From the day his side surprised Tonga on the opening weekend of the tournament to Wednesday night and their final pool match, the coach, Milton Haig, has been telling anyone prepared to listen that third place in Pool C and automatic qualification for 2019 has been four years in the planning, with the first and last games the focus.
"Taking the team nomadically around the country has got certain benefits, especially for friendly matches but for qualification matches, having a base in Cardiff is totally making sense," said Ford.
But as long as the job qualifications for governance have loosened up, let me make a modest proposal.
Pardew tried to sign de Jong two years ago as the Magpies competed for Champions League qualification, eventually having to settle for a birth in the Europa League, but is understood to be confident of finally getting his man on a loan deal.
"The qualifications for entry have gone up".
Everton have momentum in the race for Champions League qualification, having won nine consecutive home games in all competitions in 2014, but the two Merseyside clubs have never finished in the top four together in the Premier League era.
The Sharks are out of contention for European qualification, having lost 35-3 in Clermont in October, but may yet have a significant say in who does qualify from Pool One.
They had their home record to thank for this qualification, having won every match at their Stade General Seyni Kountché stadium, including a famous defeat of African champions Egypt.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, renewed by Congress in 2006, prohibits states from imposing any qualification for voting "that has the purpose of or will have the effect of diminishing the ability of any citizens of the United States on account of race or color".
Having missed qualification for the 2012 Olympics – despite having a (wind-assisted) personal best, of 10.13 seconds, that would have taken him to the semi-finals in London – Isles decided on a change of tack.
