RWC Day 1: A Haka, A Pimp Suit and Sonny Delight

So finally the day dawned, and the 24 year wait for the Rugby World Cup to return to the stadium where the first final had been played was over. The host welcoming the world with a show based on Maori culture and a rugby journey. The young boy undergoing the rugby journey poignantly sporting the colours of Canterbury as a reminder that there is 1 rugby city in New Zealand which is undergoing a far different time currently (far removed from the sporting party they were expecting, the citizens of Christchurch are re-building after the terrible earthquakes which ravaged the city). At the end of his journey, he met up with a bizarrely clad Jonah Lomu (black pinstriped suit, white tie, white shoes) who looked as if he had walked straight off the set of Starsky and Hutch having guest starred as a pimp. A haka, a stirring rendition of the rugby hymn World In Union and the de rigueur speeches from the host Prime Minister and the head of the IRB Bernard Lapasset and it was time for the fireworks to light the Auckland skyline.

Ceremonies over, the field was cleared and the teams entered the fray for the traditional anthems. Tonga then gave us their haka, which was responded to by the All Blacks in customary style; Ali Williams seemingly unable to stop his feet moving in the general direction of the Tongans. We were then left with a strange spectacle; 2 sides, whipped into the frenzy of battle by their tribal war cries, forced to wait for fully 2 minutes while the host broadcaster went to an ad break. The fervour which had built in the crowd diminished as referee calmly held up proceedings (the notoriously ad-hungry ITV in the UK, who had given us 7 ad breaks in the hour leading up didn't even bother going to the break) and it was a relatively benign beginning which followed given everything that had gone before.

New Zealand started, I thought, nervously, with Carter's boot not operating to its full efficiency. That said, it was a short-lived edginess, and when they exploded into life (to continue the firework analogy) they certainly burned the fingers of the Tongans. After an early Carter penalty, the All Blacks started throwing the ball around with gay abandon. It was almost too carefree at times, and the back line frequently resembled a disorganised mess, but with Sonny Bill Williams at his majestic offloading best, showing the sleight of hand of David Copperfield, with Kahui and Dagg looking extremely sharp at the back, and with Carter playing flat and looking to pass, the tries started coming. There were 4 in the first half (2 each for Dagg and Kahui) and three of these were converted by Carter, Tonga closed the half with a penalty of their own, and a score of 29-3 was illuminated around Eden Park as the sides wandered into the dressing rooms for half time.

As the sides re-took the field, most of the talk was about how many points it would be for the All Blacks. Tonga had shown very little, and the All Blacks cut through them at will in the latter stages of the first half. However, there was too much individuality in the early stages of the second half. Isolated players gave away penalties, the game was made too complicated, and how Toeava didn't score when sent clear was beyond me. Toeava also had a close run thing in the corner, but he should be re-christened Toeintouch, as the TMO denied a try thanks to the extra coat of whitewash that had been put on the line (or was it where Jonah had polished his shoes earlier?)

20 minutes of uninspiring rugby from both sides were finally broken when Weepu, who had replaced the largely ineffective and shaky Cowan, broke and fed Kahui, who toe-poked it through, collected and fed Kaino who went over. Carter, uncharacteristically, hit the post with an eminently gettable kick and the score was 34-3. Tonga had more than held their own in the second half though and they scored a deserved try when Taumalolo barged his way over from close to make it 34-10 and effectively give them the 2nd half lead.

Much discussion has surrounded the choice at centre for the All Blacks, and with Sonny delighting the crowds with his offloads (and the ladies with his bare torso after a jersey malfunction) and with Conrad Smith chomping at the bit having been rested/left out (delete as appropriate) Ma'a Nonu decided to muddy the waters with the final try of the game after a Colin Slade pass. I still feel Smith is one of the best in the world, and makes a great pair with Nonu. So, given Williams's game, with the exception of the offloads, was not the greatest, Henry will probably revert to type for Game 2.

Final Score New Zealand 41 Tonga 10


The All Blacks have now played 21 Pool games in Rugby World Cups, and won all 21. The only Nation never to have lost a Pool game. They still haven't let a side get within 20 points of them in a home World Cup tie. The stats are impressive, substantially more impressive than the second half performance it must be said.

It was a true 'fireworks' performance. A brief pause after the touchpaper was lit before they exploded into life with 4 quick and incisive first half tries. However, once the spectacle of those 4 tries was over, there was a definite anti-climactic end with their damp squib of a second half performance.

I also draw a parallel with the recent Tri Nations, where the first 2 games saw proper New Zealand performances, while the last 2 games saw them lose with rarely more than a whimper.

At times they looked like the probable world-beaters they will end up being, at times the pretenders to the throne will have been licking their lips while watching.

