Why we should savour this Rugby World Cup

Even though the pool stages of the 2019 Rugby World Cup are not yet finished, we’ve already seen thrills and spills at the tournament. We’ve witnessed hosts Japan defeat Ireland in a remarkable display of guts and character, we’ve seen a Pool D cracker between Wales and Australia with the Welshmen coming out on top, as well as an early clash of giants in Pool B between New Zealand and South Africa, with the All Blacks winning that one. All this has taken place against the backdrop of a wonderful host nation, with the entire country getting in the spirit of the occasion.

Since the Rugby World Cup only comes around once every four years, there is a sense that the tournament should be savoured. Rugby fans must squeeze every last ounce of enjoyment out of this festival of hard-hitting, high-level sport. While competitions such as the Six Nations and the Rugby Championship are huge in their own right, a World Cup undoubtedly has that extra special quality, and this edition of the tournament is no different.

The 2019 Rugby World Cup is the first to be held in Asia, and as already mentioned, Japan have done a fine job as hosts so far. There had been some doubts about whether or not the tournament would take off in Japan, but it seems as though locals have embraced the event with open arms. This is the first time the World Cup has been held in a country that may not be described as a traditional rugby-playing nation. As such, the tournament offers a great opportunity for rugby to grow and become more popular in Japan.

That has been aided by the hosts’ terrific run of results in their pool. An opening night win over Russia was followed by an immense triumph against pool-favourites, Ireland. A win over Samoa meant it was three wins from three, and Japan have a great chance of reaching the quarterfinals as a result.

A number of thrilling matches have also helped light up this World Cup. Wales’ 29-25 victory over the Wallabies is arguably the game of the tournament so far. There have also been a few tight, dramatic battles, none more so than the match between France and Argentina, where France withstood a second-half comeback to triumph by a narrow 23-21 scoreline.

We have also seen some of the world’s best teams performing to a wonderfully high standard. Both England and New Zealand have been almost flawless in their opening games so far, making both sides highly fancied in the latest rugby world cup odds from Betfair. Sometimes, there is immense satisfaction in seeing the world’s best perform to their true potential.

With the knockout stages upon us, there will now be even more excitement for rugby fans to sink their teeth into. This is when the tournament really gets going, where the stakes are ramped up and the pressure increases on each team. As already stated, action of this intensity only comes around once every four years, and that is all the reason you need to kick back and enjoy everything that this Rugby World Cup has to offer.