The Latest at the Rugby World Cup (all times local):
8:50 p.m.
After surviving what he called the "group of hell," Wales coach Warren Gatland was scathing of a Rugby World Cup draw that was based on rankings three years ago and resulted in his team ending up in Pool A with two-time champion Australia, 2003 winner England, and Fiji, a team that easily could have contended for the quarterfinals.
England's back-to-back losses to Wales and Australia meant a host team became the first to miss out on the quarterfinals. Gatland, a New Zealander, was stuck between a rock and a hard place while watching the game at Twickenham on Saturday — needing Australia to beat England to ensure the pool would be decided before his Wales team meets the Wallabies next week, which came with the unpalatable concept of being a Kiwi supporting his archrival Aussies in a sporting contest.
"Everyone is making a thing about the first home country to hold a World Cup to miss out on the quarterfinals, but the stupid thing, as we all know, is why was the World Cup draw done three years ago?" Gatland told British media on Sunday. "This is just ridiculous. There are other people outside this who need to have a look at themselves and why those decisions were made, and you have got to feel sorry for the people involved, and who this has affected."
Ironically, it was all Wales' fault that all three were lumped in the same pool.
The draw in December 2012 was based on rankings. At the time, Wales was on a seven-match losing streak, and dropped in the rankings from fifth to ninth - outside the top eight seeds. That left it at the mercy of the draw. And the draw was not kind.
"We knew how tough this group was going to be right from the start, and not just with England, Australia and ourselves, because Fiji are a tough proposition as well," Gatland said. "If Fiji had been in a couple of other groups, they would have qualified for the quarterfinals as well.
"It has been not just the group of death, but the group of hell, basically, for all of us."
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8 p.m.
Now that England has no chance of progressing at the Rugby World Cup, fans in the host nation may be looking for a new team to support in the last four weeks of the tournament.
Asked what he'd say to anyone with an "Irish granny somewhere" who may want to throw their support behind another team, Ireland captain Paul O'Connell was quick to respond: "We're available for selection for supporters."
Of course, O'Connell added, Ireland didn't quite match the level of intensity of the existing Irish fans during a 16-9 win over Italy on Sunday that secured the Six Nations champions a spot in the quarterfinals from Pool D.
England lost 33-13 to Australia in Pool A on Saturday night, a week after a narrow loss to Wales, and became the first country to miss out on the quarterfinals of a Rugby World Cup it is hosting.
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7:45 p.m.
He may be coach of Japan, but Eddie Jones can't hide his soft spot for Australia — particularly when it comes to the old Anglo-Australian rivalry.
Under the guidance of Jones, Japan caused the biggest upset in Rugby World Cup history with an opening win over two-time champion South Africa, and followed it up Saturday with a lopsided win over Samoa. Now the Brave Blossoms — who had only ever recorded one victory at the rugby's biggest tournament — are still in quarterfinal contention, unlike England.
After Japan's game in Pool B, Jones settled back to watch Australia take on England in Pool A. He was coach of Australia when his unheralded Wallabies lost to England in extra time in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney.
"It was a good day to be Australian yesterday," Jones told a news conference Sunday. "Lucky enough to be coach of Japan and with a nice glass of red wine, watched Australia beat England."
Japan will play the United States in its last pool game and despite the success at this tournament, Jones is wary of the Americans.
"You look at the history at the World Cup between USA and Japan, USA have won every game," Jones said. "In 2003 ...I remember my father went up there to watch it and Japan were favourites to win that game, and they got beaten easily."
Jones will be stepping down as Japan coach after the World Cup. A report in the British tabloid Sun on Sunday newspaper called for England to hire Jones to replace Stuart Lancaster.
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6:40 p.m.
Ireland qualified for the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals by squeezing past Italy 16-9 at the Olympic Stadium.
The victory also lifted France into the last eight, and confirmed their match in Cardiff next Sunday as the Pool D decider.
The loser of the Ireland vs. France match will likely face New Zealand in the quarterfinals.
A near full-strength Irish team, having racked up 94 points in its first two matches, was expected to put away an Italy lineup which had fired only in spurts in a loss to France and narrow win over Canada.
But the first appearance of fit-again captain Sergio Parisse inspired Italy, and it threatened a boilover by holding possession for long periods, and at 10-6 down in the second half, missed a try by a matter of inches.
After easily its best display, Italy was still condemned to yet another exit in the pool stage.
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5:35 p.m.
Ireland leads Italy 10-6 at halftime at the Olympic Stadium and its having to do it tough.
The only try went to centre Keith Earls, who became Ireland's highest try-scorer in Rugby World Cups. His eighth Cup try came against the run of play from an Irish lineout steal, and with the conversion made it 10-3 after 25 minutes.
Tommaso Allan kicked his second penalty to close the gap to four, then both captains overlooked kickable penalties in the other's 22 to go for attacking lineouts.
But Italy's opportunity was blown by an overthrow, and Ireland's chance ended when scrumhalf Conor Murray knocked on behind a ruck.
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4:45 p.m.
