Tears were always likely when the end eventually came for the retiring Johnny Sexton.

In a city synonymous with love, art and literature, the thrilling final chapter in the career of one of rugby’s finest creative talents was written.

The storyline – 14 years in the making – was packed with drama and emotion but finished abruptly with a lack of romance and the absence of a fairytale finale.

“It’s small margins and that’s sport,” said Ireland captain Sexton in the aftermath of Saturday evening’s agonising 28-24 loss to New Zealand.

“That’s life. It’s gutting, isn’t it?”

Sexton heads into retirement as arguably his country’s greatest player.

Yet he does so without realising his dream of becoming a world champion following the heartbreak of an all-too-familiar quarter-final elimination on the biggest stage.

The 38-year-old stood hands on hips, head bowed on the Stade de France touchline at the full-time whistle after his fourth such World Cup exit – his nation’s eighth.

Paris, where the influential fly-half spent two seasons with Racing 92 between trophy-laden spells with Leinster, was always destined to provide the backdrop for his last act.

Following successful sojourns in Bordeaux and Nantes, Ireland headed to Saint-Denis for the remainder of their 2023 World Cup fixtures – a minimum of two, a maximum of five.

The formidable All Blacks ensured it would only be three.

Sexton bid adieu by weeping in front of the watching world amid comforting words from his son Luca.

The 2018 world player of the year’s record-breaking Ireland career began against Fiji back in 2009 and brought 118 caps and 1,108 points.

His final months as a professional proved to be a gripping roller-coaster ride which, at times, appeared in danger of derailment.

Multiple injuries and a much-publicised suspension saga had to be overcome en route to France.

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Sexton was appointed Ireland skipper in the ashes of the last World Cup, which also ended with a last-eight loss to New Zealand, with some pundits and ex-players suggesting he was already past his best.

But the relentless taskmaster with a fiercely-competitive nature and a penchant for rubbing up opponents the wrong way had other ideas.

Following a slightly rocky start to his captaincy during the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, he and the team flourished under the masterful man-management of Andy Farrell.

The summer of 2021 was perhaps a pivotal period.

Sexton – a two-time British and Irish Lion tourist, in 2013 and 2017 – was snubbed by Warren Gatland for the series in South Africa and later confessed it “hurt like hell”.

However, Ireland almost certainly benefited from that setback as the fired-up out-half instead enjoyed time off before returning revitalised.

He guided his country to a Six Nations Triple Crown in 2022 followed by a landmark series success in New Zealand, which propelled Ireland to the top of the global rankings, launched a 17-match winning streak, and led to his third nomination for world player of the year.

Sexton missed out on the award to team-mate Josh van der Flier but continued his renaissance by steering Ireland to a first Grand Slam triumph clinched in Dublin, sealed by a 29-16 win over England.

“It’s unbelievably fitting that in my opinion the best player ever to play for Ireland is able to sign off on a Grand Slam, on St Patrick’s Day, in front of his own crowd,” said head coach Farrell.

Sexton limped from the field that milestone day in what proved to be his final appearance on home soil.

England were always meant to be the opposition for his Aviva Stadium farewell – it just happened five months earlier than anticipated.

Fast-forward to August and the fit-again Sexton was forced to watch from the stands as Ireland defeated Steve Borthwick’s side in a World Cup warm-up fixture.

His three-match ban – punishment for “confrontational and aggressive” behaviour towards referee Jaco Peyper after Leinster’s last-gasp Heineken Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle – was made more painful by nine-year-old Luca being a team mascot.

Sexton was sidelined for 175 days in total but demonstrated the no-excuses mentality so often championed by Farrell by seamlessly slotting back in at the start of his swansong tournament.

He became his country’s oldest international and leading World Cup scorer with a 24-point haul in the opening win over Romania before a week later taking the overall points record from long-time number 10 rival Ronan O’Gara in the triumph over Tonga.

Electrifying Paris victories against South Africa and Scotland, saluted with rousing renditions of the team’s World Cup anthem – ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries – from tens of thousands of travelling fans, fuelled hope this could be Ireland’s year.

But the dream was crushed by the three-time world champions, leaving a despondent Sexton to hang up his boots amid a cocktail of emotions.

“Everyone runs into camp and never wants to leave – it’s an incredible place to be and that’s what I’ll miss the most,” he said of the environment fostered by Farrell.

Whether Sexton is foremost in the pantheon of Ireland’s all-time greats remains subjective.

That he leaves a lasting legacy and a void which will be extremely difficult to fill is undeniable.

