Right then guys and gals, the rugby world cup is nearly upon us again! Sadly it looks as if England are going to relinquish their title in their current state, but it should still be a fascinating tournament staged in France (with a few games cynically sold off to wales and scotland roflmao )

Below are the pools, the top two from each pool go through to the Quarter-finals:

Pool A:

England
South Africa
Samoa
USA
Tonga

Pool B:

Australia
Wales
Fiji
Canada
Japan

Pool C:

New Zealand
Scotland
Italy
Romania
Portugal

Pool D:

France
Ireland
Argentina
Georgia
Namibia

Quarter-finals:

QF1 - 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
QF2 - 1st Pool C v 2nd Pool D
QF3 - 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B
QF4 - 1st Pool D v 2nd Pool C

Semi-finals:

SF1 - QF1 v QF2
SF2 - QF3 v QF4

Final:

SF1 v SF2



The New Zealand All Blacks are everybody's favourites, having looked almost invincible for the last couple of years. they have immense forward power, are incredible at the breakdown, the best fly-half in Dan Carter, and a set of backs which are incredibly powerful and quick with no lack of guile either!
However, they have done that before then bottled it in the world cup, so it will be interesting to see how they carry their favourites tag this time!

South Africa look extremely powerful and may be capable of beating anyone on their day with their rush defence, but at times they can be very naive and one-dimensional too.

Australia will be a big threat as they always rise to the occasion, but their form over the last couple of years has been patchy and they do look a little light in the forwards, though they are very streetwise and well organised.

France will probably be the biggest threat from the Northern Hemisphere, with A lot of power, talented backs and an ability to create something from nothing. If they can keep calm and disciplined they could go close.

Ireland looked really good about a year or two ago, but they are starting to age, and probably don't have enough all-round power to challenge the big guns when it matters, especially up front. However with Brian O'Driscoll they'll think anything is possible! I think they will struggle against France and Argentina in the pool though.

Wales can give anybody a game when the force is with them and their dazzling back play, but they don't have a good enough defence or forward power to challenge for the trophy.

England have the brawn to challenge the sides at the very top, and will be no pushover in a big match, but they have lost too many great players from the previous side and don't have a great attacking threat. They are too predicatble and that will have to change when they tackle SA in the pool.

Scotland have beefed their players up over the summer, but unfortunetly they are still lacking in terms of ideas and are not good enough in the forwards to strangle a team either. They'll be happy to beat Italy and get to the QF.


As for my thoughts on who will win? Well I think the semis will probably shape up as NZ vs Australia and France vs SA/England (I fancy England against SA for some reason). From that, I fance NZ will bottle it against Australia, France will beat whoever they play, and Australia will win the cup. That's my hunch roflmao


Feel free to discuss all things RWC here anyway! :D

Yes, one other thing i forgot to mention - the tournament starts with France vs. Argentina on Friday 7th Sptember at 8pm! :D

The final is on Saturday October 20th, 6 long weeks later! :D

COME ON WALES! OGI, OGI, OGI! OI, OI, OI!

SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT!
COMING FOR TO CARRY ME HOME!
SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT!
COMING FOR TO CARRY ME HOME!

:clap: :clap: :clap:

It's always puzzled me why the English chose a slave song as their unofficial anthem!

To be honest, I don't think there's much difference between any of the home nations- wouldn't say England were strides ahead of Wales anyhow.

It's all immaterial really as none of the home sides are gonna win!

I think if you could combine England's power with the welsh back play you'd have a really strong team (plus martyn williams!)

England might still be capable of springing a shock though just through their brute force and the fact Wilkinson is back - if they can get some sparks of inspiration at the world cup who knows?

roflmao

It's got to be better than bread of heaven :P

Was at Tigers vs. Llanelli - they only sang it once in the whole match, was almost as good as the result! :D

I was there too! The better team won, but still a good showing from the the Scarlets!

If Wales just had some more power up front we'd be so much better. Like you said, Martyn Williams is a class apart but Popham and Charvis are great players too- it's 1-6 where the problem is. And don't even mention the lineout...

yeah, scrum, lineout and general front five physicality is where you struggle unfortunetly!

That's basically how the tigers beat Llanelli really - was so annoyed by how tigers played the final against wasps though, we are much better than them but played straight into their gameplan... :banghead:

I must admit (and you won't get a Scarlets fan admitting this often) that I wanted Leicester to beat Wasps too. Can't say I've ever warmed to Lawrence Dallaglio!

