The candidates to succeed Ireland and Joe Schmidt as World Rugby Team and Coach of the Year have been announced.

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.

The reaction in New Zealand to the All Blacks’ exit from the Rugby World Cup at the hands of England is best summed up by the Herald on Sunday’s fully black front page.

The second hardest thing for an All Blacks side is to accept they have been dumped out of a World Cup.

Steve Hansen has revealed that the New Zealand and England coaching teams reflected on a remarkable World Cup semi-final over a few beers.

This World Cup serves to remind us that previous form or results counts for little. The fact that Ireland had won two of their previous encounters against New Zealand only handed Steve Hansen and his coaching staff a template to beat us when it mattered most.

That Ireland could lose a World Cup quarter-final to the All Blacks is not a major shock in itself. New Zealand just have better cattle, as I said in last week’s column. However, the manner of the loss, even at a remove now of five days, was utterly shocking.

England’s build-up to their World Cup semi-final against New Zealand took a theatrical turn yesterday after Eddie Jones claimed that their training session was spied upon.

As a man more than familiar with the slings and arrows that can follow even the least outrageous fortunes of professional sport, Leo Cullen is a good place to start when assessing Joe Schmidt’s legacy.

Irish Examiner rugby writers Brendan O'Brien and Simon Lewis look back at where it all went wrong for Ireland.

Your round-up of all the #RWC2019 news and more

Ireland’s standing as a rugby nation has taken a tumble after the ignominious quarter-final exit at the hands of the All Blacks, with the New Zealand press declaring Joe Schmidt’s side “abysmal” and “embarrassing”.

Luke McGrath insists that Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final sticking point will not taint departing head coach Joe Schmidt’s legacy.

Steve Hansen insists quality and not quantity is the vital factor when it comes to experience after seeing New Zealand’s young guns blast Ireland out of the World Cup.

Ireland will have to wait another four years for a crack at a first World Cup semi-final appearance after Joe Schmidt’s tenure as head coach came to an end with a comprehensive defeat to the world champions on Saturday.

Joe Schmidt wasn’t having any of Steve Hansen’s mind games after Ireland saw off the All Blacks last November.

The moment of truth has arrived.

There are three changes from the starting line-up Joe Schmidt sent out against Samoa last Saturday for Ireland’s final Pool A game in Fukuoka.

That New Zealand have stated they will target Johnny Sexton is hardly a galloping shock. Johnny’s had that for a lot of his career, but it remains fundamentally important to Ireland’s chances today that he is on the pitch for 60-65 minutes.

Joe Schmidt wasn't having any of Steve Hansen's mind games after Ireland saw off the All Blacks last November.

Despite winning two of their last three encounters between the sides, Joe Schmidt’s Ireland side don’t possess a fear-factor for the All Blacks.

They may be trying to end each other’s World Cups tomorrow but both Steve Hansen and Joe Schmidt have revealed the camaraderie that exists between the New Zealand and Ireland coaching staffs ahead of their quarter-final at Tokyo Stadium.

Ireland’s tenacity versus New Zealand’s ruthlessness.

Joe Schmidt admits Ireland’s maiden two victories over New Zealand have denied his side the element of surprise in Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final.

“You either go into the history books or I go home to my wife and kids, and everyone's healthy.”

It may have taken time to make an impact, but this World Cup has finally captured the interest and imagination of the Japanese public — thanks in no small part to the exploits of their national team.

Hammer the hammer.

Whether you are beating the All Blacks five tries to four or grinding it out in a tight arm-wrestle, Johnny Sexton knows the common thread to Ireland’s recent successes against the best team in the world was to never switch off.

Like it or not, last weekend’s typhoon-related cancellations in the final round of World Cup pool games have given us some inequitable quarter-final match-ups in terms of preparation times for the protagonists.

Maybe it says everything about the way the All Blacks are that the day after they learned their final pool game against Italy had been cancelled, they woke up super early and battered themselves senseless in a training game.

Like it or not, last weekend’s typhoon-related cancellations in the final round of World Cup pool games have given us some inequitable quarter-final match-ups in terms of preparation times for the protagonists.

New Zealand press not giving Joe Schmidt's side much chance of causing an upset.

We've rounded up the best tries of the Rugby World Cup group stages, featuring some outrageous rugby skills.

Hansen was in typically mischievous mood when he set the scene on Monday.

Alan Gilpin, the under-fire Rugby World Cup tournament director, showed his face in the media room at the International Stadium in Yokohama before yesterday’s crucial World Cup Pool A match between host nation Japan and Scotland.

It might not have been the route they envisaged but Ireland have reached their initial destination, although the question remains whether this is finally the time to venture into virgin territory.

Sergio Parisse has hit out at World Rugby’s “ridiculous” decision to cancel Italy’s World Cup match against New Zealand.

Sergio Parisse has hit out at World Rugby’s “ridiculous” decision to cancel Italy’s World Cup match against New Zealand.

New Zealand scored a try of the tournament contender in today's match against Namibia.

Your round-up of the stories behind the headlines from Day 14 of #RWC2019

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

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.

TOKYO — The funny thing about World Cups is that they help the All Blacks find their inner Zen.

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