Semifinal Scrums in the South Pacific

The seventh installment of the quadrennial Rugby World Cup has winnowed its way from twenty teams down to the final four. There is little surprise in the composition of the remaining field, with all four teams ranked among the top five in the International Rugby Board’s world rankings. (South Africa, #3 in the rankings, was knocked out by #2 Australia in the quarterfinals in a tight 11-9 finish.) Just one of the four teams having yet to appear... Read More

Final Group Fixtures and the Faint Glimmer of Hope

The Rugby World Cup continues apace in New Zealand, just eight fixtures left in the group stage before we see the top eight advance to the quarterfinals. Fourteen teams are still mathematically alive to reach the knockout stage, but those fourteen are not all created equal by any stretch of the imagination. Heading into the heart of the competition, what will it take for those fourteen to reach the bracket and set up a one-off shot at the ultimate... Read More

Hosts Demolish Japan as Rugby World Cup Action Heats Up

After the way the All-Blacks came out and defeated Tonga 41-10 in their opener, it shouldn’t have come as a huge surprise. But simply looking at the final result — 83-7! – belies just how dominant New Zealand has looked during their first two group-play fixtures in this year’s Rugby World Cup. Japan never had much room to move, as the All-Blacks dominated them offensively and defensively in the largest defeat to date in the... Read More