The team that had supposedly forgotten how to lose suddenly remembered at the worst possible time yesterday and the first all-Six Nations global decider vanished like a mirage.

With the cream having risen to the top and the four best sides left standing in the tournament providing two contrasting semi-final shootouts, we are left, with a potentially explosive final with rugby north and south of the equator set for a fascinating head to head.

New Zealand and South Africa have won five of the eight Rugby World Cup titles between them. Ahead of the semi-finals — and a potential NZ v SA final — Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh sat down with Munster duo, Kiwi Alby Mathewson and Springbok Arno Botha, to talk World Cups, Test dreams, beer and chocolate.

The Springboks are used to being the pantomime villains of world rugby. Their bruising style, proclivity for controversy and yes, success, make them a team everybody loves to hate.

Four years on from that famous defeat in Brighton, and South Africa are again playing second-fiddle to Japan.

Presumption has already made fools of many of us at this World Cup.

Rassie Erasmus isn't a man for one kind word when a few dozen can be spread lavishly, like honey on toast.

Joe Schmidt is hoping Ireland’s long lead-in to their final pool game will help his team put in the performance tomorrow that will take them into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Frustrated, inconsistent and more susceptible to upsets than their top-tier rivals.

The prospect of an Ireland versus South Africa World cup quarter-final remains a possibility after the Springboks did their bit by beating Italy 49-3 in Shizuoka on Friday.

Well, well, well. There was a buzz around the Springbok camp with the news that Japan had beaten Ireland 19-12 just before South Africa were due to kick-off against Namibia.

It’s probably not a great surprise that All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has revealed he’s not a great lover of social media.

The Ireland squad appear to be enjoying their Japan adventure if their social media activity is anything to go by.

Ronan O'Gara's latest Irish Examiner column picked up by official All Blacks website.

Conor O'Shea's side ran out easy winners against callow Canadian side.

Thomas Du Toit should have really just been fighting off the jetlag but he looked for all the world yesterday like a guy whose head was still in the clouds after being parachuted onto the South African bench for tomorrow’s Pool B encounter with Namibia.

Young players of massive potential will get a chance to make their mark for Munster over the coming months.

Rassie Erasmus tried to play the game.

So that’s nearly Tuesday wrapped up.

Uwe Helu gave a wicked little grin as he lit the fuse. He knew exactly what he was doing.

The answer to whether the Springboks are Rugby World Cup 2019 contenders remains a strong ‘yes’ after Saturday’s epic battle against the All Blacks in Yokohama.

The best images from Inpho Photography as we look back on Ireland's opening Rugby World Cup win over Scotland.

The scenarios in Pools A and B may already became clearer ahead of Ireland’s kick-off against Scotland yesterday but asking South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus about quarter-final permutations following this defeat was a fool’s errand.

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Joe Schmidt doesn’t forget.

CAPE TOWN - After years of inane platitudes from All Black coach Steve Hansen about the rivalry with the Boks after his side racked up record scores against their old foes, things changed this week.

Today’s meeting between New Zealand and South Africa will be their 99th.

Brendan O’Brien The news that a foreign coach had been co-opted onto the Springboks ticket before leaving for Japan stirred fond memories for Bryan Habana.

Fifteen minutes after hanging up, Allister Coetzee rings back, eager to share one last thought.

South Africa winger S’busiso Nkosi scored two tries as the Springboks edged Argentina 24-18 at Loftus Versfeld.

‘Rugby World Cup,’ Jamie, those three words — what comes to mind when you hear them?

It was just one week before South Africa played Ireland in Aviva Stadium in November 2017 that Rassie Erasmus bid an emotional farewell to Munster.

Ireland’s win over Italy at the weekend told us little about the eventual destination of the Webb Ellis trophy this year – for that you had to look to the other side of the world.

There are many examples that can be given to demonstrate just how talented a player Franco Mostert is.

It mightn’t be the Six Nations but in a World Cup year, the autumn series of Tests is what GAA fans feel at the start of the national leagues every spring, writes Ronan O'Gara

Watching New Zealand and South Africa there was that very rare feeling - it lasted only a few minutes, like viewing the aurora borealis, where you are mouthing quietly to yourself: this is unbelievable, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Whatever about the short-term objectives of winning a Test series in Australia, Saturday’s decider offers Ireland an excellent dry run for a potential World Cup quarter-final in Japan next year.

As Munster’s director of rugby, Rassie Erasmus saw at first hand how to exploit opposition weakness under the high ball and now he believes that is the area he must improve quickest as he takes control of South Africa.

Kieran Marmion finished with a flourish against South Africa on Saturday but now the Ireland scrum-half is hoping he will get the chance to make a similar impact as a starter.

A pre-game pep talk from Joe Schmidt has primed CJ Stander for take off after a slow start to the campaign and the Lions back rower is raring to go for both the Ireland boss and Munster’s incoming head coach, Johann van Graan.

Everything about Francois Louw screamed ‘Springbok’ as he stood there on Saturday night trying to make sense of it all.

Ireland take one more step along the road in Dublin this evening when their credentials as one of the world’s top four teams are tested by old rivals South Africa.

Iain Henderson knows better than most how bad it can get if Eben Etzebeth and his Springboks start to impose themselves on a game.

Is there any particular autumn international I’d buy a ticket for?