What of the coach? Graham Henry was his usual grumpy self afterwards. Understandably so given the poor end to the day. He saw the 8 minute siege laid on their line by Tonga, which included a 4 minute scrum, as dreadfully dull. I disagree. It's part of the game, and the New Zealand front row failed to deal with the pressure exerted on them by a substantial, but not necessarily technically gifted, Tongan scrum. Henry sees what he wants to in games, but he came across like a kid who had enjoyed his fun and was now taking his bat and ball home. In fact, that's  unfair to the kids. He is like the competitive Dad who loves playing games while he beats his kids, but as soon as they grow old enough to gain the upper hand, cries off playing as they are just 'silly games'. Henry must be worried after performances against Australia and Tonga which, far from reassuring, have actually served to show sides where the All Blacks are beatable.

Kahui and Dagg enhanced their reputations, and there are some (Carter & McCaw) who are indelibly inked on the team sheet. Many All Blacks will be sweating after stuttering performances though.

TV Rugby


For those of you not in the UK, a brief explanation. The 6 Nations is shown on the BBC. Live club Rugby is shown on Sky. Both of these channels provide excellent (and I'm highly critical when it comes to TV sport so this is high praise indeed) coverage year after year. Every 4 years, the Rugby World Cup comes around, and ITV, for some unknown reason, throw their hat into the ring. The studio host, Steve Rider, is a consummate professional, and the experts, who would appear to be Dallaglio, Fitzpatrick, Pienaar and Lynagh, certainly know what they are talking about. The frequent adverts and the inexperienced and lightweight commentary pairing of Gillingham and Gomarsall certainly added little value to this first game. I hope this doesn't become a recurring theme of these early reports, but if it does, I can only apologise. Take solace that, from the 28th September onwards, you won't be hearing me complaining :-)

And Finally...

My opening prediction of a 70 point New Zealand win was well out on the face of it, with just 31 points being the actual winning margin. Had Toeava scored in the corner early in the second half, things could have been different, but I currently lie well adrift of the leaders in the Prediction game at www.sportguru.co.uk. It's not too late to join by the way, and you'll only be 2.5 points adrift if you do (League name The Egg Chasers password prosflea).

What does tonight hold in store? A 2am start for the Scots against Romania, Fiji vs Namibia at 0430, France vs Japan at 0700 and England vs Argentina at 0930. It would appear I will be sleeping on the sofa from 0345 to 0700 (with the TV on of course). I may try to do the whole marathon with a few hours sleep to start, we'll see.

There's so much rugby on this weekend it's untrue. Leaving aside the 7 games on at the RWC, Harlequins vs Northampton and Bath vs Saracens from England, 2 Currie Cup games on Sky, Wasps vs Leicester on ESPN on Sunday as well as Toulouse vs Racing Metro from France. I make that 13 games, plus the inevitable highlight shows....

Taniela Moa, the Tongan scrum half, is 6 feet tall and 102kg.. according to the official stats. He certainly looked even bigger than that, but his effort from start to finish was exemplary. He saw off Jimmy Cowan, who did untold damage to his future in the tournament.

Who'd be a hooker? Leaving aside the obvious downside of having 14 colossal humans surrounding you in every scrum, you have to pick yourself up and hit your moving targets in the lineout. If that's not enough, in Wellington tomorrow for Wales vs South Africa, the wind can frequently reach 37mph, which makes that target even harder to hit.

Reports of punches thrown at the Australian training session. A fully opposed session (that means with full tackling for the uninitiated) ended with a few guys getting a little hot under the collar. A 30 man squad with only 22 places in the matchday squad, I suppose it's natural to a degree.

At times during the opening game, I felt I was watching a sort of Harlem Globetrotters performance from New Zealand. Backs and forwards in each other's way, glory passes being looked for, points trying to be proved. It was most unlike the well-oiled All Blacks machine I'm used to seeing. Too many riches at their disposal? Does Henry really know his best side?

England are criticised for their occasional selection of non-English born players (Tuilagi being the latest example) but they aren't the only ones as we know. 6 of the players in the first game were Auckland born - 3 on each side. It seems to be a bizarre mix when you look at New Zealand squads. You have the Samoan and Tongan exiles who play for the All Blacks, while New Zealanders seem to head in the other direction to fill the gap created. I hereby officially give up understanding the rules as to International qualification.

Finally a Maori elder is hoping Argentina defeat England after England "disrespected the New Zealanders by wearing 'their' black colours in their home country". Please. This is frankly ridiculous now. I give as evidence, the All Blacks away jersey for 2012:

How dare the New Zealanders disrespect 'our' white jersey?

I rest my case.

That's enough for now. Prepare to be bombarded with my thoughts tomorrow and Sunday. Pass on the link to your friends. Follow me on Twitter for comment during the games themselves @theeggchaser

Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage

The World Cup approaches at high speed, and if this were a scrum, I think we would, if following the above scrum instructions, be at the 'touch' stage. All the teams are there, most of the capping ceremonies have taken place, the communities have taken the teams to their heart as 'next favourites' if the All Blacks can't win it. Tomorrow sees us 'pause' before the 'engage' of Friday morning (UK time) when I can already see, hear and feel the first probably bone-crunching impact.

