What are you most trying ahead to?
Robert Kitson Rugby union exhibiting its finest face to the world. For all its imperfections, it may well nonetheless be the planet’s most compelling staff ball recreation. If the three Fs – France, Fiji and Finn Russell – can rip it up this weekend, it might be the catalyst for one thing really particular.
Ugo Monye I really feel as if rugby is a world village and to have the entire world of rugby and all its spectators descend upon France, whichever metropolis you is perhaps in, seeing gamers, households and followers altogether, massively excited for one of the historic sporting tournaments – that will get me going.
Andy Bull Seeing how France stand as much as the stress of internet hosting the match, as a result of if they will deal with it they need to win this and within the sort of fashion that reminds everybody why they fell in love with the sport to start with.
Nick Evans The chaos of the group levels. All the swimming pools are stacked with tier-one nations and in every there are a number of groups who’re very shut on the earth rankings. I predict that not less than one main nation won’t make it into the quarter-finals, perhaps two.
Gerard Meagher The variety of pool stage matches the place it’s unimaginable to select a winner. The enchancment of tier-two nations and the much-maligned lopsided draw make for extra unpredictable matches earlier than the knockout levels than at any match hitherto. And some folks need to moan concerning the draw …
Luke McLaughlin A deep run by France at their very own match, with all of the power, pleasure and keenness that brings. A house triumph could not fairly hit the heights of the Zinedine Zidane-inspired 1998 soccer World Cup win however the captain, Antoine Dupont, already a famous person, would elevate himself to nationwide hero standing.
Michael Aylwin I don’t need to be too anodyne on this age of kneejerk hysteria, however really simply the rugby. Don’t consider anybody who tells you rugby was higher within the outdated days. Go and watch a number of outdated matches on YouTube for your self (the complete 80). Then watch as we speak’s model. Particularly trying ahead to the Pacific island groups
What would be the key pool recreation?
RK South Africa v Ireland. If it feels ridiculous that two of the world’s prime three sides are colliding so early, it ensures some correct drama. The winners shall be entitled to start out believing that something is feasible. England v Argentina and Wales v Fiji may even be pivotal.
UM I’m going to go for 2. France v New Zealand – a blockbuster on the opening weekend, as was the case 4 years in the past with the All Blacks towards South Africa. It might be a warm-up for a last. And South Africa v Ireland – the world champions towards the world No 1.
AB You’d need to assume South Africa are sure to take not less than one of many two qualifying spots in Pool B, which suggests Ireland v Scotland in Paris on 7 October is shaping as much as be the primary recreation of the knockout rounds.
NE It shall be in Pool B, together with two of the groups ranked within the prime 5 on the earth. We know for positive one in every of them shall be going residence however do all of them beat one another or do Tonga have a say in who reaches the final eight?
GM Scotland v South Africa. If Scotland are going to squeeze by means of their pool you think they must catch the Springboks chilly in Marseille on Sunday, quite than overcome Ireland in a match they know they can not afford to lose. Succeed and it blows a gap in a single half of the match.
LM South Africa look more and more prone to sweep all earlier than them in Pool B, which ought to arrange a pivotal Paris rendezvous between Andy Farrell’s staff and Gregor Townsend’s. A firing Finn Russell can propel Scotland to a spot within the final eight on the expense of the No 1-ranked Ireland.
MA There are two pool video games from which the eventual winners are extremely prone to emerge. No want even to determine them. Does that make them key? The opener must be good and is perhaps the nearer. But whoever loses the 2 key video games may have ample alternative to make the ultimate. So perhaps they aren’t key in any respect.
And what is going to the quarter-final match-ups be?
RK Australia v England, South Africa v New Zealand, Argentina v Fiji, France v Ireland.
UM New Zealand v Ireland, South Africa v France, Argentina v Fiji, England v Wales.
AB Australia v England, South Africa v New Zealand, Argentina v Fiji, France v Ireland.
NE New Zealand v Scotland, South Africa v France, Australia v Argentina, England v Wales.
GM France v Ireland, New Zealand v South Africa, Argentina v Australia, England v Fiji.