Green jerseys outnumber blue seemingly by 1,000 to 1 at an Olympic Stadium packed for the Ireland-Italy pool match in the Rugby World Cup.
Ireland can qualify for the quarterfinals with a win that would lift them and France into the last eight.
Italy need a win to stay in contention for the last week of the pool stage.
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4:20 p.m.
Argentina moved closer to a place in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after a comprehensive 45-16 win against Tonga in Pool C.
Argentina scored five tries to get a bonus point that all but seals a place in the last eight, unless the Pumas lose to last-place Namibia and Tonga gets an unlikely win - with a bonus point - against tournament favourite New Zealand in their last games.
The crowd of 29,124 at Leicester's City Stadium included Diego Maradona, and he was the No. 1 cheerleader.
The player who made Argentina's No. 10 football shirt so famous high-fived anyone around him and jumped up at every try, thrusting his blue-and-white scarf in the air.
Nicolas Sanchez, wearing 10 on the field, was among the try-scorers and leads the tournament point-scoring list with 51.
The other tries came from fullback Joaquin Tuculet, left winger Juan Imhoff, right winger Santiago Cordero, and replacement hooker Julian Montoya.
Flyhalf Kurt Morath and front-rower Soane Tonga'uiha got the tries for Tonga, which led 5-0 early.
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3:20 p.m.
Diego Maradona has been leading the celebrations with Argentina leading Tonga 20-13 at halftime in their Rugby World Cup Pool C match at Leicester.
Maradona, who inspired his nation to victory at the football World Cup in 1986, was up and out of his seat, waving his scarf around after Argentina overcame a sluggish start to score tries through fullback Joaquin Tuculet and left winger Juan Imhoff.
Flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez converted both tries and added two penalties, while opposite number Kurt Morath capped a fine start with a well-taken try to make it 5-0 to Tonga.
After Morath cut Argentina's lead with a penalty, Tonga went into the interval with renewed hope after right winger Telusa Veainu did brilliantly to weave through two tackles feed frontrower Soane Tonga'uiha for a try.
Morath failed to convert both tries.
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2:55 p.m.
Fiji prop Manasa Saulo has been suspended for 10 weeks after admitting to stamping on the head of Wales lock Luke Charteris in their Rugby World Cup match.
In determining a sanction on Sunday, the offence was deemed to be at the top end in the range of severity, starting at nine weeks. But judicial officer Adam Casselden of Australia said it warranted 16 weeks. After taking into account Saulo's early admission, disciplinary record, good character and remorse, and an absence of any off-field aggravating factors, Casselden set the suspension at 10 weeks.
A week at the Rugby World Cup equals one match, so Saulo will not be available to play Fiji's last Pool A game against Uruguay on Tuesday, and unavailable for his Romanian club until Jan. 17.
Saulo is the third Fijian to be sanctioned in the tournament after backrower Dominiko Waqaniburoto and winger Nemani Nadolo were each suspended for one week for dangerous tackles against England and Australia respectively.
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2:45 p.m.
Getting parochial English supporters involved in selecting the player of the match at the World Cup can have its flaws, as Australian rugby followers noted after the host nation slumped out of contention.
Australia beat England 33-13 in a Pool A match at Twickenham on Saturday night, with flyhalf Bernard Foley scoring two tries and a perfect seven goals from seven attempts for a personal haul of 28 points. Australian backrower David Pocock was inspirational with his work at the breakdown and tackle area. Toward the end of the match, a stadium announcer revealed a short list for the player award that had been narrowed down to Foley, Pocock and England lock Joe Launchbury. Guess who got the gong, according to voting on social media?
As Fox Sports Australia reported: "In a decision that not even a crooked boxing judge would allow, rugby fans judged Launchbury to be the standout individual on one of England sport's darkest days."
"You had to feel sorry for Launchbury, who looked like he'd rather be packing down in another battered scrum than posing awkwardly for a presentation photo."
England cannot reach the knockout stage following consecutive losses to Wales and Australia, making it the first time in tournament history that the host team has failed to make the quarterfinals.
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2:30 p.m.
A special guest is causing quite a stir at Leicester City Stadium for Argentina's Rugby World Cup match against Tonga.
Diego Maradona, not a noted follower of the ball-in-hand sport of rugby, milked the applause from Argentina's fans as he took his seat.
Maradona, considered one of the best football players of all time along with Brazilian great Pele and countryman Lionel Messi, led Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986.
Four years later, he helped Argentina reach the final.
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2:10 p.m.
Tonga and Argentina are out on the field at Leicester City Stadium ahead of their Pool C match at the Rugby World Cup.
Under bright sunshine, the Tongans are practicing passing and running drills as they look to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. To do that, they must beat the Pumas, and deny them a bonus point.
Outside the stadium, there is a small park, and some Argentine fans clad in light blue-and-white jerseys had their own match.
Elsewhere at the Rugby World Cup, Ireland takes on Italy in their Pool D match at London's Olympic Stadium.
The Irish have won their first two matches and victory against the Italians will send them into the last eight, along with France.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.