A quick glance at the website of the Rugby World Cup tells us there are 36 hours and 25 minutes remaining till kick off at the time of publishing.... 

It really is all about numbers at the moment. 20 teams, 600 players, 40 Pool matches, 8 knockout games, 12 stadia, 8 games between Friday morning and Sunday morning this week alone.... A little less than 21 days till I board the flight for LA that will ultimately see me board another flight for Auckland (US and NZ Immigration permitting... no I’m not and never have been a Communist, no I don’t have any apples in any of my luggage or secreted about my person – unless you count the half-digested one I’ve just eaten in the queue).

First selections have been made. There have been some surprises in those selections, some injuries, some extremely powerful looking lineups named. Yes the excitement is building, and I’m just a spectator. What must it be like to be involved in a squad, or even more, named in a starting line-up at the beginning of a potentially glorious journey.

Confidence or Bluff? Weekend 1 Preview

The curves of confidence of my friends who support a variety of different nations have been going up and down like the proverbial fiddlers elbow over the past fortnight and still are. The Welsh (yes I do have Welsh friends, but in my defence I didn’t know they were Welsh till post-friendship – just kidding Welsh people) are riding a wave of confidence after their Cardiff victory over England. The confidence bubble is a notoriously thin one though, and a substantial defeat at the hands of the Springboks in their opener on Sunday will see their hopes plummet. While not the end of the world, a defeat with any margin could see doubts return amidst nightmare images of rampaging Pacific Islanders of tournaments past.

Those Scots who have had little to shout about in recent times, with the possible exception of a Quarter Final 4 years ago, have seen their hopes rise with the 2 recent wins against Ireland and Italy. A gentle start for them against Romania on Saturday should pose no banana skin, and give them a smooth entry into the tournament. Andy Robinson has been clever I believe in not over-playing his, relatively speaking, shallow squad in warm-up matches. 2 games was substantially less than any other Nation, but opening games against Romania and Georgia should see them play themselves into form before the crunch against Argentina and England, when his squad should be relatively fresh. Shrewd guy Mr Robinson....

My Irish friends are putting a brave face on things at the moment. The Golden generation, as they are known in some quarters, are performing like a shower at the moment, but there is an unflinching belief in the ranks of the supporters that this will be the crowning glory of BOD’s career, and that he will take the side to their first ever RWC Semi Final.... at least. Brave posturing, or genuine thoughts? I’m sure it’s a bit of both, but the arrival of a USA side coached by Declan Kidney’s predecessor Eddie O’Sullivan should at least see them get a ‘W’ (that’s for win for the uninitiated) on the board come Sunday.

Ah, les Francais. Les hommes de l’Hexagone demarrent contre les Japonais. La France sous Lievremont n’est jamais a l’abri d’une surprise, mais une defaite contre les Japonais serait plus que ca. Une chose qui est certaine, c’est que les Francais ont, depuis un certain temps, mal demarre les Coupes du Monde, et au rugby et au foot, mais mes amis sont plus que 100% certain qu’on ne devrait pas ajouter le nom du Japon a la liste de Argentine (Rugby 2007) et Senegal (Foot 2002); les deux defaites les plus tristes de l’histoire sportive de la France. Jamais deux sans trois, comme on dit, et pour chaque personne qui voit la France echouer en quart, il y a quelqu’un qui dit que les tricolores sont prets a prendre la revanche des anglais (defaites en demi-finale des deux dernieres editions) et au meme temps terminer la serie de trois victoires contre les All Blacks (demi en 1999 et quart en 2007).

Ah, the French, who start against the Japanese. Under Lievremont, France are never completely protected from a surprise, but a defeat against Japan would be much more than that. One thing is for sure, the French have a recent habit of starting World Cups badly, be they of the rugby or football variety, but my friends are 100% sure that we won’t be adding Japan 2011 to a list of Argentina 2007 and Senegal 2002 (2 of the sorriest defeats in France’s sporting history). As I have said already twice (therefore you should be expecting this) the French say never 2 without the third, and for every person who sees the French losing in the Quarter Final, there is one who sees them gaining revenge over England (for semi final defeats in 03 and 07) and continuing their jinx over the All Blacks (99 semi final and 07 quarter final).

The Tri Nations victory for Australia has done 2 things; firstly it has re-affirmed the thoughts of every Aussie fan that they will win the Tournament and secondly it has led every New Zealand fan to seek solace in the fact that, every year before a World Cup they win the Tri Nations and subsequently blow up during the main event, so losing this may be a blessing in disguise. New Zealand have never had to break sweat in games against Tonga before, and confidence remains high in Graham Henry’s squad (or so we believe, as the old dinosaur has banned his players from communicating via Twitter – how hilarious is his joke that Twitter is the new English fly half? Not at all? Agreed). The Aussies have a slightly tougher opener against the Italians, but that should still result in a comfortable Southern Hemisphere win. I expect both sets of fans to be even more bullish come the end of the weekend.... if that’s possible!

