World Cup set for knockout thrills and spills

Julian Guyer

The World Cup enters the quarter-final stage this weekend with three of the four matches too close to call in what is shaping up as the most unpredictable of all the tournament's seven editions.

Ireland's shock pool win over Australia has led to a situation where a north against south final is guaranteed in Auckland on October 23.

But who those finalists will be remains uncertain ahead of a raft of intriguing last eight clashes.

Saturday sees Ireland up against Wales in Wellington while a hard-nosed England are wary of what lies ahead when they face a so far misfiring France, who lost two pool matches yet made it through, in Auckland.

The southern hemisphere will be centre stage on Sunday with reigning champions South Africa playing bogey side Australia in Wellington and New Zealand facing Argentina at Auckland's Eden Park.

"Samoa could be feeling a little disappointed but probably the right eight are left," said All Blacks coach Graham Henry, bidding to lead New Zealand to a first World Cup title since they staged and won the inaugural edition in 1987.

"France are a bit lucky and you never know what's going to happen with them.

They could come out of the blocks on the weekend and be very difficult. There's a lot of passion between them and the English which is great.

"The Irish-Welsh game, I think, will be a beauty," added the former Wales coach before turning to his attention to the South Africa-Australia match, with the All Blacks eyeing a semi-final against one of their Tri-Nations rivals.

"The Springbok-Australia game, well I hope they knock 25 bells out of each other, that would be great and they all come off buggered.

They're two very good sides and there will be some great rugby over the weekend."

New Zealand are widely anticipated to be too strong for an Argentina team still searching for a first win over the All Blacks.

But with star playmaker Dan Carter (groin) out of the tournament and influential captain Richie McCaw nursing a foot injury, a New Zealand team where the likes of Zac Guildford, Israel Dagg and Richard Kahui have all been ruled out of Saturday's match through injury could yet suffer further damage against the traditionally physical Pumas, third at the 2007 World Cup in France. Ireland have never got to the semi-finals of any World Cup while you have to go back to 1987 for Wales's last appearance in the final four.

This is a shot at glory for both sides but whereas it may be a last chance for an ageing Ireland 'golden generation' led by inspirational captain Brian O'Driscoll, a Wales team where skipper Sam Warburton has only just turned 23 appear to have plenty of good days ahead of them. "The big thing for our group of lads is to maybe do something to separate ourselves from Irish teams that have gone before," said lock Donncha O'Callaghan.

France were dire in defeat by Tonga last weekend but cautious England manager Martin Johnson said: "It's situation normal, isn't it?

"Who knows what to expect from the French? It makes them very dangerous." Australia have had the edge over South Africa, the only other team to have won the World Cup twice, in recent times with five wins in their last six Tests.

But Springbok star Bryan Habana said: "Anything can happen in this competition.

So yes, they've got the edge over us at the moment but in a knockout game that means nothing."

AUCKLAND, Friday, AFP