The top half of the draw at this Rugby World Cup was always going to produce two monumental quarter-finals and, sure enough, it has come to pass. Ireland v New Zealand and France v South Africa would have been worthy semi‑finals had the tournament been constructed in a less lopsided way and the atmosphere at both heavyweight showdowns should be truly spectacular.
If France’s home fixtures are now a noisy rhapsody in blue, Ireland’s matches are something else again. As Dirty Old Town by the Pogues rolled around the stadium on Saturday night there appeared to be more Irish fans belting it out than could fit into Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. The All Blacks can expect to be surrounded by another sea of green in the least “neutral” venue imaginable. It is reaching the point where the connection between the players and the supporters is elevating the team to another level.