While their Southern hemisphere rivals have genuine optimism as to their chances, the South Africans actually believe they can go on and defend the title too, thus becoming the first team to do so. I would have to say, that I find this optimism misplaced. The players don’t appear to be in form, the coach often leaves me scratching my head at decisions and I just think there are several better groups than the Springboks. Add to that the fact that the statistics don’t back them up..... No side has ever defended the title and no captain has ever been at the helm for 2 titles. It’s a big ask, and given the relatively weak performance in the Tri Nations, surely there is some doubt in the camp and amongst the fans? If that is the case, you wouldn’t really know it. Most fans seem convinced that this is their destiny, and that the Tri Nations is not a good indicator for success moving forward. Time will tell. First up are the Welsh, who will probably come out blazing from the start. A reasonable test first up for the South Africans.

Finally on to England, whose supporters are split as is usually the case. I’m a big believer in the former England football coach Terry Venables’ approach when it comes to the English psyche regarding their sporting sides. “People think we are either the best or the worst side in the World. The truth is we are very rarely either.” England’s fans are split. There are those who believe a Final place is a distinct possibility, given the recent performances and the likelihood that a dominant pack will be crucial in conditions likely to be encountered in New Zealand. There are however still a fair number of doomsayers who decry everything Martin Johnson does, deplore the absence of certain players (and by association the presence of others) and who say that a Quarter Final is the best they can expect. I’m one of the former if I’m being honest, though as said previously, I see England falling at the Semi Final stage.

A tricky opener against the Pumas is not what you would want for an opening game, but England will not underestimate the Argentinians, and despite losing Moody (I repeat my affirmation that he shouldn’t be in New Zealand) and Cueto (a much bigger loss as the most reliable of England’s vaunted back 3 in defence). England fans, believe me, are starting to feel the tension.

ABTE

Confident or not confident, there is one thing that the fans of the Celtic Nations, France and the Southern Hemisphere sides all seem to agree on.... “ANYONE BUT THE ENGLISH!”

“ABTE” is a frequently heard mantra when discussing who you want to win if your side doesn’t. It is something that I have put up with for most of my rugby supporting life. I try to remain dispassionate when there is a game on, but it is beyond me. I cannot help but jump up and down, berate appalling decisions by officials, lambaste opposition players, over-hype England’s chances and a whole host of other things, but come the end of the game, there will always be a handshake with opposition supporters in the vicinity, along with a round of applause for the winning side. It is the rugby ethos, one of the last vestiges of the amateur traditions that formed the basis of the game. Where my gripe is in this ABTE attitude, is in the fact that if you take me out of the context of the game; remove all English identity; replace it with the identity of another Nation and transport me into that game, this attitude is seen as creditable and endearing. Why does this anti-English feeling come in? Where does it come from? It’s a bit of a mystery to me. I guess it’s really a compliment at the end of the day, as there isn’t a Nation that wouldn’t want England’s record in World Cups this century......

And Finally.....

My XV to watch has been a bit of a curse. Ducalcon and Conrad Smith both being overlooked for a starting berth. Oh well, can I help it if Messrs Henry and Lievremont don’t know what they’re on about? (Note:  World Cups won: Henry & Lievremont 0 The Egg Chaser 0)

All the sides should now have arrived in New Zealand, with the parsimonious Scots the last to do so.. watching the pennies to the last.... No national stereotypes here though (if you believe that you’ll believe anything)

A quick whizz through the squads shows that there will be an incredible 12 sets of brothers taking part at this World Cup, including 1 set with siblings playing for different Nations (Tuilagi). In addition, had his career not been tragically cut short by injury, Thom Evans would undoubtedly have joined his brother Max to make it 13.

Stories abound about the bizarre things teams take to World Cups. Here are just a few to titillate you: England have apparently shipped their own scrum machine; Japan have an oxygen chamber in their kit; France have 10,000 Euros worth of coffee beans. My English mind boggles... while somewhere a French body gives a Gallic shrug, sips an espresso and shakes a Gitanes from its packet (told you there’d be some stereotyping).

I will be updating the blog over the weekend, with a brief taste of the game that has just taken place. There will be a blog per day basically, but I will add to the existing piece as games go on. I really hope to see you interacting and telling me where I’ve gone wrong. I enjoy the banter and have broad shoulders, so tell me what you think.

Club rugby continues this weekend as well, with games Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. I think it could be possible, with judicious programme selection, the use of Sky+ (other TV recording devices are available) and a stock of coffee to rival the French squad, you could watch about 24 hours of rugby this weekend... I think i’d better stock up on sleep, Nespresso and the shopping tomorrow – could be a long weekend

Last chance to join me in the Rugby World Cup prediction league I have entered. The site is www.sportguru.co.uk/rwc/pool.asp?p=10011264 and the Pool Code is prosflea. It’s a fun looking game and you’re all welcome to join me there (I’m currently leading the Pool by default as I’m Billy No Mates)

Thanks for reading and can you tell I’m excited?

