Rugby union news and analysis: World Cup quarter-finals in the spotlight

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To win the Rugby World Cup: 3-1 Ireland, France, 7-2 South Africa, New Zealand, 13-1 England, 25-1 Wales, 40-1 Argentina, 66-1 Fiji

Analysis

Ireland have got used to making history under head coach Andy Farrell, and there's another first they need to achieve if they are to reach their ultimate goal of becoming world champions.

Having won 17 consecutive matches, a run that stretches back to a historic first series win in New Zealand last summer, Ireland are 3-1 joint-favourites for the World Cup, a trophy they have never lifted.

But first they need to address another gap on their impressive CV - and it's one that weighs heavily. In nine attempts Ireland have never gone beyond the quarter-finals at a World Cup, losing at this stage seven times, and the team they will meet in the last eight on Saturday are the one who dispatched them in Japan four years ago.

Ireland finished second in their pool in 2019, behind surprise package Japan, and had to face New Zealand in the quarters. A 46-14 defeat at the hands of the All Blacks was even heavier than their previous quarter-final exit, when they lost 43-20 to Argentina in 2015.

A lot has changed since then. In 2015 Ireland had never beaten New Zealand, losing 27 and drawing one of 28 contests. But they made their breakthrough in 2016 with a win in Chicago and in all Ireland have won five of the last eight meetings and three of the last four since the 2019 tournament.

New Zealand have reached the quarter-final of every Rugby World Cup, losing just once, to France in 2007. But this tournament has already put a blot on their World Cup copybook as they lost a pool match for the first time, going down 27-13 to France in the tournament opener at the Stade de France.

In a match worthy of the final, Ireland are the narrowest of favourites, giving up one point on the handicap, and things are equally tight in Sunday's headline clash between hosts France and holders South Africa.

Like Ireland, France have never won the World Cup, but they have reached three finals and lost only three of nine previous quarter-finals they have played.

They have thrown themselves into this World Cup with an attacking zest that has caught the imagination of their supporters, but their quarter-final opponents are three-time winners South Africa, who are renowned for digging deep and winning ugly. This is another intriguing contest and bookmakers give France, who are 3-1 joint-favourites alongside Ireland to win the tournament, a miniscule edge.

The most one-sided quarter-final betting heat is Sunday's clash between England and Fiji. 

The teams have met twice at the World Cup and England were comfortable winners both times. But Fiji pulled off their first win in nine attempts as recently as August, when they were deserving winners of a World Cup warm-up at Twickenham, and they will have been encouraged at how close England were run by Samoa in their final pool match.

England are 1-3 to gain their revenge while Wales are 4-7 to beat Argentina in the opening match of quarter-final weekend in Marseille. 

Argentina have won just one of the seven meetings between the teams in the last decade, although Wales are without key forward Taulupe Faletau for the rest of the tournament.

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