Andy Robinson succeeded Sir Clive Woodward as permanent England rugby union head coach on this day 19 years ago.

A month after the shock resignation of World Cup-winning coach Woodward, Robinson stepped up from his role as caretaker on October 15, 2004.

The former Bath coach was handed a four-year contract barely 24 hours after being interviewed for the job.

Robinson had been assistant to Woodward at the 2003 World Cup and he immediately set his sights on making England the first team to retain the Webb Ellis Trophy.

“My challenge now is the next era and to ensure the World Cup remains at Twickenham in 2007,” Robinson said as he took the reins.

“It is a huge task ahead for all of us, and one I am excited about leading. I expect every rugby coach in England aspires to coaching their country one day, and I feel honoured to have this opportunity.

“Clive set a standard for all of us to follow. Clive’s successful record at the helm, culminating in us winning the World Cup, was unique and very special. It was my privilege, as his assistant coach, to be part of that.”

As a player, Taunton-born Robinson won eight England caps, toured Australia with the 1989 Lions and captained Bath to a domestic league and cup double in 1992.

After retiring in 1997, he moved into coaching with the club he had represented for more than a decade, and quickly delivered Heineken Cup glory with an upset of defending European champions Brive in Bordeaux in 1998.

He joined Woodward’s staff in June 2000 and was part of both the World Cup triumph in 2003 and the Six Nations Grand Slam.

But his own time in charge of the national team was not a happy one. He lost 13 of his 22 games in the job and stood down in November 2006.

Teary-eyed Ireland captain Johnny Sexton reflected on a “gutting” end to his glittering career following a heartbreaking World Cup exit at the hands of New Zealand.

Andy Farrell’s class of 2023 were bidding to make history in Paris by becoming the first Irish team to reach the last four of the tournament.

But the world’s top-ranked team trailed for most of an enthralling contest before falling agonisingly short as their quarter-final curse continued with a 28-24 loss.

Veteran fly-half Sexton, who travelled to France with ambitions of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup before retirement, tipped his team-mates to come back stronger in his absence during an emotional post-match press conference.

“The last couple of years have definitely been, in a green jersey anyway, the most enjoyable of my career. Definitely,” said Sexton.

“The group, the way Faz (Farrell) leads us with the other coaches, everyone runs into camp and never wants to leave.

“It’s an incredible place to be and that’s what I’ll miss the most. Going to work every day with those guys, but I’m just grateful as well.

“You can’t be 38 and sit here giving out too much. I’ve had lots of ups and downs in my career, lots of injuries, so I’ll probably reflect more over the next couple of weeks, take time off and spend it with my family and see what happens.”

Sexton, the 2018 world player of the year, bows out with 117 caps and 1,108 points, having surpassed Ronan O’Gara as Ireland’s record scorer earlier in the competition.

Speaking of the defeat, he said: “It’s gutting, isn’t it? It’s small margins and that’s sport. That’s life. It’s unfortunate, but this group will bounce back.

“They are an incredible bunch led by the man beside me (Farrell). It’s the best group I have ever been a part of. Bar none.

“These guys will go on and achieve great things and I’ll be sitting in the stand having a pint like you lads.”

Scores from native Kiwis Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park and a penalty try helped keep Ireland within touching distance for the duration of a tense encounter.

However, three-time champions New Zealand underlined their rugby pedigree, with Leicester Fainga’anuku, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan each crossing to pave the way for a nail-biting triumph.

Head coach Farrell revealed veteran wing Keith Earls will also retire as the curtain came down on the current era.

“The standards have been immense over the last four years, the players that we’ve used in that four-year cycle have been a joy to work with,” he said.

“And not just that, their connection with the fans, it seemed like it’s all one big family.

“I’m unbelievably proud to be associated with it all. I think the sad thing for us now is that for this group it’s probably the end.

“Obviously it is for Johnny and Keith Earls is going to retire as well, so things are going to change. Mick Kearney our manager is going to finish up as well.

“Over the next 24 hours, it’s time to make sure that we get a smile back on our faces as soon as we possibly can and celebrate what has been some unbelievable careers and what they have done for Irish rugby. It’s important to us, that.”

Ireland desperately pushed for a late twist to prolong their campaign and 17-match winning run but ultimately ran out of steam to suffer a first defeat since the opening match of last summer’s stunning Test series victory in New Zealand.

It could have been a different outcome had replacement hooker Ronan Kelleher not been held up on the line 10 minutes from time.

