Wales have confirmed their place in the quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup and will be heading to Marseille after beating Australia emphatically in Lyon (40-6). The result now leaves the Aussies with an outside chance of qualifying for the knock out stages with just one match to play next week against Portugal.
After the game the Mastercard Player of the Match Gareth Anscombe said: "Just absolutely delighted, so relieved. We knew they were going to be desperate. We talked a lot this week about family and the people we care about. We talk about the red wall and to concede only six points against Australia, just remarkable. Delighted for the boys.”
Fiji are now the favourites to join the Welsh from Pool C in the last eight with two pool matches left to play. If the Fijians take five points from these remaining fixtures (Georgia and Portugal) then Australia will be knocked out at World Cup pool stage for the first time ever.
Across the draw in Pool B it was billed as the match of the pool stages and it lived up to expectations. World number one ranked side Ireland beat reigning world champions South Africa 13-8 in a physical encounter at a noisy and sold out Stade de France. It was tight and tense throughout the 80 minutes with Ireland's accuracy with penalties and a conversion the big difference between the sides as South Africa squandered a potential 11 points from the kicking tee.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell admitted the result could have gone either way. He said: "It was some battle, a tale of two halves, I thought we dominated field position in the first and they did in the second. At times we were hanging on in there."
Roared on by an estimated 35,000 fans bellowing out the Fields of Athenry anthem and Zombie by the Cranberries, the Irish voices certainly drove their team over the line as they look ahead to facing Scotland back in Paris on Saturday 7 October.
This Pool B game could cement Ireland's place in the quarter finals or, open the door to the Scots. Scotland won their first match of the tournament by beating Tonga in Nice (45-17). Before they face Ireland in the French capital the Romanians will be the opposition for Scotland in Lille on Saturday 30 September. As for South Africa, they look ahead to facing Tonga in Marseille on Sunday 1 October.
The last time Ireland played Scotland was in Edinburgh in the 2023 Six Nations which saw the the Irish lift the Centenary Quaich after a 22-7 victory.
In Pool A France were the victors over Namibia in Marseille (96-0) and the Italians defeated Uruguay (38-17) down the road in Nice to record their second bonus point win. New Zealand are the next opponents for Italy in Lyon.
England made it three out of three in Pool D with a big win in Lille against Chile (71-0) and Argentina got off the mark by beating Samoa (19-10) in Saint Etienne. The Samoans now face Japan in Toulouse on Thursday 28 September with both teams looking for their second victory. England's final pool match will be against Samoa, back in Lille, on Saturday 7 October.
To check the available hospitality options (including gold category tickets) for the following upcoming pool matches visit DAIMANI.
- Japan vs Samoa – Thursday 28 September in Toulouse
- New Zealand vs Italy – Friday 29 September in Lyon
- Scotland vs Romania – Saturday 30 September in Lille
- South Africa vs Tonga – Sunday 1 October in Marseille
- Wales vs Australia – Sunday 24 September in Lyon
For all the knock out stage options click here. Still undecided about which hospitality option to experience? Then take a look at Rugby House (see video below), available in both Paris and Marseille. It includes:
- Gold category ticket
- Exclusive Rugby House access pass on your matchday
- Live music & DJ sessions
- Rugby legends
- Generous grazing menus
- Rugby House cheese bar
- Premium beers, wines & soft drinks
- Post match entertainment, food & open bar
Rugby House hospitality. Available at all Stade de France matches (including Ireland vs Scotland) and for the two quarter finals in Marseille.
