Category Archives: Rugby World Cup

England and South Africa rugby fans gather around UK for World Cup semi-final

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Pubs in south-west London, where many of the UK’s 200,000-plus South Africans live, are hosting viewing parties

Excited fans of England and South Africa are gathering in bars, pubs and community centres around the UK to watch the tense Rugby World Cup semi-final between the two nations.

England secured their spot in the final four after overcoming Fiji 30-24 in a close-run quarter-final in Marseille, while South Africa narrowly defeated the hosts – and erstwhile favourites – France last weekend, 29-28.

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Ireland’s embrace of Zombie song at Rugby World Cup stirs debate over lyrics

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Fans seen singing the Cranberries’ hit in stadiums but some Irish republicans are unhappy at revival

Twenty years after a lethal IRA bomb inspired its stark, chilling lyrics, the Cranberries’ song Zombie has experienced an unlikely rebirth as a Rugby World Cup anthem.

Ireland fans have belted out its chorus in stadiums across France and hope to do so again on Saturday after a quarter-final tie against New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris.

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Royal family announces state visit to France during Rugby World Cup

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King Charles and Queen Camilla to dine at Palace of Versailles banquet and meet sports stars

King Charles will address members of both houses of the French parliament and will have a bilateral meeting with French president, Emmanuel Macron, during a state visit to France with the queen later this month.

The visit, originally due in March, was postponed when pension-reform protests in France spiralled into violent clashes.

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‘We are a special country’: South Africa hopes World Cup win can bring unity

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  • Desmond Tutu: victory can boost ‘self-doubting nation’
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa says win is ‘historic moment’

South Africans continued to celebrate their Rugby World Cup triumph on Sunday, with many in the sometimes fractious and troubled nation echoing Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s post-match message of unity and strength.

Images of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, congratulating South African players in the changing room – including half-naked scrum-half Faf de Klerk – went viral on social media and was broadcast repeatedly by TV networks.

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‘It makes me hopeful for my country’: Springbok rugby fans celebrate

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World victory in game that once symbolised apartheid brings unity to South African streets

The crowd swelled as the game went on. From scores to hundreds to a thousand or more, young and old, men and women, all gathered in front of the big screen in the square of Newtown Junction, in the very centre of Johannesburg.

No one spread the word that victory for the Springboks was possible, let alone imminent. No one needed to. By the middle of the second half, there were no more shoppers hunting for bargains. The gym in the mall was empty. The queues at KFC, the Indian takeaway and the grilled sausage stand had disappeared.

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‘No problem at all’: New Zealanders praise England’s response to All Blacks haka

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Māori commentators lament that more rugby teams don’t come up with ways to challenge the traditional dance

New Zealanders have expressed disappointment at the decision to fine England for their v-shaped formation for the All Blacks haka in their Rugby World Cup semi-final, with many fans praising them for their dignity and dramatic flair.

On Saturday night, England delighted fans in both camps when players arranged themselves to face the All Blacks. The V – which many inside New Zealand took to stand for “victory” – was widely praised by New Zealanders, many of whom commented on the dignified and low-key response of the English side to what can be a confronting and emotional experience.

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South Africa to face England in Rugby World Cup final after beating Wales

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• Damian de Allende’s try helps swing tense semi-final
• Next Saturday’s match in Yokohama a repeat of the 2007 final

Warren Gatland will get his wish for one final crack at New Zealand before he retires after 12 years as Wales’s head coach, but Friday’s bronze play-off was not what he had in mind. His side were battered and bruised by a typically abrasive South Africa in a match of few thrills but several spills that was settled by a Handré Pollard penalty five minutes from time.

Related: Wales v South Africa: Rugby World Cup semi-final – live!

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Gutted but gracious: stunned New Zealanders concede ‘better team won’ rugby

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World Cup loss to England disappointing but not devastating as Eddie Jones praised for tactical masterclass

As New Zealand woke up on Sunday morning, the long weekend had lost its lustre.

On Saturday night, the All Blacks had crashed out of the Rugby World Cup in an underwhelming show against England, and the tantalising sweetness of a possible three-time World Cup victory was gone.

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‘Immense’: England fans celebrate defeat of All Blacks

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Supporters around country and overseas post videos of fans celebrating in pubs and rugby clubs

When Manu Tuilagi swan-dived over the line within two minutes of the end of England’s World Cup semi-final with New Zealand, their dejected opponents briefly regrouped.

But the All Blacks, who had not lost in 18 consecutive World Cup matches since the 2007 quarter-finals, were unable to find a way past an imperious England side who marched into the final. Rugby fans at the Cabbage Patch pub near Twickenham roared with delight.

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‘Everyone’s a fan now’: Japan brims with pride after hosts exit World Cup | Justin McCurry

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A captivating run to the quarter-finals could provide an enduring rugby legacy in Japan

The Japanese juggernaut finally came to a halt in the face of a South African roadblock on Sunday. The sequel to the Brighton miracle lacked the drama and romance of four years ago but this, according to their fans, was when the Brave Blossoms truly came of age against the world rugby elite.

