Nov 25, 2010 Christian Davies
This time next year, at the Rugby World Cup 2011 tournament in New Zealand, the Web Ellis Cup will have been awarded to the best rugby team on the planet. With the spring tour/autumn international series coming to an end in Europe, it is time to consider where the teams stand.
The World Cup pool stage
The pool stage of the world cup is often seen as a formality for many teams but this is not always so. Some leading rugby nations have slipped up at the group stage; notably Wales and Ireland who both failed to qualify for the knock out stages of the 2007 tournament.
No team will be taking the pool stage lightly this season. Although the top two teams from each pool qualify for the knock out stage of the tournament no team that has lost a pool game has gone on to win the title of world champions. There is every incentive for teams to perform well from the start.
The Rugby World Cup pools
Pool A
- New Zealand
- France
- Tonga
- Canada
- Japan
There can be little doubt that New Zealand are the favourites to win this pool with France as strong favourites for the runner up slot. However Tonga are a strong rugby nation and will be a stiff challenge for any team.
The game that will attract much of the attention in this pool will be the one between New Zealand and France. France has scuppered New Zealand World Cup hopes in previous tournaments and will be looking to do the same again in Rugby World cup 2011.
Pool B
- Argentina
- England
- Scotland
- Georgia
- Romania or Uruguay
This will be a very tough pool with no clear favourite. England possible edge Scotland and Argentina to claim the favourites tag but with Scotland recently beating current world champions, South Africa, they will not be far behind. And neither will Argentina, A nation with a long and proud rugby history, not to mention the quarter finalists of the 2007 tournament. Argentina lost a recent test series 2-0 to Scotland but this will surely inspire Argentina to up their game against the Scots. This match has the potential to be a brutal, bruising affair.
Pool C
- Australia
- Ireland
- Italy
- Russia
- USA
Australia are playing some of the best running rugby at the moment. Their backs look dangerous and capable of scoring every time they get the ball. The Aussies recently beat world cup hosts and favourites, New Zealand, in a Bledisloe cup meeting and this will be hugely encouraging to the Wallabies. The Australian team is not without its deficiencies. England and Wales Rugby teams have recently shown that the Australian packed scrum is a very soft target for any strong scrummaging team. Never the less, Australia will be going to the 2011 Rugby World Cup to win.
Ireland have a good chance of taking the runner up spot in this pool although they will have to play at their best to beat Italy, regular opponents in the 6Nations Championship.
Pool D
- South Africa
- Wales
- Fiji
- Samoa
- Namibia
Another strong pool. South Africa, World Cup holders, will be favourites to win this pool. Their simple game is strong enough to beat any of the teams in their pool. Wales and Fiji are roughly equal favourites for the runner up slot in this pool with Samoa capable of upsetting either team. The Wales Fiji game will be one to watch. When the two teams met at the last world cup Fiji pulled of an unexpected win. This game, one of the most thrilling games of union ever, has become the most watched rugby game on internet video sites.
No World Cup winners have lost a pool game. - Gabodzila
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