15 To Watch and 20 Nation Pen Portraits

Greetings fellow Rugby internauts.

After the last blog which gave you my All-time Greatest XV, I thought this time I would throw 15 names at you who will possibly be challenging for a place in that All-time Greatest XV at some point in the future. These are the 15 players I expect to make the biggest impact in their position over the coming 7 weeks. As per usual, if you disagree, shout and tell me why.

1. Martin Castrogiavanni (ITA) - the hirsute prop has gained a cult following in Leicester for his tough defence, rampant running and knack of being in the right place at the right time. 'Castro' will be key to Italy's hopes of upsetting the odds and knocking Ireland out at the Group stages

2. Bismarck du Plessis (SAF) - Has thrust his name to the fore ahead of John Smit in terms of hooking ability. Whether used as an impact player or forcing his way into De Villiers starting line-up, he has a huge role to play for the Springboks

3. Luc Ducalcon (FRA) - Marc Lievremont is astounded at the speed at which Ducalcon has adapted, and has left behind players such as Thoma Domingo, who I rate highly, and Sylvain Marconnet. Big shoes, or maybe shorts, to fill, and for France to get to the semis, he will need to perform.

4. Paul O'Connell (IRE) - The British and Irish Lions captain showed signs against England of getting back to his best after last season's injury and suspension. He will need to, in both his second row role and as a motivator to drag Ireland out of their miserable slump

5. Ali Kellock (SCO) - First choice second row and now Captain, Kellock is key to Scotland's hopes of surviving a tough pool with England and Argentina. 3 wins should be enough to get out of the Pool and Kellock's decision-making and line-out performance will be vital

6. Rocky Elsom (AUS) - I like Elsom. He's a big unit, gets around the pitch well, gives everything, defends hard, runs hard, sends his Mum flowers for her birthday. What's not to like? Seriously, Elsom provides the back-row weight to balance Pocock's energy. A good mix.

7. Sean O'Brien (IRE) - Europe's Player of the Year, he was sorely missed against England, and given the absence of David Wallace, he along with Jamie Heaslip will need to be at their very best to provide the quick ball Ireland's speedy backs will need. Honourable mention here to Sam Warburton (WAL) who has already usurped Martyn Williams and will need to be at his inspirational best (which is very very good) to lead Wales past the QF stage.

8. Radike Samo (AUS) - His Man of the Match impact against the All Blacks set the stadium alight, and repeated performances like those 50 minutes will see him elevated, admittedly belatedly, to superstar status. A big man, with big hair, but a surprising turn of pace. Can the 35 year old survive the rigours of a 7 game in 7 weeks tournament?

9. Ben Youngs (ENG) - England's new problem position seemingly, after Tuilagi and Tindall shored up the centre berths in Dublin. Youngs has to have a big World Cup if the seemingly 'hated in all quarters' English are to go past the Quarter Finals. Struggled from Dublin onwards last season, time to step up to the plate now.

10. Dan Carter (NZL) - He's the best back in the world. I've said it before, I'll keep saying it. He must be a little wary though after his non-performance last time out. Carter pulls every string for the All Blacks and if he is on song, they have one hand on the trophy.

11. Shane Williams (WAL) - The man who was too small to make it arrives at the last World Cup of his career hoping to cap a glorious career with the spark that can ignite the Welsh. His quick feet and clever running have unpicked better defences than he will have to in New Zealand. Has he got enough in the tank for a final sparkle, or will he fizzle out.

12. Manu Tuilagi (ENG) - 2 tries in 2 games for the young Leicester centre, England's new great hope. As English as lamb rogan josh or spaghetti bolognaise, but such is 21st Century sport. His strength, pace and attitude could provide the English back line with the midfield focus that can divert defensive attention sufficiently to free up their explosive back 3.

13. Conrad Smith (NZL) - For me the relatively unsung hero of the All Blacks side. He rarely puts a foot wrong, be it in attack or defence. He isn't the best attacking centre, nor kicking centre, nor defensive centre, but his consistency is such that he is up there with the best. An honourable mention here also for Jamie Roberts of Wales.

14. Chris Ashton (ENG) - Announced his arrival on the scene with a breathtaking try against the Australians, then scored 6 in the first 2 6 Nations games of the season. A superb finisher, with strength, pace and most importantly a 6th sense that sees him more often than not on the shoulder of the breaking man, ready to pounce.

15. Kurtly Beale (AUS) - He should be picked for his 'tache alone, but Beale who was announced this week as the Australian Player of the Year, provides great pace at the back for the Wallabies. The one thing stopping me really giving the Aussies a big chance this year is there lack of a centre pair to frighten the bigger sides, but as Beale proved time and again in recent seasons, a full back running good angles can pep up even the most ambulatory back line.