“Ifs, buts and maybes and all that,” said Farrell. “But at the end of the day it was two good teams out there playing some outstanding rugby, and unfortunately for us we came out on the wrong side of the score.

“Sport can be cruel sometimes I suppose, that’s why we love it so much.

“We want to congratulate New Zealand on a fantastic performance, it was a fantastic game to be part of, it was probably fitting of a final.”

New Zealand, who had Aaron Smith and Codie Taylor sin-binned, will face Argentina in the semi-finals.

All Blacks head coach Ian Foster: “This is a special day for us. Sometimes the sweetest victories are when your opposition plays very well and tests you to the limit.

“At the end of the day, we played a lot of that game with 14 players. And we looked in control of it and it felt good.”

Ireland’s World Cup dream was crushed as their quarter-final curse continued with a heartbreaking 28-24 defeat to New Zealand in Paris.

Andy Farrell’s class of 2023 were bidding to make history by becoming the first Irish team to reach the last four of the tournament.

But they trailed for most of a thrilling contest at Stade de France and were unable to mastermind a stunning comeback as the formidable All Blacks progressed to a semi-final showdown with Argentina.

Scores from native Kiwis Bundee Aki and Jamison Gibson-Park and a penalty try helped keep Ireland within touching distance for the duration of a tense encounter.

However, three-time champions New Zealand underlined their rugby pedigree, with Leicester Fainga’anuku, Ardie Savea and Will Jordan each crossing to pave the way for a nail-biting triumph.

Eight points from the boot of Jordie Barrett and five from Richie Mo’unga helped the All Blacks over the line as they overcame yellow cards for Aaron Smith and Codie Taylor.

A devastating defeat in Saint-Denis halted Ireland’s remarkable winning run at 17 matches, while signalling the end of the career of veteran captain Johnny Sexton, who kicked seven points but missed a crucial penalty.

Ireland came into a mouthwatering contest in the unfamiliar position of being marginal favourites.

Following a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of Friday’s school attack in the northern French city of Arras, Ireland’s raucous travelling fans drowned out the Haka with a rousing rendition of the Fields of Athenry.

Yet New Zealand shrugged off the hostility and a few nervy mistakes in the opening minutes to lead through early penalties from Mo’unga and Barrett.

Ireland had repelled 30 phases in the build up to the first of those kicks but, despite plenty of possession, were struggling to fully find their usual attacking fluidity.

Ian Foster’s men had no such issues and duly increased their lead when wing Fainga’anuku – playing instead of Mark Telea, who was dropped for a disciplinary breach – exchanged passes with Rieko Ioane to finish a flowing team move on the left.

Ireland were quickly staring down the barrel of another last-eight exit to add to seven previous ones.

A routine Sexton penalty eventually got them up and running on the scoreboard before Aki superbly evaded five failed tackles to touch down and significantly cut the deficit against the country of his birth.

However, as the tide threatened to turn, the All Blacks were not about to roll over.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Savea dived over on the right to shift the momentum of a helter-skelter encounter back in favour of the southern hemisphere side.

Resilience is a major facet of Farrell’s Ireland and they emerged from an intense opening period just a single point behind.

In the aftermath of Smith’s temporary departure due to a deliberate knock-on, Gibson-Park brilliantly wriggled over from a line-out maul and Sexton again added the extras to leave the contest tantalisingly poised.

New Zealand were doing a decent job of keeping Ireland at arm’s length.

They again stretched the scoreboard in the 54th minute when the impressive Mo’unga exploited a gap between Josh Van Der Flier and Dan Sheehan following a line-out to burst forward and send the jet-heeled Jordan darting for the right corner for a 25-17 advantage.

Ireland suffered another setback when Sexton skewed wide with a three-point attempt at the posts. However, five minutes they were celebrating being awarded a penalty try as Taylor collapsed a maul and was sin-binned.

Barrett missed a penalty but landed another to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the All Blacks going into the anxious final stages.

Ireland desperately pushed for a late twist but ultimately ran out of steam to suffer a first defeat since the opening match of last summer’s stunning Test series victory in New Zealand, leaving a distraught Sexton heading for retirement.

Ben Earl insists England have noted their absence from composite Rugby World Cup teams as they look to prove their critics wrong in Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against Fiji.

England completed their group campaign with a full set of four victories yet few are expecting them to challenge for South Africa’s global crown despite being placed in the easier side of the draw.

Earl has been Steve Borthwick’s star performer in France and would be pushing hard for inclusion in teams comprising the World Cup’s best players, but the general snub has not been overlooked by the squad.

