Tommy Martin: Rugby’s small fry bring a flavour to the World Cup

For the rugby establishment, the presence of pool stage cannon fodder is a necessary evil, padding out the field, creating the sense of a smorgasbord

MINNOWS: Georgia's Davit Niniashvili, left, is pulled back during the Rugby World Cup Pool C match against Portugal. Pic: AP Photo/Lewis Joly

It’s goodbye weekend at the Rugby World Cup, the part of the gameshow when the sad couple go home with fifty quid and a toaster while Steve and Janet from Birmingham stay on for a chance to win a speedboat.

Hopefully Ireland will be returning after the break to play for the big money. Even by the standards of Irish World Cup ignominy, it would be a spectacular flub to go out at this stage. Especially at the hands of Scotland, very much the Scrappy Doo of the international rugby scene.