Gerry Thornley's RWC country by country report card

The Irish Times rugby correspondent runs the rule over all 20 teams - if they're on the front foot, stuck in a ruck or back peddling at a pace

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NEW ZEALAND The first team to retain the trophy, thereby ensuring a quintet of stellar names join some of the most celebrated names in the history of New Zealand rugby, and therefore the sport. The two World Cups have bookended a total of 61 wins out of 64 games, also ensuring the game’s most dominant team have never been more dominant. Did it in style too. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

AUSTRALIA Michael Cheika’s team almost ripped up the manual for World Cup glory, which had hitherto been the product of a four-year plan (Steve Hansen, Jake White) or even longer (Graham Henry, Clive Woodward), by doing it in a year. Did so with contrasting wins over the hosts and Wales to emerge top of the group of death. Deserving finalists and will be intriguing case studies. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

ARGENTINA Viva la revolución! Most offloads, line-breaks, metres made and carries in tournament! Both wingers scored in three successive games, and 10 of their 26 tries (compared to 11 in 2011) en route to the bronze play-off were scored by their sensational back three of Juan Imhoff, Santiago Cordero and Joaquin Tuqulet. And as for Sáanchez?, led by Sánchez at outhalf. Also unearthed a new wave of athletic forwards. Now a major world power and here to stay. The success story of the pro era. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

SOUTH AFRICA Rocked to their core by Japan, reverted to type as only the Boks can by abandoning their running game of the last two years for old-fashioned, straight-running, big-hitting, hard-core values – scrum, maul, kicking and defence. Heyneke Meyer, Schalk Burger et al were heroic, and they stumbled upon a superb young secondrow and midfield, to redeem their pride. Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images

IRELAND Like Wales, hard to gauge given the cruel injury toll for the Argentinian game. Unveiled slick moves against Canada and Romania, ho-hum against Italy, dug deep in every sense against France, and were underpowered against Argentina when curiously narrow in defence and lacked initial intensity. Brave comeback but forget Madigan’s kick to level – it was 20-0 to the Pumas in last quarter. Imagine Sexton, Paulie, O’Mahony, O’Brien and Payne in that quarter-final? We’ll never know. That said, it showed the need to develop more strings to their bow. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

WALES Also decimated by injuries, but bravery comes in different forms. The comeback and match-winning try against England with a completely revamped backline was as courageous as the putting of bodies on the line against the Boks. Sam Warburton was a colossus; Dan Biggar a sharp-shooting gem. But those seven minutes against Australia will haunt them, and showed they need to develop a little more brain to go with the brawn. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

SCOTLAND The performance against Australia in the quarters cannot be viewed as a fluke. For the first time in yonks, the Scots have a definable way of playing, know where the try line is, have developed a squad under Vern Cotter and have a strong core who will be around four years hence. They carry more momentum into the Six Nations than anyone from this World Cup. Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

FRANCE Sold its soul to the Top 14 devil a long time ago; cue the inevitable repercussions. Porous and impotent, limited and badly coached. Nothing but muscle. Got their inevitable comeuppance against Ireland and, in spades, against the All Blacks. The best country never to have won the World Cup gave us their worst World Cup side ever. Cluck cluck, the sound of cockerels coming home to roost. What a shame. Bon chance Monsieur Noves. So sad. Photograph: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

ENGLAND Muddled thinking off the pitch – did a volte face after bonus-point win over Fiji as Wales loomed with a sterile, defensive 10-12-13 – and as well as on it when taking a draw against Wales would have seen them advance. Were a busted flush by the time they met Australia. Tough draw, but they didn’t help themselves. Cluck cluck, the sound of chickens coming home to roost. Photograph: David Rogers/Getty Images

JAPAN Shook the world when eschewing a draw and earning a with thrilling win over the Boks on the opening weekend; with Karne Hesketh’s try a contender for try of the tournament, prompting 20 million to watch their sole defeat against Scotland. The Tier 2 tier two success story of this or any World Cup, they became the first side to win three matches and not qualify. Helps set up 2019 nicely. Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

GEORGIA Traditional scrummaging and mauling helped bookend their group with wins over Tonga and Namibia to earn automatic 2019 qualification. in 2019. Also gave the tournament its youngest ever player in 18-year-old scrumhalf Vasil Lobzhanidze and one of the highlights was veteran Mamuka Gorgodze winning his man of the match award against the All Blacks. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

FIJI The Polynesian islands are, consistently, the entertainers of World Cups and ever since Samoa in 1991 seem to take it in turns (Samoa again in ’95, Fiji in ’07, Tonga four years ago) to illuminate the tournament. Fiji were the pick this time, bringing a potent scrum and strong defence to augment their flair. A rabble four years ago, in another group, might have qualified. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

SAMOA Rumours of an ill-prepared, non-vintage Samoan team were confirmed by opening three games whereupon they sprang into life in 33-36 defeat to Scotland, scoring tries (four in all) almost for fun. Where had they been hiding? Missed 25 tackles per match, and then coach Stephen Betham stepped down. One of the tournament’s relative mysteries and disappointments. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

TONGA Allowed themselves to become embroiled in a arm-wrestling match with Georgia in the opening match and – as Ireland can testify from Bordeaux circa 2007– that’s not clever. It lso defined their tournament, condemned them to qualification next time around, despite a bonus-point win over Namibia and gutsy efforts against the Pumas and, especially, the All Blacks. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

ROMANIA Game until the 80th minute against both France and Ireland (with 79th minute try by veteran Ovidiu Tonita), after which replacement scrumhalf Florin Surugiu went down on bended knee and proposed to his girlfriend. She said yes. Produced biggest comeback in World Cup history to beat Canada 17-15 but came up short of automatic qualification for 2019 when losing 33-22 to Italy. Spirited and eventful. Photograph: Mitchell Gunn/Getty Images

NAMIBIA Strictly Tier 2 tier two but better fun than ever. JC Greyling wandered into Old Wesley under-20s with his backpack a few years ago only to return home last season, thus making his World Cup debut against the All Blacks a year to the week after playing against Skerries in the AIL. And the tournament had no tougher nut than the retiring Jacques Burger. Photograph: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images

USA One of only two countries to finish pointless – Uruguay were the others was the other – the Eagles were competitive against Samoa and Scotland, fielded their reserves and took the hit against the Boks, four days before ruffling Japan. Need to learn from the example of Japan, which they concede. Irish-born, Connacht signing AJ MacGinty contributed 25 points. Photograph: Steve Bardens/Getty Images

URUGUAY Conceded 36 tries, but were still good value. Against Fiji, Carlos Arboleya scored their Uruguay’s first World Cup try since current coach Pablo Lemoine in ’03 in a 111-13 loss to England in Brisbane. Agustí in Ormaechea added another, became the only sending-off in the tournament (albeit for two yellow) and was man of the match. They were a hell of a lot more likeable than their football team. Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Mon Nov 02 2015 - 17:56

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