Rugby World Cup flops and tops

WHO SHONE AND WHO STUNK AT THE 2015 THE RUGBY WORLD CUP WHICH ENDED ON SATURDAY (SUNDAY AEDT) WITH NEW ZEALAND BEATING AUSTRALIA AT TWICKENHAM:

Tops

* NEW ZEALAND

Didn't look their best in the pool stages but when it mattered the world champions went up a gear. They put 60 points on old foes France in the quarter-finals, held off South Africa in the semi-finals and inspired by Dan Carter, in his final international game, became the first nation to win three World Cups and also successfully defend their crown.

* JAPAN

New Zealand may have won the trophy but it was a jubilant World Cup for the 2019 hosts, who claimed the greatest upset in the tournament's history with a 34-32 win over two-time champions South Africa. Sadly they also became the first team to win three pool games and not make the quarter-finals and they have lost inspirational quip-a-minute coach Eddie Jones. But the future looks bright for the 2019 hosts.

* DAVID POCOCK

The 27-year-old Zimbabwean-born No 8 lit up the tournament with play that made him a leading candidate to be player of the World Cup. Scored a brilliant try to get Australia back into the World Cup final. His efforts will help publicise his activism work for climate change, gay rights and wildlife preservation.

* ENGLAND AS HOSTS

England's hosting of the World Cup was hailed at the "best ever" by World Rugby president Bernard Lapasset. A world record 89,267 people saw Ireland v Romania at the home of football Wembley - a great atmosphere, no trouble and spreading the rugby word to places where it does not normally reach. Even after England dropped out, spectators kept piling in to the stadia so England did win something in the end - hearts and minds of the global fan.

* ARGENTINA

Argentina's second semi-final appearance could be more significant than the first one in 2007. This tournament their player base and tactics were considerably broader - the devastating backs play completely outfoxed and rattled Six Nations champions Ireland in the quarter-finals. The entry of a Buenos Aires team into the Super Rugby championship next year should be an even greater boost.

Flops

* ENGLAND

Catastrophic performances, bad leadership all started with bad selection such as choosing rugby league convert Sam Burgess. England lost against Wales and Australia in Pool A and became the first World Cup hosts to fail to reach the knockout rounds. They were not missed.

* NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

All four semi-finalists -- Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and South Africa -- came from the Southern Hemisphere. It was a first at the World Cup.

* PHILIPPE SAINT-ANDRE

A flamboyant and dynamic player withered into a cautious unimaginative coach whose only 'success' was to have the adjective flair removed from the vocabulary usually attributed to French rugby. New Zealand crushed France 62-13 in an embarrassing quarter-final. The 48-year-old ended his World Cup and his underwhelming four year reign by being jeered and booed by French spectators.

* WORLD RUGBY

The governing body faced strong criticism for publicly stating that Craig Joubert had been wrong to give Australia a last minute game-winning penalty in their quarter-final against Scotland. The South African referee was subjected to abuse -- some from former Scottish players -- but World Rugby's decision to release their review of the game caused widespread controversy. It was only time during the tournament they published such a review.