There we go, XV (well XVII if you count Warburton and Roberts) to watch out for. They wouldn't make a bad Barbarians side that lot.

So with the first game approximately 5 days away now, I've summarised each team's chances in a very brief way below. Along with my ultimate prediction for each. Agree? Disagree?

Argentina
A is for Argentina, aggression and ageing. Not good enough to repeat last time's performance, in a shoot-out for a QF place with Scotland.
My Prediction: 3rd place in Pool B

Australia
12 years on from their last victory, Australia are peaking at the right time. A stroll through the Pool, then the hard work starts.
My Prediction: A projected Semi between England and Australia is touch to call, but Aussies to lose in the Final

Canada
Once Quarter FInalists, in the days of Gareth Rees, Canada have gone backwards steadily and are in a 3-way shoot-out for 3rd Place in Pool A.
My Prediction: Pool A wooden spoon... just

England
Highs and lows over 12 months. A first 6 Nations in too long, good win against Australia, then seemingly lost their attacking edge before finding a spark in Tuilagi
My Prediction: A narrow semi final loss to Australia

Fiji
2007 Quarter FInalists, they do turn it on for the RWC, but I think they have too much to do this time.  Not enough in the tank to trouble the South Africans or Welsh again 4 years on.
My Prediction: 4th in Pool D

France
A side that should have bit the bullet 18 months ago and changed coach. The current management seem hell bent on doing things their way, which is hamstringing the tricolore attemps at a title they have never won.
My Prediction: Quarter Final defeat by the English

Georgia
Steady progress since the last World Cup by the Georgians. A difficult pool though, and will need to content themselves with some valiant performances in defeat against bigger nations.
My Prediction: 4th in Pool B

Ireland
Have been travelling backwards at high speed in recent weeks. Will make the Italy game that little bit trickier to prepare for than it should be, but should be good enough to survive the Pool this time around
My Prediction: Quarter Final defeat

Italy
Nick Mallett's swansong at a time when they have started performing. They will be targeting the Ireland game as the key, but I think without the backing of a home crowd, this will be a step too far.
My Prediction: 3rd in Pool C


Japan
John Kirwan has had a positive effect, but a genius would struggle to get Japan out of their pool. In their own Tri Nations tournament with Tonga and Canada.
My Prediction: 4th in Pool A


Namibia
The whipping boys of the last couple of tournaments, I see no reason why that shouldn't be the case again. Maybe not the stratospheric scores of 8 years ago, but 4 defeats loom
My Prediction: Pointless at the bottom of Pool D


New Zealand
The only team that can beat them is themselves. Haven't I said that before? Stat attack: No side has come within 20 points of beating the All Blacks in a World Cup in New Zealand (and that when tries were worth 4 points)!
My Prediction: Winners


Romania
As Georgia, they find themselves in a tricky Pool and as Namibia I foresee a tough few weeks for the European minnows.
My Prediction: Last in Pool B


Russia
A belated bow on the biggest stage for the Russians. Players have started seeping into the big European Leagues now, and the future is bright, but this tournament sees the fight for 4th Place in Pool C with the Americans
My Prediction: 5th in Pool C


Samoa
The most likely of the 3rd seeded Nations in a group to cause a shock. Wales will be slightly nervous by the sight of these warriors, but should have enough to beat them.
My Prediction: A glorious 3rd in pool D


Scotland
Green shoots of growth seem to be appearing in Andy Robinson's garden. Injuries have hurt the Scots in recent years, but they have rarely been so optimistic approaching a World Cup
My Prediction: A Quarter Final drubbing by the All Blacks


South Africa
The reigning Champions. Should win the Pool and their Quarter Final, but won't have enough in the tank to defeat the All Blacks in an Eden Park semi final
My Prediction: Semi Final and home


Tonga
Will proudly open the tournament against the hosts on Friday 9th September. After this honour and ordeal, they will soon settle into a Pool where their goal must be 3rd Place in the pool.
My Prediction: 3rd in Pool A


USA
An important game for the Eagles against the Russians will see if they can avoid finishing 5th in the Pool. Another tough tournament looms for the Americans
My Prediction: 4th in Pool C


Wales
Wales have, more than anyone, a point to prove after last time's early disappointment. Much more organised and with talent aplenty, no group embarrassment this time.
My Prediction: a QF defeat by the Aussies

And Finally....

The curtain rose yesterday on the English Premier League, with surprise wins for Exeter, Wasps, Harlequins and Worcester. The World Cup effect already seems to have hit home....

British journalist Brendan Gallagher had trouble entering New Zealand, as he had an apple in his bag. He was hit with a NZD400 fine (£200ish) despite his attempted defence of having been given the apple by a stewardess on the Air New Zealand flight and having a sticker with the words "Produce of New Zealand" written on it. The only apples in my luggage will be iPod, iPad and MacBook, that I can guarantee.

