New Zealand and Australia will contest the Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham on Saturday. As the tournament drew to a close we asked you for your own experiences from the stands. From Japan’s moment of glory in Brighton to Fiji and Uruguay’s gritty evening in Milton Keynes, here are some of your best memories.
Little did I know that I would witness the biggest upset in rugby union history. South Africa v Japan, 19 September
Rebecca Joyce applied for £2,500 worth of tickets but had to settle for four tickets to the South Africa v Japan match at the Amex Stadium. “I thought I’d been given a bit of a rubbish deal, and was really expecting to see a one way match. Little did I know that I would witness the biggest upset in rugby union history. The atmosphere in the stadium was unlike anything I’ve seen. Despite there being considerably more South Africa fans than Japanese, the neutral fan base backed the underdogs completely, and made it very special.”
Final prediction: “It is hard to look past New Zealand for the winner.”
Biggest disappointment: “I expected Samoa to make our group more competitive.”
Backing the underdog was a bit of a theme of the day.
Australia v Fiji, 23 September
James Binns and his brother Eliot were brought up in rugby house, and this had a lot to do with their father’s influence. “My old man got us watching rugby from an early age. He played in the Army before he broke his back in a motorbike accident in his early twenties.” Both brothers, James’s girlfriend Rachel and Dad Steve were at the Millennium Stadium for Australia’s early victory over Fiji in the group stages. “I chose to go to this game because it was in the same group as England, so there was a bit more in it than watching two completely neutral sides. Both the atmosphere is the fanzone and in the ground was fantastic. Backing the underdog was a bit of a theme of the day. We love to see a bit of success come from adversity, and although there were small pockets of Australian gold around the stadium, I’d definitely say Fiji were the better supported team.”
Final prediction: “I’d like to see the All Black greats bow out on top.”
Biggest disappointment: “I don’t know whether it was nerves or what but England looked a shadow of the team that ignited imaginations in the last Six Nations.”
I have never seen so many non-Japanese supporting Japan for anything.
Scotland v Japan, 23 September
Olly Denton works as a news producer for Japanese TV and was asked to cover Japan’s games after their sensational victory over South Africa. “I usually work in news, not sports, but after the South Africa game interest back in Japan had built to such an extent as to get the news side of things involved. I saw quite a few Scotland fans dressed in their ‘traditional’ Scottish attire, but with a Hachimaki on too. When I asked them why, they said that they had been so impressed by the Japanese against South Africa, that they wanted to show their respects. It made for an interesting visual combination!” Having covered the Japan games at both Stadium mk and Kingsholm, Olly preferred the atmosphere in Gloucester. “The locals knew their rugby, and most of them had come out for the Japanese team. In fact, having covered a few large sporting events in this job, I have never seen so many non-Japanese supporting Japan for anything.”
The sheer level of attendance was phenomenal.
Ireland v Romania, 27 September
Sean McGinley joined his childhood neighbour Ciaran for the Ireland - Romania match at Wembley Stadium. “This was the only game I attended, but my well attired neighbour went to all of Ireland’s games, including the painful quarter-final defeat to Argentina.” While the atmosphere at Wembley was incredible, Sean would have made a few changes to how the tournament has been staged. “From speaking to my friend who has attended many matches, he has experienced difficulty returning from Cardiff to London and this has been an issue in terms of transport. I would change would be to bring the cost of the tickets down and have more events in central London, such as pop up fan parks where you can watch matches, similar to that in Germany during the football world cup. But the craic was great, good natured and it was a pleasure to attend.”
Final prediction: “Hard to look past Australia. I don’t think New Zealand will win this tournament, they’ve never won it in the northern hemisphere. Australia have.”
Biggest disappointment: “I seriously thought Ireland could win. If we had stayed injury free we would have had a chance.”
We thought it would be a good laugh to dress up for the game.
France v Canada, 1 October
Ryan Morris and his friends attended the France - Canada game at the Stadium mk, but he would definitely have liked to have gone to more of them. “As I live in Stoke-on-Trent it was difficult to get to the venues as they were all a fair distance away. A West Midlands venue would have been nice.” While the four friends are rugby fans, it’s another sport which takes up more of their time. “All four of us are football referees from Staffordshire and met each other through the refereeing community. The respect officials get in rugby would be hugely appreciated on football fields across the country!” They certainly made the most of their World Cup experience, as their chosen attire proves. “We thought it would be a good laugh to dress up as French people for the game. We only realised how convincing our attempt had been when we got interviewed by French TV after the match. The reporter was shocked to learn we were actually English.”
Final prediction: “I have been impressed with the All Blacks’ displays and back them to win it.”
Biggest disappointment: “England’s exit! It’s a shame we couldn’t have advanced further on home soil.”
I waved the Somali flag each time Italy needed support. Ireland v Italy, 4 October
Italian rugby fan Giorgio Figus has been working and living in Mogadishu for the last two years for UNICEF Somalia as a logistics specialist. He decided to spend his leave travelling to watch the Ireland - Italy game at the Olympic Stadium with an Irish friend. “I was very excited to come to London for this game and was hoping that Italy would play better than the previous game, which thankfully they did!” Although the Italian fans were outnumbered, Giorgi was very impressed with the friendly atmosphere in the stands. “There was a wave of green covering the whole stadium, but never the less it was great to be able to be there, to sing my national anthem at full volume in the stands and just wave the Somali flag each time Italy did something great or needed support.”
Final prediction: “I don’t have a favourite for the final, I just want a great game.”
Biggest disappointment: “England was the great disappointment. Sad that they didn’t make it through.”
Both times we were there it was stadium record which was ace. Japan v Samoa 3 October, Fiji v Uruguay, 6 October
Keira Roth attended both the Fiji – Uruguay and Japan – Samoa games at Stadium mk and was impressed with the facilities. “It’s a really well designed stadium. You can still see the game while queuing for drinks and there was no problem getting out after the games.” Having lived in the rugby town of Bath both Keira and husband Edd follow the sport avidly, and she enjoyed both the World Cup games for different reasons. “Fiji v Uruguay was excellent as it was much more raw and gritty than the Japan v Samoa one, which was more of a slick, set-piece affair.”
Final prediction: “It would be good if it was Australia.”
Biggest disappointment: “Both as a rugby league and Bath supporter, it would have been great to see Sam Burgess really shine.”
You can view all the contributions or add your own on GuardianWitness