“You see a lot of stuff on social media about world XVs and stuff and there’s probably not a huge amount of representation from England in that regard,” the Saracens back row said.

“A lot of people don’t think there’s that many of us in there. You always want to be in those conversations. In terms of voicing concerns about it? Not really. We know a lot of our team have been in those positions before.

“It’s just an opinion, but at the same time we know the quality we’ve got. We know that on any given day, when some of the players we have got on our team turn up we become a very, very hard team to beat.

“These are the stages that we want to be involved in. You find out a lot about your team-mates, find out a lot about yourself. We’ll be expecting big performances.

“We’ve been speaking a lot all week about it being time for our big game players to start turning up. We’ve all got a responsibility to do that.

“It’s kind of now or never. No one wants to be flying back to London on Monday morning, so we’re going to out there and perform our best and see what happens.”

Danny Care is among a number of senior players who could be making their final appearances for England and the veteran scrum-half admits there is no margin for error against Fiji, who stormed Twickenham 30-22 in August.

“It’s what you dream about, being involved in games like this. It’s the chance of a lifetime,” Care said.

“We’re fully focused on Fiji and we have to be because we know how dangerous Fiji are. If we’re slightly off it, then we will be going home. That’s the stark reality of it.

“We know the significance of this game and how much it means to us, how much it means to the people back home. We’re dying to get out there.

“For someone like me, you know this could be the last time I put on an England shirt so I’m going to give it my all.

“Any time I play for England, it means everything. But when you know you’re kind of coming to the end of your journey in that shirt you want to do yourself proud and your family proud.

“I want to make it worthwhile that I’ve been away for five months and you don’t do that by coming home after the quarter-final. We’re really excited to get out there and show what we can do.”

Warren Gatland felt the change in referee knocked Wales off their stride as they crashed out of the World Cup with a 29-17 quarter-final defeat to Argentina in Marseille.

South African official Jaco Peyper hobbled off with a calf injury after Wales had scored their first try in the 15th minute, taking a 7-0 lead in a match they had dominated.

But with Karl Dickson replacing Peyper their ascendency slipped away and Argentina came on strong in the second half with tries from Joel Sclavi and Nicolas Sanchez sweeping them into the last four.

Head coach Gatland was full of praise for the Pumas’ performance but also felt events had conspired against Wales.

“It probably didn’t help with the referee getting injured. That was a little bit disruptive in terms of the game,” said Gatland, who confirmed his commitment to remaining in charge of Wales until the 2027 World Cup.

“We were 10-0 up and were thinking that if we take a few of the opportunities that were presented to us. Unfortunately we gave away a couple of soft penalties.

“It does throw you off. We were comfortable with Jaco Peyper and the relationship we have with him in terms of his control of the game.

“It’s nothing against Karl but you do a lot of analysis through what referees tend to be tough on and what they are looking for.

“We hadn’t prepared for the change. Sometimes that happens in a game and you just have to deal with it. That is the way Test match rugby goes sometimes.”

A controversial refereeing decision saw Guido Petti hit Nick Tompkins in the head with his shoulder in the third quarter but Dickson and TMO Marius Jonker ruled there was no foul play.

It was explained that because the tackle had been called, Tompkins was falling and Petti entered legally while bent at the waist, there was no offence. Argentina went over from the same period of play to stretch their lead.

“It would be interesting to see what happens in terms of the feedback from the panel,” Gatland said.

“He (Dickson) felt that Nick has dropped his height and he said it wasn’t foul play. I would need to go back and look at it, but it was probably at least a penalty situation.

“Sometimes those things happen in a game in big moments and can swing things. That is just the way it is.”

Dan Biggar’s final match for Wales ended in disappointment with the fly-half eventually departing in the second half having taken a bang to the chest early on, possibly exacerbating a pectoral muscle injury he had been carrying.

“Dan has been a great servant for Welsh rugby. He has been through some incredible highs and some lows as well. To see him come into the side and mature and develop as a player, that has been pretty special,” Gatland said.

Argentina were transformed from the team routed 27-10 by 14-man England in their group opener and head coach Michael Cheika insisted the lessons of that defeat had been learned.

“We knew that first game would be rough for us and we learned a lot from it because we had a lot of World Cup first timers,” Cheika said.

“There hasn’t been a radical turnaround, we’ve just built from what we’ve learned. The progress hasn’t been lineal, but all that work we put in as a foundation has paid off.

“We’re starting to get a bit of flow and one thing this team has always had is lots of flow. We just didn’t handle the occasion against England well.”