My all-time World Cup XV seemed to wind some people up, with one particular Welsh tweeter coming up with the constructive criticism that I am an idiot. When asked why, he seemed to ignore responding, but maybe there weren't enough Jones, Williams and Davies's in my All-time 15. Hard to justify their inclusion given their abysmal recent record though isn't it?

1 more day to vote on the Poll of the winners, if you haven't already done so. 1 Final little article before the start of the tournament on Friday (Polish hotel internet connection permitting as I am on my travels again this week).

My Greatest RWC XV and Memories of 2007

All-time Rugby World Cup XV

Any sports fan likes picking their Best XI, XV, Top 10 of all-time etc. Here's my totally personal selection of a best Rugby World Cup XV. Please note, this is not my Best XV of all-time, more a selection of those that have had the biggest influence at Rugby World Cups.

1.       Jason Leonard (ENG) – 22 appearances, a record for World Cups, mean Leonard, a Cup Winner in 2003 has to be in the team. His versatility, which saw him play both sides of the scrum, and his total reliability, were the main strengths during a peerless career which saw him anchor the England scrum for 13 years, and saw him appear in 4 Rugby World Cups including 2 Finals, 12 years apart.

2.       John Smit (SAF) – the winning Captain in 2007, Smit was also present in 2003 and his motivating influence, allied to a solid line-out partnership with Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, amongst others, meant Smit was the most reliable of hookers, and just edges Sean Fitzpatrick onto the bench.

3.       Phil Vickery (ENG) – a stunning performance in the 2003 World Cup Final, where he destroyed Bill Young to such an extent that referee Andre Watson couldn’t quite believe it sees Vickery get my nod. Devastating in the loose, he set the platform that day for a dominant England pack performance.

4.       John Eales (AUS) – Nobody as he is known (as ‘nobody’s perfect’) was the goal kicking second row captain of the victorious 1999 Australian side. A mainstay of the Wallabies in the 1990s, his captaincy of the side that took the trophy in Cardiff was a major factor in that victory.

5.       Martin Johnson (ENG) – a talisman and a born leader, his ball skills were somewhat under-rated, and Johnson was frequently the one involved in shoring up possession or easing the opposition gently away from the ball. His decision to take the ball on ‘one more time’ in the 2003 Final was crucial in tying in 2 loose defenders and freeing up Jonny Wilkinson’s winning drop goal

6.       Richard Hill (ENG) – Hill is, for me, one of the greatest Rugby players of all time. His unassuming demeanour on the pitch belayed the brutal efficiency with which he performed in every single game. He was as much a part of England’s ’03 victory as anyone else and England have never really been the same since he was forced into retirement

7.       Michael Jones (NZL) – Every day is like Sunday, sang Morrissey. Probably a good job that every day was not Sunday though, as that would have deprived the rugby world of the man who broke the mould in terms of open side flankers. Every open side since Michael Jones owes everything to the way he performed in the 1987 World Cup. Strongly religious, he refused to play on a Sunday, hence the little gag above, and this ultimately led to him being left out of the 1995 World Cup squad due to his non-availability for QF and SF.

8.       Wayne Shelford (NZL) – two thirds of the back row is the 1987 All Blacks back row. Buck Shelford was immense in that 1987 World Cup, and was truly a man who didn’t know the meaning of the word pain. Any man who has his testicular area stitched up before returning to the game deserves a place in my side.

9.       Joost van der Westhuizen (SAF) – the deadliest attacker round the base of the scrum the game has ever seen, bar none. Van der Westhuizen combined stunning pace off the mark with great strength, had a solid kicking game and was more than a match for anyone in defence. He wasn’t afraid to have a natter with his opposite number and the referee either, which is an ever-more important part of the scrum half’s armoury

10.   Jonny Wilkinson (ENG) – at the peak of his powers in 2003, he dropped 8 goals in a single tournament, including the decisive one, off his wrong foot, with less than a minute to go. He bounced back from repeated injury in 2007 to see England through to the Final once more with his ever reliable kicking proving decisive. For the moment, he is penned in to the team, and with him seemingly edging past Toby Flood in the reckoning once more, he has a chance to further stretch his drop goal record (13), penalty kick record (53) and his individual points record (243).

11.   Jonah Lomu (NZL) – Anyone who picks anyone but Lomu on the left wing needs their head examining. Pace, power, personality. Lomu ran riot in 1995 and to a lesser extent (but with more tries) in 1999 as a new breed of winger was highlighted. 15 World Cup tries, including 4 in a stunning semi final performance against England, is a record that may well stand the test of time.

12.   Brian Lima (SAM) – Both centre positions are tricky, as the greatest centres of my lifetime, Sella and O’Driscoll, haven’t had the incredible influence at RWCs that they had outside of the tournament. Most will see my inside centre as a surprising pick, but Lima was the star of a Nation, and his impact saw his side through to Quarter Finals in 1991 and 1995. His destructive tackling often caught the eye more than his play with ball in hand, but he scored 11 tries in World Cups and in 2007 dragged his tired body through a 5^th separate tournament (a record). He deserves his spot at 12.