LM Australia v Japan, South Africa v New Zealand, Argentina v Georgia, France v Scotland
MA Australia v England, South Africa v New Zealand, Argentina v Fiji, France v Ireland
Who or what is going to shake up the match?
RK The Pacific island nations may make some significantly huge waves. Imagine if each Fiji and Samoa qualify for the final eight? It has reached the purpose the place it will be a minor shock if one in every of them – most likely Fiji – doesn’t make the quarters.
UM Fiji. They are one of the best of the tier-two nations. First as a result of they’re seventh on the earth and so they can actually shake up their pool. I don’t even assume it will be thought of a shock in the event that they did.
AB Given the modifications to the schedule so there are longer gaps between video games and the brand new guidelines round repatriating gamers who’ve been capped elsewhere, the gaps between the tiers are smaller than ever. Expect not less than one in every of Fiji or Samoa to make the quarters forward of England or Wales.
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NE The biggest unknown heading into this tournament is what the impact of the bunker review system will be. We’ve seen it play an influential role in the summer warm-up matches and I genuinely believe that a knockout fixture will be decided by a review and a card.
GM The warm-up matches brought home how much impact the bunker review system is going to have. The decision by World Rugby last year to extend the layoff period for concussions is likely to rule a significant amount of players out of matches and leave coaches with difficult decisions to make.
LM A callow Australia can capitalise on the “easy” side of the draw under Eddie Jones by winning Pool C and their quarter-final, before being knocked out in the last four. Meanwhile, almost everyone is talking about South Africa’s 20-year-old prodigy Canan Moodie, and he will justify the pre-tournament excitement.
MA Eben Etzebeth. Usually when people decide who the best player in the world is they go for someone brilliant who makes us feel better about life. But if the measure is whose team would you really, really want them to be in, the best player in the world is Eben Etzebeth.
Who will be the top try-scorer?
RK Will Jordan. The All Blacks will fancy scoring a shedload of tries against Namibia and Uruguay, even if they don’t win the tournament.
UM Will Jordan of New Zealand. I couldn’t believe he didn’t score against South Africa. I was stunned but he’s got an unbelievable scoring rate.
AB Damian Penaud, unless, that is, France seize up under the pressure of all that expectation.
NE Will Jordan from New Zealand.
GM Mark Telea. It will be the All Black winger who most fills his boots against Uruguay and Namibia. Let’s plump for Telea.
LM The ruthless Damian Penaud is at his peak and ready to capitalise when French improvisation punches holes in opposing defences.
MA Malcolm Marx. Or whoever finds themselves at the back of the Springboks’ rolling maul most often. Damien Penaud is also someone who deserves a mention, for rather different reasons.
And, most important, who is going to win the World Cup (and who will they beat in the final)?
RK France. Rarely has a RWC host nation felt a greater sense of approaching destiny. I can see Les Bleus battling their way to a blockbuster final against the defending champions, South Africa. On a highly charged Saturday night in Paris, are the hosts really going to be beaten?
UM South Africa to beat New Zealand in the final. Their power game and their depth give them the edge. When you have a set piece that can function for the entirety of a match, it is a real point of difference.
AB France will finally win their first World Cup by doing what England couldn’t, beating South Africa in the final. They’ve been building towards this so well, for so long that it’s almost a question of faith, and why wouldn’t you choose to believe in a team who can play the way they do?
NE The final will be South Africa v All Blacks – my heart and soul say the All Blacks, but my head says South Africa.
GM New Zealand to beat Argentina within the last. The All Blacks got the reminder they wanted by South Africa at Twickenham and might play at a tempo that only a few can stay with. Argentina, in the meantime, have slipped below the radar into France however are, by a distance, essentially the most stable aspect of their half of the draw.
LM Heart says France, head says South Africa. The Springboks have lengthy been my tip for a fourth trophy and their pre-tournament kind has been ominous, however supplied Les Bleus don’t endure any extra key accidents, let’s go along with the guts: Fabien Galthié’s spectacular squad will recover from the road.
MA South Africa. To beat Ireland within the last. These two are no doubt the groups that make their opponents weep essentially the most. They may play a bit if the state of affairs calls for. New Zealand and France are able to shredding both, however it’s more durable to play that sort of recreation reliably.
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