In round three of the Rugby World Cup, there was a lot of noise before and after Saturday’s match between the two biggest fish splashing around in the itty-bitty world-rugby pond. The match between number one Ireland and second ranked South Africa surely lived up to expectations and likely overshadowed the weekends schedule.
Much has already been written about what commentators keep referring to as “an arm-wrestle” of a match worthy of the top two rated teams, but did you see the other match on Saturday?
No, not England’s seventy-one to zero thumping of Chile (makes Rafters relieved that the USA was watching from home.) Rafters means the other, other pool match on Saturday between Georgia and Portugal.
The match between two “lesser teams” proved to be one of the most compelling and entertaining of round three. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle the teams went at each other with the fierceness known only between bitter rivals. Both teams played the full eighty minutes and then some until winning or losing or drawing came down to the skill of two exhausted kickers, both missed.
Rafters could go on and on about the lack of overtime in rugby. A draw leaves most people feeling flat after watching such a tremendous effort. Recall England’s decision to quit and take the draw against New Zealand in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series, which deflated eighty-seven or so thousand fans at Twickenham and was possibly the final straw for England’s Eddie Jones.
For the uninitiated World Cup viewer, the early Pool C match between Georgia and Portugal, two teams with no real shot at qualifying for the elimination round, might have easily been mistaken for a Cup Final by its intensity.
Since no recap could do Saturday’s game justice, Rafters suggests taking the time to stream the replay for nothing other than appreciating an old-school rivalry between a couple of semi-pro sides giving their all.
Too many times during World Cup pool play, fans have to endure the monotony of blowouts where the whales scoop up the krill, but Rafters stays tuned especially after nearly skipping a match in World Cup 2015 because an outcome involving Japan was preordained and not worth the time.
We’re happy we didn’t, so keep an eye out for those gems especially as the number fours and fives go at it for nothing more than World Cup glory.
Rafters’ Week three World Cup Predictor Game Picks
Pool A Round Three match results.
Italy - 38
Uruguay - 17
Rafters’ Prediction - Italy by five over Uruguay.
France - 96
Namibia - 00
Rafters’ Prediction - France over Namibia by sixty-four
New Zealand - Bye.
Pool B Round Three match results.
South Africa - 08
Ireland - 13
Rafters’ Prediction - Ireland over South Africa by three.
Scotland - 45
Tonga - 17
Rafters’ Prediction - Scotland over Tonga by ten.
Romania - Bye.
Pool C Round Three match results.
Georgia - 18
Portugal - 18
Rafters’ Prediction - Georgia by twenty over Portugal.
Australia - 06
Wales - 40
Rafters’ Prediction - Australia over Wales by three.
Fiji - Bye.
Pool D Round There match results.
Argentina - 19
Samoa - 10
Rafters’ Prediction - Argentina by eight over Samoa.
England - 71
Chile - 00
Rafters’ Prediction - England over Chile by thirty-four.
Georgia - Bye.
Quarterfinals - As it stands at the end of round three.
Quarter Final Number One (Pool C winner v Pool D runner Up).
End of Round Three - Wales* v Samoa
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (England v Australia) - England advances to Semifinal Number One.
Quarter Final Number Two (Pool B winner v Pool A runner Up).
End of Round Three - Ireland v Italy
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (Ireland v New Zealand) - Ireland advances to Semifinal Number One
Quarter Final Number Three ( Pool D Winner v Pool C Runner Up).
End of Round Three - England v Fiji
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (Argentina v Wales) - Argentina takes the win and moves on to Semifinal Number Two.
Quarter Final Number Four (Pool A winner v Pool B runner up)
End of Round Three - France v South Africa
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (France V South Africa) - France moves on to Semifinal Number Two.
*Clinched a semifinal appearance.
**Pool Winner
Teams mathematically eliminated from the quarterfinals.
Namibia