We hate Dallaglio roflmao - poor mans martin Johnson (though I doubt you think much of him either :lol:)

I suppose you need no reminding of the previous semi then between our sides - you know, stimpson hits the posts and bar.... :P :D

Don't even mention that one! That hurt much more than the latest lost. I was behind the posts and properly cried!

I actually passed Stimpson at the Walkers this year and managed to control myself!

roflmao I will never forget the reactions of the llanelli fans on the video - when it hit the post the thought it had missed so started jumping up and down roflmao

I just went mad and hugged everyone around, we couldn't believe it!

We really were robbed that day!

We're in the group of death this year though so don't stand a chance!

nice run down Sam, thanks :)

I am hoping to try and catch as many of the games as possible on tv... no doubt will have to nick a tv from one of the departments and rig it up in the staffroom for any daytime stuff :)

I would soooo love England to hold on to this but... not looking too likely. They are capable of holding it together but just dont seem to have gelled as well as they might - too many variations to try out...

I hope the All Blacks do their usual job of losing the plot completely for the WC... why does that happen? They are always faves and then....

I reckon best shot this year is France. I want it to be us, but can see the lovely french blokes take it.

I agree, France could do some damage!

I'll be watching quite a few games this year with my French pal Eric, so I reckon that there will be some good discussions there :D

I tipped France to win too

The thing about NZ is that they didn't look nearly as convincing in the Tri-nations as they have done in the past few years, admittedly they still won but they failed to beat Australia in Australia and SA should really have beaten them at home.

I think France are the best bet of the home nations who on their day can beat anyone, however I feel the pressure of winning at home may be too much.

Therefore I'm going on an outside bet of SA winning, at their best they are so good and if they could just gel a little more they could do so well.


COME ON SCOTLAND :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

And if not LETS GO IRELAND (incredible backline) and South Africa (I'm a quarter South african) :yahoo: :yahoo:

Do they have one of those for Wales?

Hmmm well theres none on my forum :blush:

But I shall make enquires for you about getting one made ;)

Thanks! :ok:

Edit: woooops wrong one! just 2 secs


here wer go....I think!



Sorry theres no animation or such - hope this is alright :D2:

Wicked! Thanks very much! :ok:

You have your own forum???

Well its not technically my own forum but I help run it......Co-admin :ok:

i think my thought process of tipping australia came from the following basis:

- NZ are overwhelming favourites yet again but the pressure will probably get them at the crunch

- SA are formidibly strong but will probably lack enough imagination to win all of the big games you need to win to win a world cup

- France look very strong and are at home, but eventually they will have a "collapse" performance roflmao

- no one else looks capable

- Australia have been slowly improving and always put up a good fight at World cups.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY...

Look at these world cup patterns:

1987 - winners NZ (held in Southern Hemisphere)
1991 - AUSTRALIA (Northern Hemisphere)
1995 - SA (Southern Hemisphere)
1999 - AUSTRALIA (Northern Hemisphere)
2003 - England :clap: :yahoo: (Southern Hemisphere)
2007 - ??? (Northern Hemisphere)

Notice THAT:

(a) Every world cup held in the northern hemisphere has been won by Australia

and (B) Australia are in a pattern to win it every 8 years!

And seriously, they could do it, they are a fine big-match team, well organised, full of ideas, very good at the breakdown too (only NZ and SA are as good).

The odds are probably pretty tasty on them too :P

Oh, to my great surprise, ITV have also loaned the brilliant commentary team of Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison from Sky for the world cup - a very good addition, they are probably the best commentary team you'll see in sport at the moment :D

one word sums up this event (or should it be non-event?) :yawn:

Ugh, I wouldn't like that...I don't dislike their team, it's just that the people in my school are extremely annoying whenever France wins in summat.

Oh and 'MON SCOTLAND :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:
(even if I did nae vote for them as winners in the poll)

One man in the French side who could prove a real star (If they play him enough) is Sebastien Chabal. Instantly recognisable with his caveman look, incredibly strong, He could well make a big impact for them...

Scotland will do well to get out of their pool - I will be supporting Italy when they play them because of Castrogiovanni the Tigers player! :bow: :yahoo: :clap:

well you're in the minority on this board OB roflmao

the only ones who care about this are obviously the countries that are crap at real sports (like wales)

And England?

And Australia?

And South Africa?

And France?

hmmm strange boy roflmao

:bow: :bow: :bow:

Come on Castro!!! :bow:

Oi, Mr Troublemaker!!! :P

There appear to be quite a few people on here who are rugby union fans, so do you want to let them enjoy the world cup in peace? :ok:

Especially as Pebs appears to be a fan - she may end up getting her :whip: out.

blimey, no :chainsaw: though roflmao