The Springboks face Romania on Sunday afternoon, as an aperitif to this World Cup day.
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The second day of this Rugby World Cup continues, Sunday September 17. On paper, South Africa should make short work of Romania, while Australia and England will try to confirm their inaugural successes to move closer to the quarter-finals. Discover the issues surrounding these three posters.
3 p.m.: South Africa-Romania (France 2 and france.tv)
Will the South Africans do better than the Irish? Here is more or less the main issue of this match which we imagine to be spectacular and totally one-sided, given the abysmal gap between the two nations. The Romanians have already been defeated against Ireland last week (8-82), and expect to suffer an identical fate in Bordeaux, against the reigning world champions. Having firmly entered the competition against Scotland (18-3), the Springboks have changed 14 players, for this duel scheduled six days before the clash of this group B against the XV of Clover.
5:45 p.m.: Australia-Fiji (France 2 and france.tv)
They have thrilled the oval planet with tremendous brilliance but already have no choice. This is the paradox of this Fijian team, exciting but ineffective during its narrow defeat against Wales (26-32). Despite the double bonus acquired, Fiji must beat Australia in Saint-Etienne to stay alive. The Wallabies do not constitute an insurmountable obstacle, even if they were reassured by clearly beating Georgia (35-15) for their entry into the running. The Eddie Jones era is finally launched and the Australians now want to continue to avoid cold sweats, in an extremely open Group C.
9 p.m.: England-Japan (TF1)
And now confirm. Eight days after their clear, if not transcendent, success against Argentina (27-10), the English challenge Japan in Nice. The Japanese, on the decline in recent years, seem a step below. They provided the essentials against Chile (42-12) but will have to do a little more to overthrow this XV de la Rose. Still recovering, England are still without suspended Tom Curry and Owen Farrell. But the opener was brilliantly assisted during the first match by the impeccable George Ford, who started again on Sunday evening.