest in the front row.

Argentina, with the world-class Marcos Ayerza on the loosehead side and powerful driver Agustin Creevy at hooker, will look to pressurise Ireland’s veterans: hooker Rory Best and tighthead Mike Ross.

As Argentina showed against Australia and South Africa this year (see video above), their technique is exceptional. 

In what is sure to be a tight game, the side that gains the upper hand in the scrums and can profit from subsequent penalties will be in pole position to reach the semi-finals.

Cian Healey, on the loosehead side, is Ireland’s better scrummager, but if Creevy and Ayerza target Best and Ross and avoid being penalised for not driving straight, the Pumas can gain the upper hand in a key quarter-final battleground.

Fourie Du Preez vs. Gareth Davies

Associated Press

Gareth Davies (in red) has been one of the finds of the World Cup.

Scrum-halves come into their own in the knockout stages with their potential to control the tempo of the match.

Both Fourie du Preez and Gareth Davies came into the tournament as back-up No. 9s, but selection policy and injuries have propelled them into the starting 15.

South Africa will rely on the experienced Du Preez to game manage by kicking them into the right areas of the field and take some of the pressure off fly-half Handre Pollard.

Wales, on the other hand, will look to Davies to provide them with pace from the base, sniping around the fringes and trying to shift the less mobile Springbok pack.

Australia vs. Scotland: The Front Rows

GLYN KIRK/Getty Images

Scotland will need to win the scrum contest against Australia to have any hope of making the semi-finals of the 2015 Rugby World Cup: It is only up front that Scotland can match Australia.

In Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and Willem Nel, Scotland have their best front row for years. Unfortunately for them, Australia’s front row is arguably their best for decades: Scott Sio and Sekope Kepu are providing great support for captain Stephen Moore at hooker.

With Australia’s breakdown supremacy unrivalled in the tournament so far, and their highly talented back division, the front row is an area Scotland must win to stand any chance of progressing.