As some of you may be aware, I am a huge rugby enthusiast. When I was younger I played the game at a reasonable level. I’m English by birth and support the national team, although to be brutal about it, that has been hard on the eye in the last few years.
The Rugby World Cup, a competition that takes place every four years, is taking place in France as we speak. There are now just twenty countries left in four pools of five teams to contest the competition, but the unfairness of being fair has pitted some more evenly matched teams in the other groups than the group England has found itself. England has played three pool games and won three games. So far so good.
The competition began with France, a hugely well-supported side and a very good team at that, playing New Zealand, three times winners of the cup and whose national game and religion is the game of rugby. Only one winner was allowed, but two teams will qualify from this group for the knockout stages.
Last night saw the game of the competition so far. The world champions, South Africa against the number one-ranked team in the world Ireland. What a game!
Fantastic entertainment with Ireland finishing as the winner. I watched as a neutral and I wish I could watch that incredibly accurate and intense sort of game all through the tournament. (with England winning, of course)
Tonight there could be another magnificent game holding radical consequences for the losers-Wales against Australia. I hope it’s played as hard, but as fair as the Ireland/South Africa game was.
For England, there’s one more game with selection issues for the management to ponder, before the knockout stages of the quarter-finals where there’s no second chance. I hope the contest continues in the same spirit– a wonderful, tough game of sport.
About Daniel Kemp
At the age of seventy-six, Daniel Kemp has started his second year of studying the science of Psychology at the Open University. He is a member of The Society of Authors and also a bestselling writer. However, in early September 2025, he was diagnosed with cancer. He is now in palliative care at home, being looked after by his ex-wife. When he was writing his novels, he enjoyed writing stories that appealed to those who liked challenging themselves to solve mysteries that were set out before their eyes, but they couldn't.
His introduction to the world of espionage and mystery happened at an early age when his father was employed by the War Office in Whitehall, London, at the end of WWII. However, it wasn’t until after his father died that he showed any interest in anything other than himself!
On leaving academia he took on many roles in his working life: a London police officer, mini-cab business owner, pub tenant and licensed London taxi driver, but never did he plan to become a writer. Nevertheless, after a road traffic incident left him suffering from PTSD and effectively—out of paid work for four years, he wrote and self-published his first novel —The Desolate Garden.
Within three months of publication, that book was under a paid option to become a $30 million film. The option lasted for six years until distribution became an insurmountable problem for the production company.
All ten of his novels are now published by Next Chapter Publishing Company which has added an edition titled The Heirs And Descendants Collection, which holds all four books of that series, alongside an edition titled The Lies And Consequences Collection which contains all four volumes of that series.
He is the recipient of rave reviews from a prestigious Manhattan publication and described as—the new Graham Green—by a highly placed executive of Waterstones Books, for whom he did a countrywide tour of book signing events. He has also appeared on 'live' television in the UK publicising his first novel.
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Daniel Kemp 
Hi Danny, my husband is also rugby mad and gave me a step-by-step account of last night’s game.
I had company all day and watched both games. I was told to shut up more than once! 😛
Sounds like a great time.
It’s becoming a bit of a habit.
We are finally getting some rugby games on TV here. I enjoy it, as it is more exciting than other games that get more air time.
I started to play when I went to my second school aged 11, having passed what we call the eleven-plus examination. I found that I loved the game so much that I was playing in the first team. I was an unwanted trespasser. I went on to join the police and ended up playing for their first team. Great sport. I think there is about another two or three weeks of this World Cup to go. I hope you enjoy the view.
I had no idea you aged rugby, Danny.
Well done.
It was a good match and Ireland was in top shape. But have to admit that it’s been painful to watch SA loose.
After watching Romania lose to SA. But it warmed my heart to see that all Romanian rugby players knew the words to the national anthem. I sang with them.
They say it’s good to sing, but it has never been my forte anywhere away from the bath. Yes, I played the game at a reasonable level. I had problems with both knees that forced me to stop when I was about thirty-six, so I had a reasonably long career.
It was a great game between Ireland and South Africa but both could, I think will, qualify. I’m sure your heart wished Romania to win, but the Springboks are a formidable side for anyone to face just now. The more games against this kind of opposition the better your national team will become.