Wales crashed out of the Rugby World Cup after Emiliano Boffelli inspired an Argentina fightback that saw them win a thrilling spectacle 29-17 at Stade Velodrome.

Warren Gatland’s team had high hopes of reaching a third World Cup semi-final in the last four tournaments, but Argentina ripped up the form book after struggling to qualify from their pool.

Wales led 10-0 through a Dan Biggar try, conversion and penalty, only for Boffelli to wipe out that deficit with four penalties during a damaging spell either side of half-time.

Scrum-half Tomos Williams’ try, again converted by Biggar, put Wales back in front, but Pumas prop Joel Sclavi touched down and replacement fly-half Nicolas Sanchez claimed an interception try during the closing seconds. Boffelli converted both and then Sanchez booted a last-minute penalty.

It all rubbed salt into a gaping Welsh wound, although the Pumas were fortunate to see lock Guido Petti avoid sanction for a shoulder-led hit on Wales centre Nick Tompkins 16 minutes from time.

Referee Karl Dickson, who had taken over from an injured Jaco Peyper early on, awarded no card following television match official consultation, and Wales’ players looked perplexed.

Wales’ defeat meant the end of Biggar’s international career, having announced in August that he would retire from the Test arena post-World Cup.

Exeter Chiefs inflicted a record top-flight defeat on defending Gallagher Premiership champions Saracens as they ran amok at Sandy Park.

Rob Baxter’s side were in scintillating form, running in 11 tries including a hat-trick for Josh Hodge as they won 65-10.

In a dominant display from start to finish, Saracens simply had no answer to the power, pace and precision of the Devonians – who bagged a bonus point by the 16th minute and led 41-0 at half-time.

Handed what seemed a tough assignment in the season curtain-raiser, the new and youthful Chiefs were quickly into their attacking stride and scored in the first minute, winger Immanuel Feyi-Waboso finishing off a slick home attack when he raced onto an audacious pass from Harvey Skinner down the right flank.

Moments later and with Sarries skipper Alex Lozowski in the sin-bin, the Chiefs struck again, number eight Greg Fisilau attaching himself to the back of a close-range line-out to double the lead.

Saracens were seemingly all at sea, struggling to contain the relentless waves of Exeter attacks. Debutant Ethan Roots bagged a third try, picking up from a few metres out, before Tom Hendrickson brought up the bonus point when he was given the pass from Henry Slade, who had latched onto a clever chip over the top from Tom Cairns.

England international Slade then got in on the try-scoring act himself, picking off a pass in midfield to race clear from halfway and extend his side’s lead to 29-0.

There was no let-up from Baxter’s side as they headed towards the break, Hodge helping himself to a quickfire double – the second after breaking four tackles on the end of a scintillating cross-field move.

The break could not have come at a better time for Saracens and they used the respite as the opportunity to not only regroup, but fathom out a new game plan for the second half.

Whatever was said, it initially had the desired effect as replacement Andy Christie and Alex Lewington combined nicely to send Olly Hartley cantering down the left wing for the score.

It was the spark Saracens had craved, but the Chiefs were soon back on the offensive themselves. Fisilau was held up on the line but Hodge soon claimed his hat-trick score with a jet-propelled burst from deep inside his own half.

Not content with that, the Chiefs continued to pile forward in numbers, bullying Saracens into submission with a brutal assault from all angles. The home pack did much of the donkey work, easing them to within sight of the line, the fruits of which were finished off by Rus Tuima.

To their credit, Saracens refused to throw in the towel, picking themselves off the floor to land a late blow of their own through Scotland international Sean Maitland. It was, however, a little too late in the grand scheme of things.

Indeed, it was the home side who would put the shine on a polished performance, bagging two more tries in the dying embers through replacements Ross Vintcent and Niall Armstrong.

Rob Burrow has become a rugby union fan after watching his friend Kevin Sinfield help steer England into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Burrow and Sinfield were team-mates at league outfit Leeds Rhinos for 14 years until fate placed them on a different path when Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019.

Sinfield has since raised over £8million for MND charities by completing a series of remarkable endurance events, including running seven ultra-marathons in seven days.

The duo were celebrated at the Pride of Britain Awards on Sunday, winning the special recognition award, although Sinfield was unable to attend the ceremony because of his World Cup commitments.

England face Fiji in Marseille on Sunday and Sinfield has been preparing the defence – with inspiration from his closest friend.

“For me it’s important to understand why you’re here and then try and channel that and use it in the right way,” Sinfield said.

