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Highs and lows of the group stages (48)

• Bryn Palmer
• 2 Oct 07, 06:45 AM

Paris – So 40 matches down, eight to go.

The group stages are over and we are down to our eight quarter-finalists.

So I thought it was time for another batch of awards, reflecting on what we have seen so far. Again, let me know if you disagree or want to offer your own suggestions for additional honours.

Best game: .
No contest this one. Much as it was painful to watch, as a Welshman, Saturday in Nantes threw up one of the most enthralling games in the entire history of the World Cup. Nine tries in total, Fiji scoring 25 points in 10 crazy first-half minutes, Wales hitting back to lead 29-25, Fiji going back in front, Martyn Williams’ intercept try to give Wales the lead again…Fiji winning it at the death. Bewildering, breathtaking, heartbreaking stuff.

Worst game: .
A few contenders here. was the poorest quality fare I witnessed at first hand, although was also pretty bad. And Saturday night’s humdinger in St Etienne – – also did little to stir the rugby soul, although the weather played its part. But watching the favourites for the competition fumble their way past a second-string side, who knew they had no chance of winning on their home turf, must have been a profoundly depressing experience.

Best team performance: Fiji ().
would have been the biggest shock in World Cup history. And , before only losing by five points, was another highly uplifting watch from a spectators’ point of view. But aside from Argentina’s opening-night win over France, this tournament was still missing a proper shock until Fiji’s spirit of adventure did for Wales. Not the biggest shock ever but a shock nonetheless - and a shot in the arm for the World Cup.

Worst team performance: England ().
Italy’s ‘non-match’ against the All Blacks and Ireland’s desperate display against Georgia were already highlighted in my earlier awards after two pool rounds. And, unfortunately, I don’t think anyone has done enough to topple the world champions from their perch on this one. The Springboks did play pretty well, although hardly extended themselves in ‘nilling’ supposedly their biggest rivals in the group.

Best individual try: Shane Williams (Wales v Fiji).
The first of Bryan Habana’s quartet against Samoa took the honours after the first fortnight, and probably still leads the way. But for the sake of a change, the diminutive Welsh wing’s effort against Fiji took some beating, racing up the right wing before stepping his way past three would-be tacklers on a mesmerising run. It was his sixth try of the tournament and sparked Wales’ dramatic comeback but, ultimately, it was all to no avail.

Best team try: Kosuko Endo ().
Wales somehow contrived to lose a five-metre scrum in the right corner near the Japanese line - and boy did they make them pay. Japan pounced on the loose ball and, with breathtaking ambition, agility and pace, transferred the ball through several pairs of hands before scoring in the right corner. One of the great World Cup tries.

Foot in mouth award:
Ford was in commendably honest mode the morning after England’s humbling by South Africa, pointing out the world champions no longer had the world-class players available to them of four years ago. He also offered the suggestion that Andy Farrell may be too old to translate his rugby league pedigree into union. Not many red rose supporters would have disagreed with him. But a few days later the RFU’s media department issued a release from Ford for the next two years, this dredging up the initial damaging headlines again.

The ‘Who is Jonny Wilkinson anyway?’ award: Chris Paterson (Scotland).
Jonny boy gave a very thorough being used at this World Cup. So far he has landed 11 from 16 attempts at goal in his two games against Samoa and Tonga - not a bad ratio but not as high as we or he would expect. Maybe he should talk to the Scottish kickers. in the tournament to 15 shots out of 15 with six penalties in the rain of St Etienne. And Dan Parks has also succeeded with all five of his attempts. Perhaps they could pass on any tips to Stephen Jones too…Doh! Too late now.

The ‘maybe I shouldn’t have showed up award’: Brian Lima (Samoa).
The Chiropractor certainly made an impact in his record fifth World Cup – but not in the way he would have hoped. Lima made history when he took to the field after 60 minutes in but he left the field only five minutes later with suspected concussion - subsequently missing the . He returned to the starting line-up for the and managed to last 73 minutes, only to receive a three-week ban for a dangerous tackle on Jonny Wilkinson. The suspension but his team-mates made sure he received a fine send-off, carrying the 35-year-old on their shoulders around the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard pitch after their final group game .

Best anthem: Portugal.
Playing at their first World Cup, no-one expected Portugal to came out of their pool with anything but four defeats but the passion and pride the players displayed on the field has been a real highlight. Their attitude was summed up in their stirring renditions of the national anthem: ‘A Portuguesa’. The song was belted out with such gusto that half the team were left in tears, while some of the watching public soon adopted Os Lobos as their second-favourite team.

The ‘rule that most refs appear to have forgotten’ award: Forward pass.
Before the World Cup began, would be clamped down on in France - and so it was. In the first week of the tournament, for example, there were so many citings that the disciplinary committee must have been filling in overtime sheets. However, one law that seems to have had less attention during the group stages is the forward pass, with countless stray deliveries being ignored or unseen. Things came to head over the weekend during the Wales v Fiji match, where there were so many passes that the casual observer would have been forgiven for thinking a game of American Football had broken out.

Anyway folks, my tour of duty is over for the time being. I’m handing over the 'Our man in Paris' baton to my esteemed colleague Mark Orlovac for the final three weeks.

Many thanks for all your comments and suggestions so far. Keep them coming in.
Here’s to a great knockout stage.

A la prochaine fois.

Bryn Palmer is the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport website’s rugby union editor.

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