England to top Pool A, Chris Robshaw's decision making and Jean de Villiers all feature in Rupert Cox's weekly blog.
Cheer up England, the flying Fijians have your back
Wales are on course to crash out of the World Cup. Yep. You read it right. Wales will not reach the knockout stages of the big show.
But haven't they just pulled off the most incredible win over the auld enemy that Welsh eyes have ever witnessed? Is the dragon not breathing fire? Is the daffodil not blooming? The leek not, er, cooking?
The thing is, Wales are down to their bare bones. The run of injuries is so relentless that Warren Gatland says he's running out of players. And for once Gats isn't playing mind games. Even super Gavin Henson is putting his hand up for re-selection! Now, that would be fun.
Wales' next opponent at this tournament is Fiji, who have one big performance in them for this World Cup, and we ain't seen it yet. The South Sea Islanders will have had a full week's rest before flying into the Millennium Stadium on Thursday night, whereas Wales must pick themselves up after all the emotion and exhaustion of Saturday night in London with just a 5-day turnaround. They'll effectively have just 3 full days to prepare.
So here's how it will all unravel for Wales and all end well for England. You heard it here first.
- On Saturday night England beat Australia with less than 4 tries. The Wallabies collect a losing bonus and move to 10 points. England increase their tally to 10 points.
- On Thursday Wales LOSE to Fiji but collect the losing and try bonus, and move to 11 points overall.
- On the final weekend Australia beat Wales, score 4 tries, and move to 15 points. Wales get nothing and stay on 11.
- England beat Uruguay and score at least 4 tries. Move to 15 points.
- Wales finish on 11 points and finish third in Pool A. World Cup over.
- Australia finish on 15 points and finish second in the Pool.
- England also finish on 15 points but top the group on the head to head v Australia.
- As England run out of the tunnel to meet the 'Boks in the Quarter Final at Twickenham, a squadron of pigs perform a salutatory flypast.
Image of the weekend
Mr Blood Pressure himself Heyneke Meyer's beaming face in the coaches' box at Villa Park. The Springboks - with a six try romp over Samoa - are very much back in the hunt and will now be rightly feared by anyone who comes up against them.
Brickbat
Sorry Chris Robshaw, but it's gotta be you. No one empties the tank or gives more to the cause than the England captain, but mate, take your medicine and the points and move on. Who do you think you are - Michael Leitch?
Bouquet
DTH Van der Merwe. The Canadians' wonderful kick return try in a losing cause against Italy brought the packed Elland Road crowd to its feet. Extraordinary score.
And…
Retired Springbok captain Jean de Villiers. Another fractured jaw and he's had to call it a day. A warrior of a player on the pitch and a proper gent off it. JDV - you'll be missed.