“Everybody’s different. For me it’s for family, it’s my family the most. But also there’s my good mate Rob, who’s probably partly why I’m here.

“He’s been watching the games at home and he’s becoming a bit of a fan, so he’ll be tuning into the quarter-final.”

When asked if Burrow is now a union convert, Sinfield said: “Yeah he is, yeah.

“I haven’t spoken to him that much – he’s been to that many different award dinners the last couple of weeks, it’s hard trying to keep track!

“He was on holiday the weekend before, so we just chat about general stuff, but he’s been following the games. He’s been really enjoying it. He would have made a great scrum-half, by the way.”

Matthieu Jalibert admitted the return of talismanic captain Antoine Dupont has given France a huge boost ahead of Sunday’s mouth-watering World Cup quarter-final against defending champions South Africa in Paris.

The 26-year-old scrum-half will lead Les Bleus into their last-eight tie just over three weeks after suffering a broken cheekbone against Namibia that placed his remaining involvement in the tournament in jeopardy.

Stand-off Jalibert is relishing the prospect of having his half-back partner back alongside him as he believes Dupont’s presence will give the Boks something extra to worry about.

“The whole team is very happy to have him back,” said Jalibert. “We’re happy to have him with us, knowing that he’ll be able to start this quarter-final. It’s always a pleasure to play with him. It’s easy to adapt to his game and to play alongside him.

“It gives us a lot of confidence. We know he’s capable of making a big difference, and that he inspires fear in opponents.

“It gives us more space around him. It’s always an asset to have him with us. Even if he’s wearing a scrum-cap, he’s at 100 per cent of his ability.”

In addition to having their on-field leader back, the French are drawing inspiration from the backing of a partisan home support.

The South Africans revealed this week that they have been training with noise coming through the speakers to simulate the effects of the French crowd in order to reduce the chances of being intimidated when they run out at a packed Stade de France.

Les Bleus have not lost on home soil since being defeated by Scotland behind closed doors in the Six Nations two and a half years ago and full-back Thomas Ramos is “not surprised” their opponents are taking measures to counter the impact of what is sure to be an intoxicating atmosphere.

“The South Africans remember Marseille last year,” he said, referencing Les Bleus’ 30-26 victory in November. “The atmosphere was incredible. There was a lot of noise.

“It was almost impossible to hear each other on the pitch. That’s what they remember, and they must have seen the games against New Zealand (on the opening night of the World Cup) and in the Six Nations.

“The atmosphere is expected to be strong from the French public. It’s no surprise that South Africa train with a lot of noise.”

After the tournament began amid a late-summer heat wave last month, temperatures are notably cooler in the French capital this weekend.

“It doesn’t necessarily change anything,” Ramos said of the more autumnal conditions. “It might be a bit better.

“When you want to make passes and the ball is slippery, it’s not always easy to set up your game. We saw that in the previous match (against Italy in Lyon last week).

“The conditions will be different, but it will help us feel better throughout the match.”

With the two sides barely separable in the top three of the world rankings, French team manager Raphael Ibanez is hoping home advantage gives Les Bleus a slight edge as they bid to eliminate the three-time winners.

“It’s a big game,” said Ibanez. “Playing South Africa, who won the competition four years ago, at the Stade de France in the final stages in front of our home crowd, we couldn’t dream of anything better.

“I think that we have an advantage, playing at Stade de France, in front of a public that will be there to support and encourage us.”

England and Fiji clash for the eighth time when they meet in the World Cup quarter-finals in Marseille on Sunday with Steve Borthwick’s men strong favourites to reach the last-four stage of the tournament.

Here, the PA news agency examines five talking points heading into the Stade Velodrome showdown.

Moment of truth

Who are the real England? Outside title contenders who have rebuilt during an impressive group stage? Or fading heavyweights ready to be exposed by the first high-quality opposition they face? These questions have pursued them throughout the World Cup and only against a dangerous Fiji side will the answer come. It is England’s defining moment – win and they advance into the semi-finals with their reputations intact, lose and a four-year cycle of disappointment and upheaval meets a gloomy conclusion.

Last dance

Aside from the prize of a semi-final against France or South Africa, England are motivated by the understanding that for up to a third of the squad this World Cup is their last chance to lift the Webb Ellis Trophy. Jonny May and Courtney Lawes have stated as much, while other long-standing servants to the English game such as Danny Care, Ben Youngs, Dan Cole and Manu Tuilagi are approaching the end of their international odysseys. Borthwick will begin rebuilding at the next Six Nations, but the head coach will be hoping his veterans have one big knockout phase left in them.

