So near and yet so far - RWC Day 3

I was rudely awakened on Sunday to watch Wales vs SA with my Welsh friend, when the final whistle blew he looked like Wales had just lost the final even though it was a pool game many expected SA to win with relative comfort. I don't think that some of the Welsh players could believe the position they were in after 60 minutes and they yet again failed to put the South Africans away, just as they have done in recent years in Cardiff. It was all mental for the Welsh, until they win a big game against a southern hemisphere power they are never going to make the later stages of a World Cup.

SA looked, to put in very simply, old and unfit. They only looked old because they were so slow around the pitch, as England showed in 2007 you can win with a bunch of old men. I have never rated De Villiers as a coach and hope of SA's sake he goes after the WC. He treated the shortened Tri-Nations as friendly games and has destroyed confidence by doing so. He has also picked the 3rd best hooker, I'm counting Brits, that SA have as his captain and subsequently had to pick Smit; after Sunday he surely must put in Bismarck but does that mean he weakens the scrum by shifting Smit to loose-head? SA have questions to answer if they are to progress.

As for Wales their back row was outstanding, Faletau could be the back row star of this WC alongside Captain Sam; they were all over SA. Wyn Jones was brilliant in the line out and Priestland showed composure at 10. That said Hook is wasted at full back, he does not see enough ball, J Davies played well but should be scarified for Hook. Off the back of this performance Wales should make the quarters, but they could have topped the group and this may prove their undoing in the later on.

Ireland's WC stuttered into life in patches, to be fair the weather looked awful but they will know they have to perform better than that. Tommy Bowe was excellent again, the man is a try machine and a bloody menace to any defence and BOD showed touches of class. It was not a day for Sexton, Ronan has played most of his career in Limerick so he knows how to play in the wet. The USA looked solid and you could see how much it meant to the Eagles when they scored their last minute try, it was great to see that.

Italy put in a strong 40 minute performance, but as Castrogiovanni stated on Twitter "Good 40 that is it". The Australian back line is the best in the tournament and they showed it in the second half. Cooper played flat and was good at changing up the inside and outside ball but he has to thank his fellow backs as some of the lines they were running. I cannot wait to see Australia vs Ireland at the weekend, I think the Wallabies will bring the best out of the Irish, it should be a cracker.

Today and tomorrow there are no games but I shall endeavour to blog some of the stories following the first round of matches. See you tomorrow.