England Favourites But So Were All Blacks

Well, who would have guessed it was semifinals week with so many childish statements by all the teams involved?

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The accusations of spying was once again raised by all the competing teams, as if there was not enough coverage of how each team train and play which more than informs their opponents of how they are likely to approach the games.

Looking back at last week’s games would give all sides a vision of how each would play this week, with as usual the teams that make the fewest errors getting through.

England's quarter-final against Australia saw the Aussies throw caution to the wind and suffer the consequences against a well-drilled England team simply picking off the opportunities Australia created for them.

Meanwhile, a wandering elbow condemned France to failure against a stubborn Wales team who in the end, perhaps with some help from Jaco Peyper, managed to steal a one-point win.

In the other games, the All Blacks put on a relentless display to condemn Ireland to an early trip home, while the South Africans ended the Japanese dream with a strong display of controlled rugby.

For the four teams taking the early flights home, it will be a bittersweet feeling, knowing they had battled through the Pools only to miss out in the first match that mattered.