A bitter old rivalry and a relatively new one will feature in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, when England and Australia meet in Oita and defending champion New Zealand takes on Ireland at Tokyo Stadium.
Australia and England have met six times at the Rugby World Cup, with each country winning three. The Australians beat England in the 1991 final at Twickenham, and the English avenged that with an extra-time win in the 2003 final in Sydney. That remains the only time a team from the northern hemisphere has won rugby's biggest prize.
Since the Wallabies' 33-13 win in 2015 contributed to England's pool-stage exit at the tournament it was hosting, Australian Eddie Jones has coached the England squad to six consecutive wins over Michael Cheika's Australians. England is favored to make that seven in a row.
England's coach Eddie Jones arrives for a training session in Oita, Japan, Friday, Oct. 18, 2019. England will face Australia in the quarterfinals at the Rugby World Cup on Oct. 19. (AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
The New Zealand All Blacks haven't lost a match at the Rugby World Cup since an upset quarterfinal defeat to France in 2007. The Irish have lost all seven knockout matches they've played. But since breaking a 111-year drought with a victory over the All Blacks in 2016, Ireland is 2-1 in head-to-heads with New Zealand.
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French rugby team players arrive for a training session in Oita, Japan, Friday Oct. 18, 2019. France will face Wales in the quarterfinals at the Rugby World Cup on Oct. 20.(AP PhotoChristophe Ena)
Jonathan Sexton of Ireland prepares to attend a press conference Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoEugene Hoshiko)