Pantomime villains

If England reach the semi-finals they will have done so at the expense of the darlings of the World Cup, ending the fairy tale scenario of a Pacific Islands team appearing in the penultimate stage for the first time. Number eight Billy Vunipola has acknowledged his side are “public enemy number one” but points out that historical anti-English sentiment means they are well versed in fighting against popular opinion. On the favourites’ side is that the vast numbers of Red Rose fans who have followed their team in France will be out in force again, turning the Stade Velodrome into a home venue.

War on the floor

England’s headline selections have been Marcus Smith ousting Freddie Steward at full-back and Owen Farrell replacing George Ford at fly-half, but the back row is expected to be the key battleground. Fiji are breakdown masters led by Levani Botia, who is exceptional over the ball, and Borthwick has noted their ability to win penalties in this area of the game. While England’s response will be a team effort, Lawes, Tom Curry and Ben Earl have crucial roles to play on the floor knowing the Islanders must not be allowed to gain a foothold there.

Can lightening strike twice?

Fiji are a significant step up in opposition for England, who were drawn in the kindest of the four World Cup groups. Fresh in the minds is their 30-22 victory at Twickenham in August, their first ever win against the Red Rose and a highly impressive performance. They grew progressively worse during the group phase, culminating in a shock defeat by Portugal, but one of the greatest and best prepared teams in Fiji’s history has the capacity to deliver a special moment for a rugby-mad nation of 925,000 people.

Sam Matavesi has been named on the bench for Fiji’s World Cup quarter-final against England, despite his father Sireli dying earlier in the week.

Matavesi left the Islanders’ camp in Marseille to attend the funeral in Cornwall, where Sireli had settled after a tour by the Fiji Barbarians in the 1980s, but returned on Thursday.

The Northampton hooker is set to appear in the second half of Sunday’s Stade Veldrome clash, with head coach Simon Raiwalui confident he is ready for the occasion.

“We had a setback during the week with Samuel Matavesi’s father passing away. He came back in this morning. He was adamant that he wanted to be here,” Raiwalui said.

“He’s a fantastic young man, very good on his details, so there are no worries there. It’s just a matter of him grieving, but I have no doubt that he will be ready to play.”

Fiji will have the support of neutrals willing a team from the Pacific Islands to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time and Raiwalui insists they are not yet ready to leave the World Cup.

“It’s massive for our country. We came to this tournament to succeed, we got through the first part and we want to continue,” he said.

“We are a nation of 900,000 people that lives and breathes rugby, and I don’t know how many Fijians worldwide.

“We had massive support from the French, from the people who come to the ground. We really want to enjoy the occasion and show our best rugby.”

“First and foremost I’m proud to be a Fijian but I’m also proud of the so-called developing nations, pushing for the global game, how we can improve it and get more opportunities, how we break that barrier down.

“This World Cup has been a fantastic example of other teams coming in and playing fantastic rugby and putting on a spectacle for the world. We are proud of where we come from and we want to embrace that.”

Marcus Smith has been backed to deliver on the biggest night of his career after England gambled by picking the Harlequins magician at full-back for Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against Fiji.

Smith will make only his second professional start in the number 15 jersey and, while he has also banked a number of influential cameos as a replacement, he remains a converted fly-half who is unproven in the position at the highest level.

England believe he will continue to thrive in his new role, providing a cutting edge in attack and a second ball-playing option, and have sacrificed the ultra dependable Freddie Steward to accommodate him.

Another seismic selection sees Owen Farrell replace George Ford at fly-half even though the Sale ringmaster has excelled at the World Cup, delivering man-of-the-match displays against Argentina and Japan.

All eyes will be on Smith, however, in the hope that he can reproduce the fireworks seen in the group match against Chile when he ran in two tries.

Harlequins team-mate Joe Marler has known the 24-year-old since he arrived at Twickenham Stoop as a teenager and quickly realised he was a special talent.

“Marcus is a big-match player. I’m really happy for him to get his opportunity to start again in a World Cup. He’ll thrive,” Marler said.

“He’s shown it off the bench in the moments we’ve needed him and I hope he can do that from the start.

“At the club he was confident early on, even to the point where I turn around and say ‘I’m going to have to say something to this guy, he’s gobbing off at me’. I’ve been at the club 10 years and he’s gobbing off at me.

