The bookmakers will be sleeping peacefully in their beds tonight. But to be perfectly honest, you didn’t have to be Nostradamus to forecast the semi-final line up for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Despite the predictability of the outcomes, the four quarter-finals held in Exeter and Bristol continued to excite and entertain the record crowds that continue to turn up in their thousands to enhance and lighten up this tournament.

However, if the outcomes were predictable, No one would have forecast that South Africa would be level with New Zealand at half-time (10-10) or that the Black Ferns would have to make 249 tackles before eventually running out 46–17 winners.

Comfortable wins for England, New Zealand (eventually) and Canada contrasted with the one match that encompassed the magical ingredient of jeopardy-Ireland v France.

With Dublin weather arriving in Exeter, Ireland totally dominated the first half with the wind and rain at their backs building up a 13-0 lead.

18 unanswered points from France in the second half gave them victory despite a nervous final few minutes with the women in green throwing the kitchen sink at a defence that made 273 tackles.

Three yellow cards for France meant they played 30 minutes down to fourteen players, and their involvement in an alleged biting incident will no doubt dominate proceedings in the coming days.

As ever it is to the victor the spoils and two compelling matches on Friday and Saturday will determine the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup finalists. I have a feeling neither the bookmakers nor the late great Nostradamus will be unduly troubled.