Rugby World Cup Recap
Rugby is a sport loved by many, with 2015 being a year when all the rugby fans would experience all the action, from the games themselves, to the sports bets placed on their favorite teams. The Rugby World Cup dates were from 18th September to 31st October 30, 2015, with England being the host nation. At first 20 teams qualified in the 2015 world cup. Of the 20 teams competing 12, of them, qualified by finishing top three in their pools whereas the remaining eight qualified by competing in regional competitions. As the host nation, England qualified automatically. England was appointed as Rugby 2015 world cup tournament host on 28th July 2009 and confirmed in 2013. Following England’s appointment as the host venue, thirteen stadia were chosen as a ground for all the rugby action. Tickets were also an important aspect of the matches as fans entered the stadiums. Adult ticket prices started at 15 Euros for pool matches and children’s tickets were available from 7 Euros. Tickets meant for the world cup finals ranged from 150 Euros to 715 Euros.
The twenty teams that qualified for the event with only two teams from Africa featured in the rugby world cup South Africa being one of them and Namibia the other. The Rugby Union appointed 23 people to officiate the matches. On 18th September, the host team, England kicked off the competitions where they won massively against Fiji. This was the first match of pool A.
Rugby World Cup opened with biggest shocks in world cup history by Japan beating South Africa 34-32. Not even the most savvy fan betting on rugby had thought Japan would beat South Africa though ranked as one of the top 20 teams in the world, and whose only victory on a global stage was way back in 1991. As the matches went on the host team was knocked out.Following defeat of Wales and Australia during he pool stages, England who seemed o apologetic to their fans for having disappointed hem became the first nation hosting the world cup team that is a former champion not to reach the knockout stage.
The matches had awesome moments as New Zealand’s Waisake Naholo crossed through after just 75 seconds against Georgia. In another match, Scotland turned great defense strategies into attack showing great strategy and effort. Some teams were knocked out while others went on to the quarter-finals where South Africa, New Zealand Argentina, and Australia qualified for the semi-finals. It then came to pass that no African team would reach the finals following its defeat by New Zealand. Argentina would sill not reach the finals following its defeat by Australia hence the final being between two neighbors and great rugby teams, New Zealand, and Australia both ranked among the best and to be specific among the top 10 teams in the world. South Africa and Argentina having lost would play their last match in the 2015 world cup against one another so as to valuate the bronze winner of the competition.
