Saturday 17 October 2015 19:11, UK
For just the second time in Rugby World Cup history, all four of this weekend's quarter-finals are northern v southern hemisphere affairs.
When it previously occurred in 1999 it was the southern hemisphere who dominated, winning three of the four last-eight ties.
Will it be another sombre weekend for the European nations or can they buck the trend? We look at four of the recent meetings between the quarter-finalists.
South Africa v Wales
Wales have a dismal record against the Springboks and their 12-6 victory in Cardiff last November was just their second success in 30 Tests.
That win went some way to atoning for their last-gasp loss in Nelspruit five months earlier, where Wales came within three minutes of a first ever Test win in South Africa.
Having conceded five tries in the first Test in Durban, Wales came out fighting a week later and led 17-0 after 22 minutes, Jamie Roberts and Alex Cuthbert both crossing the whitewash.
South Africa hit back with a penalty try and Cornal Hendricks touchdown inside a crazy two-minute spell as Wales had two men sent to the bin, but the visitors kept their noses in front and raised their game after the restart, Ken Owens powering over for their third try.
Tyler Morgan, Gethin Jenkins and Dan Lydiate recalled to face the Springboks
Wales led by 13 points with after 69 minutes but a moment of brilliance from Willie le Roux set up a tense finish, and the Boks turned the screw in the closing stages.
With less than three minutes remaining and after eight phases, South Africa created space out wide as Le Roux threw a long pass to Hendricks. The wing beat George North but was barged into touch by Liam Williams.
Referee Steve Walsh went to the TMO and replays showed Williams led with his shoulder. A second penalty try was awarded, giving Morne Steyn an easy conversion to put the Boks in front for the first time with 95 seconds remaining and seal a 2-0 series win.
New Zealand v France
You have to go back to June 2009 for France's last victory over the All Blacks, when Les Bleus travelled to Dunedin for a game that is remembered for the right and wrong reasons.
Twenty months after their World Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of France, New Zealand were out for revenge in Carisbrook, but they found themselves trailing at the interval after first-half tries from Francois Trinh-Duc and William Servat.
Just three points separated the sides with 10 minutes remaining when full-back Maxime Medard intercepted Luke Alister's pass and sprinted clear to clinch victory.
Carisbrook was nicknamed the 'House of Pain' due to its intimidating atmosphere but things turned ugly after the final whistle. Bottles were thrown at the French players as they did a lap of honour, which threatened the future of hosting Test matches in Dunedin.
"I thought the public here was a bit more respectable," said Trinh-Duc. "We didn't steal this game. We had a good performance."
Since then New Zealand have won eight consecutive Test matches against France, including the 2011 World Cup final.
Ireland v Argentina
Ireland are the only European side in the World Cup quarter-finals that has a superior record against their opponents, winning 10 of their 15 Test against the Pumas.
However, that record is turned on its head at World Cups, where Argentina have twice sent the men in green packing.
Ireland were stunned 28-24 in a quarter-final play-off in Lens in 1999 before Argentina hammered the final nail in the Irish coffin in 2007 with a 30-15 victory in the Parc des Princes, Felipe Contepomi running over Ronan O'Gara and revelling in the moment.
"O'Gara, when he's on the pitch, is a foul person," said Contepomi afterwards, having clashed with the Ireland fly-half during provincial derbies between Leinster and Munster.
There remains a fierce rivalry between the nations but Ireland have held the edge since that defeat in 2007. They have won five successive Tests, including two in June 2014 as they won a series in Argentina for the first time.
Australia v Scotland
Scotland have won just nine of their 28 Tests against Australia but they have tasted victory on two of their last three meetings with the Wallabies.
Driving rain is not an unfamiliar sight in Newcastle, but it is in the Newcastle of New South Wales, and when Australia hosted Scotland there on a Tuesday evening in June 2012, conditions were worse than anything the Wallabies would have experienced, even at Murrayfield.
Scotland came into the game on the back of a victory over the Wallabies the previous November, the first in 27 years, and were expecting a backlash from Robbie Deans' men.
Current Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw was playing fly-half that day, and got the visitors up and running with two penalties late in the first half. Wallabies centre Mike Harris added one of his own before bringing the scores level shortly after the second half started.
What followed was 40 minutes of scoreless rugby as both sides tackled in the slippery mess, before Scotland were awarded a penalty deep in stoppage time. Laidlaw stepped up and slotted the goal to give his side a famous win.
"That was a Scotland performance full of heart, full of commitment and full of belief," said Gavin Hastings after the win.
"It was all built on that defensive effort and when Scotland got their chance they absolutely took it."
