Pool Permutations: What Ireland need to do to qualify with one match left

It's coming down to the wire ahead of the final round of pool games at the Rugby World Cup.

Life is simple for Ireland, win or draw and go through. After that, though, things get more complicated.

As it stands, Ireland, Scotland and South Africa can all qualify, while each of the teams could also crash out.

POOL B

FIXTURES

7 October: Ireland v Scotland (8pm)

8 October: Tonga v Romania (4.45pm)

The Springboks' win over Tonga on Sunday night has put them in pole position ahead of Ireland's clash with Scotland in Paris next weekend.

It would take the most unlikely of results in that game to send the champions packing.

They currently have 15 points, one ahead of Ireland and five ahead of the Scots.

The task for Andy Farrell’s men, on a 16-match winning run, is simple. Just do what they have been doing for the last 15 months: win and go through.

A straight-up win would do the job but Ireland just need two match points to top the group, which could come via a draw or even from losing by seven of less and scoring four tries in the process.

Either of those, while enough to secure passage to the play-offs, would be a bit of a momentum-killer.

Where it gets more complicated is if Ireland lose and neither team gets a bonus point.

That would leave Ireland and Scotland on 14 points with head-to-head the first criteria in that instance. That outcome would see the Scots and South Africa progress.

Ireland have beaten Scotland in their last eight meetings and the only real worry the Springboks have is if Gregor Townsend’s side upset the odds and beat Ireland by 21 points or more, score four tries in the process and if Ireland get their own bonus point from tries scored.

That would see a three-way tie and come down to points difference to separate