And then there were four - Australia, England, France and New Zealand.
 |  France might not like being favourites and have a shocker - they're beatable |
The World Cup is where you have to perform and this is where it counts, the business end of the tournament. On the basis of what has happened in the past couple of weeks it's difficult to look beyond a "Black and Blue" final.
However, history tells us anything can happen at the semi-final stage of a World Cup.
Four years ago I was booking my ticket to the final with New Zealand seemingly home and hosed at half-time against France - Cardiff here I come!
Within 40 minutes the dream was over and the All Blacks had been blown off the park. When I look at New Zealand I have to remember to view them with my rugby head and not my heart, but both are saying the same thing - Australia will be put to the sword.
The Wallabies have been stumbling along, just about getting through and Eddie Jones and his boys are under pressure.
He has taken a huge call in selecting the rugby league boys at the back and you have to question why Wendell Sailor is playing instead of Joe Roff.
In the last couple of games he has done nothing and I wonder whether there's some small print in his contract. In my Harlequins days there were certain guys who had words in their contracts to the effect that they had to play. My theory is that it's the same for Sailor which is rough on Roff.
I was concerned for the All Blacks ahead of their match against South Africa, particularly up front. But everything functioned extremely well and they look to have found the right mix, especially with Carlos Spencer flowing again.
He has looked relaxed ever since the kicking was taken away from him. God help us if he has to start putting it on the tee again!
I felt sorry for the Springboks, who I think could have beaten any of the three other semi-finalists, especially England.
Clive Woodward's team did not respect the Welsh and nearly came unstuck.
| France, New Zealand and Australia would have shut the door on England |
If Wales had a few more older heads in their team, it could have been very different and, for large parts, England didn't know what to do. But as it is the white machine rumbled into life for 20 minutes in the second-half and squeezed the life out of the match and Wales.
In the semi-finals 20 minutes will not count for much. Teams have to be spot on for the full 80 and in that respect you have to fancy France.
On the surface they have been fantastic. But dig deeper, think about it and you're left to reason that France have done nothing outstanding yet.
No one has challenged them. Scotland rolled over and a very disappointing Ireland managed little more. France will be wary of peaking too soon and if they want reminding of the way things can turn, skipper Fabien Galthie only has to mention Twickenham four years ago.
Black and Blue? It could just as easily be All-White on the night for Woodward's men in Sydney.
MMIX
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