On the subject of how well the remaining teams are traveling:
The Boks are probably the only team playing their A game so far. Perhaps every team needs a painful Japanese foot massage to begin with, as in foot up the a**e.
New Zealand are sailing dangerously close to the wind, and now face their bête noire, the French, in a QF. Ouch. One can’t help but think that the game for them to change up a gear was the last one.
Fortunately for New Zealand, France can’t seem to get out of first gear.
Australia certainly haven’t hit their straps, but have shown some of the qualities needed to win world cups, in particular a great defence. And we deleted England. One senses that a big performance isn’t far away.
Ireland must be a contender, but suffered cruelly at the hands of the medical gods on the weekend, losing Paul O'Connell, Johnny Sexton and Peter O’Mahony in quick succession, and also maybe Sean O’Brien to suspension.
That's like us losing Hooper, Pocock and Folau.
Wales can’t be written off, although they have their own injury woes. Nine times out of ten they’d have won a game like Saturday’s. Unfortunately, ten times out of ten they lose to Australia.
But seriously, Wales may go deep into this event.
Argentina can beat anyone, particularly in the pressure cooker environment of a Rugby World Cup quarter final. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make the semis, or even the final. That'd mean beating us along the way.
Scotland? Well, first Scotland have to beat Australia. Then they have to beat one of Ireland or Argentina. Then they have to beat whichever of the heavyweights come through from the other side of the draw. Stranger things have happened. And the Scots won’t die wondering.
Australia obviously has the best of the draw: the reward for winning Pool A.
Happy days.