There’s one heck of a storm brewing around the rugby corridors of Europe this week. Spain, needing a win over lower-ranked Belgium to reach their first Rugby World Cup in 20 years, duly lost the match in Brussels 18-10. This meant that Romania qualified automatically in their place, and that Spain must now defeat Portugal, and then Samoa, in order to reach Japan 2019.

135 years of history goes on the line once again this weekend as the 124th edition (no tournament took place for the eleven year duration of both world wars) of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious rugby competition gets underway.

They didn’t have it all their own way but the Wallabies’ improving 2017 continued with a fine attacking display against a gallant Japan yesterday, downing the Brave Blossoms 63-30 in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final stadium in Yokohama, in a nine-try exhibition of their burgeoning firepower.