“I was like ‘he’s a jumped up, entitled, little, private school kid’. And then when you realise how good he is at rugby and why he’s doing what he’s doing, I was like ‘I’m going to listen to him because he’s going to get us into positions where we can win more rugby games because he knows what he’s talking about’.

“He’s done it consistently at club level and now it’s about now doing it consistently at international level. What better place to do that than starting in the quarter-final?”

Farrell will dovetail with Smith in attack with the pair each operating at first and second receiver at different times. England’s captain has noted his team-mate’s appetite to take on the opposition.

“I’m impressed with how much Marcus wants to get after it – how much he wants the ball, how much he wants to make a difference,” Farrell said.

“From what I’ve seen so far the bigger the occasion, the more he wants to do that. It’s not like Marcus hasn’t played in big games – he’s won the Premierships.

“He wants to have a big impact on the game and so far he’s been doing that. I see it being no different this weekend.”

England field eight survivors from the starting XV that took on South Africa in the World Cup final four years ago and it could be a final appearance for several members of Borthwick’s squad – providing additional motivation against Fiji.

“There are definitely a number of us that won’t play for England again after this tournament,” Marler said.

“We have been together a number of years, we have built friendships and bonds. We want to give this our all and finish on a high.

“You never know when your last game is. You’ve got to make the most of what you can.”

Steve Borthwick has urged his England players take advantage of a precious moment in their careers by claiming a place in the World Cup semi-finals.

A dangerous Fiji side block England’s path to a last-four appointment with France or South Africa at Stade Velodrome on Sunday and for many of Borthwick’s squad it is last dance territory.

Courtney Lawes and Jonny May have publicly stated this will be their final World Cup, while other senior players such as Danny Care, Dan Cole and Manu Tuilagi are approaching the end of their Test careers.

It provides additional motivation to avenge August’s shock defeat by Fiji and former England captain Borthwick knows from personal experience of how rare these moments are.

“You’ve got to take the opportunities that are presented to you. Rise to the occasion of this game because you never know what’s around the corner,” head coach Borthwick said.

“As a rugby player I thought I had an opportunity in 2003 and didn’t get picked. I went in 2007 and thought I’d be there in 2011, but I wasn’t so I played in one tournament.

“I want the players to embrace this challenge and have the time of their lives representing England. I want them to have a fantastic memory of this World Cup.

“There’s a lot of players here who have experienced knockout rugby before. There’s a lot of players who have lifted a lot of trophies at different times in their careers.

“It is quite clear that this is knockout rugby. I think that these players will embrace this challenge and I think they will really rise to the occasion.

“That’s my expectation and I think that’s what they have done throughout this tournament. I am expecting them to rise again on Sunday against Fiji.”

Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan plans to ignore the hype and treat Saturday’s blockbuster World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand like any other Test match.

Andy Farrell’s men will make history as the first Irish team to progress to the last four of the tournament by downing the three-time champions in Paris.

Ireland’s previous World Cup failures are well documented but Sheehan is among the younger generation of players unburdened by the baggage.

The self-confident 25-year-old feels there is a stronger mentality among the class of 2023 and will not become distracted by the media fanfare surrounding a titanic Stade de France showdown.

“Our mindset is different,” said Sheehan. “I obviously have no experience of earlier squads but the more experienced lads have shared their thoughts on it.

“I think you just treat it like another game.

“It’s knockout rugby, you can build these games up as much as you want but it can end up affecting you if you give it too much attention.

“We need to stick to our preparation, we’ve been doing that for the last three years pretty consistently at a good level.

“In my head and in most of the squad’s heads, it’s going to be pretty much same old Test rugby, you’re in an Irish jersey and you go out and perform.”

Ireland are seeking a record-equalling 18th successive win and have made little secret of their ambition to become world champions.

Farrell’s side have topped the global rankings for more than a year and go into the New Zealand game as favourites.

Sheehan, who only made his international debut in November 2021, has already beaten the All Blacks twice after helping secure last year’s milestone tour triumph and believes Ireland can go all the way in France.

“Growing up, you want to be in these big games,” he said.

“Ireland hasn’t been past these kind of stages so it’s obviously a big motivation to get one up.

“We said at the start of the competition that we want to go the whole way, we think we have the squad to do it.

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“We can’t look past tomorrow but the pride of being in this squad, it extends further than me, it goes to family and friends.

“It’s great to bring a bit of enjoyment and pride to the Irish people. Something I always think about is how many people it touches back home.

“It’s great but you can’t really get lost in it. I have a job to do, we have to go out and perform. We can think about that after.”