LONDON — Ireland came through its first meaningful Rugby World Cup test by edging Italy 16-9 to reach the quarterfinals Sunday and set up a final-game shootout with France to decide who finishes top of Pool D. A first-half try from Keith Earls and 11 points from flyhalf Johnny Sexton carried Ireland home, but an Italian team lifted by Sergio Parisse's return forced the Six Nations champions to work hard for victory at the Olympic stadium. Ireland, ahead on points difference, and France has 14 points from three games and their clash in Cardiff next Sunday has more at stake than group honors. The winners are likely to face Argentina in the quarterfinals while the losers would have to take on world champions New Zealand. France has not beaten Ireland since 2011. Ireland captain Paul O'Connell said he was a little disappointed with an "inadequate" Irish performance, adding: "It's going to be a massive game (against France) and we're going to have to improve massively." After convincing wins against tier-two nations Canada and Romania, a near full-strength Ireland was given the tough workout it needed. Argentina closer to QF Argentina moved closer to a place in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after a comprehensive 45-16 win against Tonga in Pool C. Argentina scored five tries to get a bonus point that all but seals a place in the last eight, unless the Pumas lose to last-place Namibia and Tonga gets an unlikely win — with a bonus point — against tournament favorite New Zealand in their last games. The crowd of 29,124 at Leicester's City Stadium included Diego Maradona, and he was the No. 1 cheerleader. The player who made Argentina's No. 10 football shirt so famous high-fived anyone around him and jumped up at every try, thrusting his blue-and-white scarf in the air. Nicolas Sanchez, wearing 10 on the field, was among the try-scorers and leads the tournament point-scoring list with 51. The other tries came from fullback Joaquin Tuculet, left winger Juan Imhoff, right winger Santiago Cordero, and replacement hooker Julian Montoya. Flyhalf Kurt Morath and front-rower Soane Tonga'uiha got the tries for Tonga, which led 5-0 early. — Agencies
