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Lyon: The Wallabies can still make the quarter-finals of this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.
That is, if you believe in miracles.
Professional sport can throw up all kinds of outcomes and it’s why the Wallabies – battered after a humiliating 34-point defeat to Wales – will have to pick themselves off the canvas against Portugal in Saint-Etienne on Sunday (Monday AEST).
The Wallabies are paying $501 with the bookies to win the tournament.
But to have any chance of doing that, Eddie Jones and his troops must have results go their way.
It is an extremely unlikely possibility but nothing is out of the equation and these are the kinds of permutations Australian coaches will be informing players about this week.
There are two weeks of matches remaining, but Australia only have their Portugal fixture to come.
Wales (14 points) have already secured a quarter-final berth after their biggest victory over Australia since the teams played their first Test 115 years ago.
Australia and Fiji are level on six points, but the Wallabies would not progress if the sides ended the pool stage tied on points.
World Cup rules state that the team who won the head-to-head match, when locked on the same points after four pool games each, would progress.
Jordan Petaia and Samu Kerevi after the full-time whistle in Lyon.Credit: Getty
If three sides were tied, it would go to for-and-against.
Fiji still have two games to play, against Georgia on Saturday (Sunday 1.45am AEST) and then against Portugal on October 8 (6am ADST, October 9).
In simple terms, Australia must finish above Fiji on points by the end of this week to have any chance of progressing to a quarter-final in Marseille.
Presuming Fiji don’t lose, Australia would need a bonus point victory (five points) over Portugal, and Fiji to record a regular win (four points) in their Georgia clash to have any chance of a miracle.
Australia beat Georgia by 20 points. Fiji beat Australia. The Wallabies now need the Georgians to do them a favour – you do the maths.Credit: AP
Even then, it is highly likely that Fiji will beat Portugal in the last Pool C match.
Australia’s World Cup dream could be officially over as early as Saturday (Sunday AEST) if Fiji score four tries en route to victory against Georgia.
The Wallabies could also progress if they win their last game and Fiji lose their final two – a highly unlikely outcome. The worst-case scenario is if they Fiji need to beat Portugal, in a fortnight’s time, to make the last eight.
It leaves the Wallabies in the unwanted predicament of having to remain in France. It is more likely they could be back at home before some fans have even left Australia for their World Cup holiday.
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Every match streaming ad-free, live and in 4K UHD with replays, mini matches and highlights available on demand.
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