17 Oct 2015

World Cup bluffers' guide: It's quarters time!

2:19 pm on 17 October 2015

If you find yourself unable to say you aren't a rugby fan this weekend, here's our guide to bluffing your way through.

France celebrate as the All Blacks look on after the World Cup loss in 2007 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. Saturday 6 October 2007. France won the match 20-18. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/PHOTOSPORT

France celebrate as the All Blacks look on after the World Cup loss in 2007 in Cardiff Photo: Photosport

Most sports fans are very superstitious, and rugby fans are no different. The fact that this weekend's quarter final against France is pretty much the exact repeat of the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter final - and New Zealand's worst performance ever in the tournament - is nervewracking to the kind of people who insist their team only win if they wear the right kind of underwear.

This time eight years ago, fans were confident going into the quarter final. This time around, there's no such hubris, with commentators hedging their bets quite impressively. All of the New Zealand Herald's experts are picking the All Blacks in Sunday morning's game, with one saying "It can't happen again... It just can't."

Radio New Zealand's sports editor Stephen Hewson isn't so sure - this is a good All Blacks team, not a great one, he writes.

"A colleague passed the comment that he still sees the All Blacks winning, 'simply because they are no worse than anyone else.' Hardly a ringing endorsement. I see it more along the lines of they should win simply because there is no team better than them... but as we all know that's no guarantee."

All Blacks do the haka

Some fear the current All Blacks squad may be good, but won't be good enough. Photo: Getty

Stuff.co.nz's Ben Strang reckons that even though the All Blacks say they're not thinking about revenge, it's time for payback. (If only against the referee back then, Wayne Barnes, who All Black fans love to hate.)

"TMO's have a big influence these days, so feel free to forget about what happened in 2007. In this day and age our television match official would call it back and say, 'ahh, Wayne, that was pretty forward'. Wouldn't it be ironic if the TMO saved New Zealand's bacon."

In a separate piece Ben Strang points out that, although he missed a number of calls, he didn't lose the All Blacks the game: "In review, it was a mixed bag. Barnes did play a part in the defeat, but the All Blacks themselves benefitted from a refereeing error and their poor play cost them in the end."

English referee Wayne Barnes RWC2015.

English referee Wayne Barnes RWC2015. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Back in 2007, I watched the game with French supporters in Wellington. I was adamant that Wayne Barnes was to blame.

It might not seem like it, but there are three other games going on this weekend, and all the quarter finals are North vs South hemisphere.

Wales takes on South Africa, and while coach Warren Gatland says they're not ready to go home, Wales has only beaten South Africa twice in their history. Having said that, they beat old foes England, so anything could happen.

Argentina has promised big things against Ireland, and they may not even need to work that hard. Ireland's Rugby World Cup campaign suffered massive blows when captain Paul O'Connell was ruled out injured for the rest of the tournament and flanker Sean O'Brien was suspended for the quarter-final clash against Argentina. back-rower Sean O'Brien to suspension. O'Brien was banned for one game after pleading guilty to striking the French lock Pascal Papé. The suspensions in this World Cup have been quite the talking point, too.

However, if Ireland does beat Argentina, it sets up Australia for a 'grand slam' of the four home nations, if they can beat Scotland this weekend. And they should, given they got through the pool of deathunbeaten.

These days, watching the game isn't enough, you have to let everyone know you're following along. Social media company Hootsuite reports that during the opening match "#RWC2015" trended all day, reaching 15 million mentions on Facebook and 300,000 on Instagram. England couldn't make the quarter final, but they are on track to host the biggest tournament ever.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs

We have regular online commentary of local and international sport.