‘Embarrassing’: The international media reaction to the RWC quarter-finals

It’s been a largely uniform reaction from most of the world’s media to Argentina’s win over Ireland with the Pumas rightfully being proclaimed as heroes.

In the UK The Guardian describes the Irish players as “bruised and battle-scarred champions.”

Writing from Cardiff Kevin Mitchell says “This was a big stage for a big occasion and, in their different ways, both combatants contributed equally to one of the tournament’s most enthralling encounters, a match that both detached and quietly committed observers expected Ireland to win – with reservations. No one, even the most ardent of the smattering of Argentinian supporters jostling with Irish fans among the 73,316 present, dreamed they would win 43-20.”

The Telegraph is somewhat harder on the Irish players, with Tom Cary writing that the opening 15 minutes were like “men against boys”.

“Quarter-final hurdle once again trips up the Irish” proclaimed the headline in the Daily Mail with a nod towards Ireland’s failure to get by the quarter-final stage of the World Cup in six attempts.

Down under the media were naturally revelling in the superiority of the southern hemisphere game.

Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Gregor Paul says that “northern hemisphere teams just can’t handle the pressure.”

“There are common traits shared by all four Rugby Championship sides that were prevalent in the quarter-finals. Under pressure, all four of them executed better when they needed to,” he said.

Paul also pointed to the higher fitness levels of the southern hemisphere teams.

He wrote: “It’s not scientific or foolproof by any means, but the body shapes of the Southern Hemisphere players tend to be leaner. The Irish front row in particular were carrying spare tyres, as were the English. This is a sport all about making marginal gains and if the tight five can not only last a bit longer, but get around that bit better, it makes a huge difference.”

“European rugby put firmly in its place” said The Australian, under the headline of “Pumas stun gallant Ireland”.

But it was not only Australian and Kiwi newspapers that bemoaned the lack of a northern hemisphere team in the semi-finals.

In The Telegraph, chief sports writer Paul Hayward called the lack of a northern team in the final four as “an embarrassing anomaly.”

He continued: “This World Cup has brought regression for the (Six Nations) countries. Until the European countries shift from brawn to brain there will be no redress. The victors...have speed and accuracy of execution. Or, in a word: skills.”

But perhaps John Westerby in The Times pointed out the most worrying fact when he said that the Pumas’ victory over Ireland was the point of greatest concern for the northern hemisphere countries.

“The greater worry was the vast difference in skill levels, especially in the game’s crucial moments yesterday, in a contest between a side who have been champions of Europe for the past two years and a team who, for all their progress, have still won only two of 21 matches in the Rugby Championship.”