Round four of the 2020 Six Nations saw sport play second fiddle to health and safety, as the Ireland v Italy match due to be played in Dublin fell victim to the coronavirus, with the rest of the competition also likely to be put on hold for the foreseeable future.

If the games that made up week two of the tournament had fallen foul of the weather and largely been occasions for the purists, dry decks and a bit of sunshine provided a welcome platform for some wonderful rugby in week three, with France’s hugely exciting 27-23 win over Wales a clash for the ages.

Week two of the 2020 Six Nations was more a story of the conditions the three games were played in, than the wins for Ireland, England and France that eventuated.

Any suspicions that England may suffer a World Cup hangover bore some pretty ripe fruit in Paris at the weekend, with a rejuvenated and youthful French side downing the tournament runners-up 24-17 as the 2020 Six Nations kicked-off – having led 17-0 at the break.

In Part 2 of our Quarter Final previews, former Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron talks about the rise of the Brave Blossoms and their impact on the sport in the Land of the Rising Sun, and the remaining two clashes between hosts Japan and South Africa, and Wales and France…

The phoney war is over as the 2019 Rugby World Cup reaches the pointy end, with the eight remaining teams contesting the Quarter Finals this weekend. Former Waratahs assistant coach Simon Cron, now based in Japan, runs the rule over each knockout clash.

This was more like it, Ireland overcoming a red card to overpower Samoa 47-5 in Fukuoka last night, and put themselves back in the frame as a Rugby World Cup contender.