As of Oct. 2, the 2015 Rugby World Cup is halfway done with the knockout rounds. The Australia vs. Uruguay game thus far had the greatest difference in points, 65-3, while the closest match was between Japan and South Africa, 34-32. New Zealand was the champion at the last World Cup in 2011, the first time it had won since the first Rugby World Cup in 1987, according to rugbyworld.com.
“Now it’s England and Cardiff’s turn to host, with the final returning to Twickenham for the first time since 1991, when Australia edged out England to take the title,” said the website.
Tyrone Brown, a sophomore from Kahuku, said he is rooting for the New Zealand All Blacks, though England’s team is very skilled. “The World Cup is a really cool event because it unites the whole world. Rugby is a family sport. The whole family gets in on it – not just the Dad. It is also a chance for countries like New Zealand and Samoa to perform in front of the world.”
ESPN.com reported, “The Rugby World Cup is a money-making machine now, one of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar after the Olympic Games and soccer’s World Cup. It seems unbelievable to think that the home unions of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were not in agreement when the tournament was first proposed.”
Laki Ulugia, a sophomore from Samoa studying political science, said, “I am not sure yet if Samoa has a chance. But as of now, New Zealand or Australia look like they might take it.” Ulugia said he has been watching the matches online.
“Back home in Samoa, some of the boys focus on Rugby instead of education, and that’s something that they wanted to do. It’s a really good tournament for them to be able to showcase their skills and their talents,” said Ulugia. “It’s a great opportunity for the world to come together.”
The 20 teams are broken up into four different pools, with the two top teams moving on to the knockout stage, according to ESPN.com. From the knockout stage, the teams move onto the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and finally to the final game to decide who is the World Champion of Rugby.
Ofa Kata, a junior from Tonga studying information technology, said, “What I love about rugby is it helps me stay in shape, and when I play it, I feel manly. Rugby is a real man’s sport. You have to be manly to play.”