One day could change the face of this year’s Rugby World Cup and the Wallabies are right in the thick of the action.
Saturday September 21 is just the second match day of this year’s tournament but results of games that day could make or break a nation’s hopes of progressing in the competition.
There is almost always one major upset through a World Cup, as there was in 2015, but even if a minnow is not able to overturn a heavyweight, some highly-ranked countries will be heading home after the pool stages.
Australia and Fiji kick things off with a match that will shape Pool D and their own tournament fates.
The Wallabies’ matches against Fiji, and Wales eight days later, will decide whether they make it through to the quarter-finals and indeed how difficult their run to the final could be.
If Australia beat Fiji in Sapporo, they will be on track to face off against Wales for top spot in Pool D when they meet in Tokyo and could all but seal a pool win with victory in week two.
If Fiji wins, then the pool blows right open, the Pacific Islanders give themselves a chance for a quarter-final berth, the Wallabies face a must-win encounter against Wales simply to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Whatever the result in that opening match, the next two matches on that Saturday will be almost as crucial for the Wallabies’ path.
Pool D’s quarter-finals cross over with Pool C, containing Argentina, France and England.
The winner of the Wallabies’ pool will face the runner-up of Pool C in their quarter and vice versa.
Pool C is the one that shapes has having the most high-profile casualty, with one of those three big nations set to end their run at the pool stages.
It is the Pumas and France who go head-to-head on this World Cup Super Saturday, in a twilight match, and the loser will be up against it to make the knockout stages, with England still the hot favourites to take out that pool.
Then, arguably, the most anticipated match of the pool stages comes at the end of that Saturday when New Zealand take on South Africa.
Most punters would have these two teams among their top contenders for the title but only one can top their pool.
While their result won’t shape the quarter-final path for Australia, Fiji and Wales, whomever loses the mammoth clash suddenly finds themselves on the same side of the draw as Pool A favourites Ireland and the Pool D winner.
That means world no. 1 side Ireland and New Zealand could be doing battle in the final eight should the All Blacks lose to the in-form Springboks, who won the Rugby Championship this year.
While New Zealand have looked somewhat vulnerable in their Tests this season, there are few teams who would want to face the All Blacks at any stage before the Rugby World Cup final.
On the flipside, should the All Blacks get up in this opening match, it would be a fired-up Springboks outfit potentially on the war path.
However the final results fall, by the end of next Saturday, the World Cup picture will certainly be a whole lot clearer.
SCHEDULE
Saturday September 21
2:45pm AEST - Australia vs Fiji
5;15pm AEST - Argentina vs France
7:45pm AEST - New Zealand vs South Africa
POOL A
Ireland
Japan
Russia
Samoa
Scotland
Pool B
New Zealand
South Africa
Italy
Namibia
Canada
Pool C
England
Argentina
France
Tonga
USA
Pool D
Australia
Wales
Fiji
Uruguay
Georgia
Quarter-finals
1. Winner Pool C vs Second Pool D
2. Second Pool A vs Winner Pool B
3. Second Pool C vs Winner Pool D
4. Winner Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
Semi-finals
Winner QF 1 vs Winner QF 2
Winner QF 3 vs Winner QF 4
Final
Winner SF1 vs Winner SF 2
