Rugby World Cup: Wallabies in jeopardy vs Wales in Pool C | Ireland, South

Rugby World Cup – Pool C: Wallabies dare not lose to Wales; Fiji quarter-final dreams real possibility; Pool B: No 1 vs No 2 in world as Ireland, SA do battle to top standings; Pool D: England close in on last-eight place; Pool A: Italy must keep winning | France to start stepping up?

We look ahead to a huge weekend of Rugby World Cup action, as Australia face a must-win Test vs Wales, while Ireland and South Africa clash looking to avoid a quarter-final versus hosts France…

Pool C: Wallabies dare not lose to Wales; Fiji quarter-final dreams a real possibility

Only one place to start, and that is Pool C, after Fiji’s stunning and thoroughly deserved victory over Australia in Saint-Étienne last weekend.

With two teams from five progressing out of each World Cup pool, it is now a three-way shoot-out between Wales, Australia and Fiji for two spots, marking Wales vs Australia in Lyon on Sunday as a mammoth World Cup Test.

Australia need to win, or know their World Cup campaign is virtually over, barring Fiji slip-ups against both Georgia and Portugal. And slip-ups would be needed in both, as the next tie-breaker after pool points is head-to-head results, meaning the Wallabies cannot overtake Fiji now if they are level on points.

For Fiji, the task is simple with the head-to-head rule in mind. If they beat Georgia (Saturday, September 30) and Portugal (Sunday, October 8) with bonus-point wins, they will secure a quarter-final slot on 16 points, no matter what Australia do, as 16 points is the the maximum the Wallabies can reach.

The fact Fiji registered two points from their controversial defeat to Wales (four try bonus point and losing bonus point for defeat within seven points), means, in actual terms, they basically drew the Test, and are now in a superb position.

The Wallabies must go out and aim to beat Wales, and deny Warren Gatland’s side a losing bonus point. Should they do that, it could be Wales staring at a World Cup pool-stage exit, as the maximum points they could reach would then be 15, and Australia would sit above them via head-to-head should they follow it up with a bonus-point win against Portugal.

Wales know a win has them through, but Australia will be desperate to take the points themselves, or the decision to bring…