“I think South Africa looked down on Japan four years ago but today they knew they had to be at their best, and that’s a huge compliment to Japan,” said Shigeki Takagi, a company worker from Tokyo who had just witnessed his country play in a World Cup quarter-final for the first time. “We’ve beaten Ireland and Scotland and now I think we’re getting really close to the level of the northern hemisphere teams. Who knows what could happen four years from now?”

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Japan v South Africa: Rugby World Cup 2019, quarter-final – live!

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The teams are in the tunnel. Japan captain Leitch looks as focused as a hitman with a bag of cement and a map to the river (copyright Sid Waddell).

So, the pre-match tactical analysis can be summed up thus: Japan will want to speed the game up, move the ball quickly and employ the pace of Matsushima and Fukuoka, among others. While South Africa will want to slow the game down and try to win it with set-piece power. Will it be that simple? I doubt it. Springbok wing Cheslin Kolbe will only need an inch to take a mile, for one thing ...

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Japan hang on to reach Rugby World Cup last eight and send Scotland out

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• Hosts dazzle before being made to sweat by Scots’ recovery
• Kenki Fukuoka scores two tries as Japan top Pool A

Some results deserve to be lit up in neon and this historic victory for Japan was one of them. Never before has any team from Asia reached the quarter-finals of a Rugby World Cup, let alone played such an inspirational brand of rugby. This was not just an emotional occasion for the host nation but an electrifying moment for the global game as a whole.

Because this was finally the day when the patronising tier two label still used by some to denote Japan’s status in the sport officially ceased to exist. As was the case against Ireland, the Brave Blossoms were irresistible at times and were more than good value for their four-try success against a Scotland team who, for only the second time, are going home before the knockout stages commence.

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Barrett brothers to make history with all three to start for All Blacks

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  • Beauden to start at fullback in second Pool B outing
  • Jordie and Scott also selected to play Canada

Beauden, Jordie and Scott Barrett will become the first trio of brothers to appear for the All Blacks in a World Cup match after they were named to start for the three-times world champions against Canada in their Pool B clash in Oita on Wednesday.

They will also be the first trio of brothers to start in the same World Cup match since Elisi, Manu and Fe’ao Vunipola represented Tonga against Scotland in 1995. The three Pisi brothers – Ken, Tusi and George – all played for Samoa against South Africa in 2015 but only Ken started that game.

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Wales cling on in face of Australia comeback to edge brilliant Pool D clash

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Wales never take the easy route at Rugby World Cups and this breathless triumph was no exception. Having built an 18-point advantage early in the second-half they had to withstand a spectacular Australian comeback before sealing one of their most significant victories of the modern era.

Related: Australia 25-29 Wales: Rugby World Cup 2019 – as it happened

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Japan stun Ireland to pull off another famous Rugby World Cup upset

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Japan have done it again, this time against the team ranked No 1 in the world two weeks ago. The World Cup hosts came from nine points down to win after playing with pace, skill and fervour that the humidity and time could not dim.

Such was the thunderous roar when the final whistle sounded it would have caused the nearby Mount Fuji to wobble. There were times when they looked like the All Blacks in red and white jerseys, off-loading, evading tackles and breaking from deep to make one of the tightest defences in world rugby scramble with increasing desperation.

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Chester Williams, South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup hero, dies aged 49

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• Former wing suffered reported heart attack
• Williams was part of Springbok team which beat New Zealand in final

The World Cup-winning South Africa wing Chester Williams has died from a heart attack at the age of 49, South Africa Rugby has announced. Williams was the only black player in the Springboks squad when they claimed the world title in 1995. He scored four tries against Western Samoa in the quarter-finals before tasting glory in the final win over New Zealand.

The Paarl-born player represented Western Province and Golden Lions at province level, as well as Super Rugby side the Cats. After retiring in 2001 he coached the South Africa sevens team - – known as the Blitzboks – and took in spells with the Uganda and Tunisia national teams. He had most recently been working for the University of the Western Cape as head rugby coach.

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Rugby World Cup committee warns Japan not to run out of beer

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Issue was raised as part of briefing sessions in cities tipped to deal with the largest influx of international visitors

It’s the stuff of nightmares for rugby fans: organisers of the upcoming World Cup in Japan have raised fears that bars and restaurants in host cities could run out of beer during the tournament.

As part of the planning for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the organising committee has urged business operators to order in sufficient quantities of beer to avoid upsetting travelling fans, Japan’s Jiji Press agency reported.

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Ireland’s calling: a journey to the heart of a rugby powerhouse | Donald McRae

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Ireland are favourites for the Six Nations and are serious contenders for the World Cup this year, with a spirit that transcends national boundaries. How have they done it?

“It just wouldn’t happen today,” Willie John McBride says on a rainy morning at home in Ballyclare as he explains the vast differences between the gleaming powerhouse of Irish rugby today and a ramshackle sport which he only began playing at the age of 17. Four years later, in 1962, as McBride remembers, “I was in the Lions Test team. Remarkably, I survived.”

McBride not only survived. At 78 he remains the godfather of Irish rugby and a lock forward who won 63 caps for Ireland and played a record 17 Lions Tests. He also provides a perfect starting point for a journey through Irish rugby as McBride’s story shows how much Ireland and the game have changed. Despite past sectarian conflicts and multiple identities, there is a new cohesion among the four rugby provinces and the national team.

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