13.   Will Greenwood (ENG) – I thought long and hard about this and Greenwood gets the nod ahead of Guscott and O’Driscoll for me. Good as they were, they never really made the difference at World Cup level, and Greenwood’s crucial tries in the group game with South Africa and the Quarter Final against Wales in 2003, along with his composure in the pressure moments of a tight final, see him get the nod.

14.   Jason Robinson (ENG) – Tempting though it was to play Robinson at full back, I plumped for his original position of Right Wing. The original dancing feet, Robinson transferred from Rugby League and made the biggest impact of any of the ex-League players. His try in the 2003 Final, his all-round performances that year and his re-emergence in 2007 as a Full back make him one of the most versatile players in RWC history. Can I pick him twice?

15.   Serge Blanco (FRA) – Serge Blanco was head and shoulders above anyone else who played 15 in the 1980s. Show a youngster a picture of him today and tell him he was once the Prince of Full Backs and they would laugh, but Blanco’s effortlessly smooth acceleration, and wonderful skill, which culminated in his greatest moment, the last minute try in the ’87 semi final against Australia, see him edge out John Gallagher at 15 for me.

So there we go. My Greatest Ever XV is selected. On the bench, for completeness sake, I have 16. Sean Fitzpatrick (NZL), 17. Oz du Randt (SAF), 18. Victor Matfield (SAF), 19. Zinzan Brooke (NZL), 20. George Gregan (AUS), 21. Michael Lynagh (AUS), 22. Philippe Sella (FRA), 23. John Kirwan (NZL)

So of the 23 chosen, I have 7 Englishmen, 6 New Zealanders, 4 South Africans, 3 Australians, 2 Frenchmen and 1 Samoan. Some would accuse me of pro-English bias, but I happen to think that the 2003 World Cup which England won was possibly the strongest tournament, with Australia, France, South Africa, England and New Zealand all putting out stunning sides, and even the Welsh creating a brand of rugby which struck fear into English and All Black hearts. Add to that the fact that England won that tournament ‘down under’ and I think that speaks volumes. No Welsh, Scots or Irish involved, possibly demonstrating that, since the first two tournaments when Wales and Scotland reached the semi finals (and should maybe have done better eh Gavin Hastings?) they have all disappointed at World Cups, and their star names (O’Driscoll, Williams, etc) have never really sparked. The only Celtic names I considered at all in fact were O’Driscoll, Ieuan Evans and Gavin Hastings.

It’s always fun picking these teams and I suspect many of you will be disgusted at some selections. If so, let me know, I look forward to hearing where and why I went wrong.

2007 Memories

Having given you my considered opinion as to the best XV of all-time, it is time for some slightly more personal and recent memories from the 2007 World Cup in France. Living As I was in Paris, it was a chance to be right at the heart of things, but with work commitments and the speed at which tickets sold, I was restricted to seeing half a dozen games. That said the atmosphere in and around grounds was head and shoulders above my only previous RWC experiences (Cardiff and Twickenham in 1999 and the smallest venue to be used for a World Cup, Otley RFC in 1991).

It all started for me on a Tuesday night in Lyon, when, after a tough couple of days work, I made my way from my hotel to the Stade Gerlan for the game between Argentina and Georgia. Argentina were already the villains of the piece, as they had shocked France in the opening game, and the mock boos with which they were greeted heightened the atmosphere. The Georgians, taking their bow in the tournament in their debut year, gave everything, making my colleague alongside me wince with some of the tackles. Argentina strolled home in the end, but it really got me into the tournament, even if it was a game between, as one Frenchman nearby said, "Two small teams". "Remind me who Argentina won against in their opener mate?", was my parting diplomatic shot. (Cue gallic shrugs and muttering)

For a couple of weeks, I then had to resort to watching games in crowded bars (oh the hard life I lived at the time) with a cosmopolitan bunch of supporters, some English, some Scottish, some French, some Irish, a couple of Aussies... I could go on. One Welsh supporter, who shall remain nameless, had already livened things up in my local during the 6 Nations by asking my 'outside toilet' shaped South African friend whether he was an "Aussie or an All Black". The air turned blue and Tomos's cheeks were as red as his Welsh jersey on that occasion, I promise you.

Next up for live action was England vs. Tonga, in a true temple of the game - le Parc des Princes. Great stadium though the Stade de France is, it usually has all the atmosphere of a foggy day in Wolverhampton. Le Parc is very different. I had four tickets, and the intrepid foursome who met up 2 hours before the game in Les Trois Obus was well lubricated on entering the ground. I'm sure they won't mind me saying, but as I eased my 16 stone frame into my seat and looked to my right, the 3 friends with me, Adron, Tom and Manu, were all bigger than me. How we squeezed into the 4 seats for the first half is beyond me, and it was some relief when the row in front was not re-populated for half 2 and one of us could 'ease forward' a row. England showed up, eventually, that evening and despite a pretty solid effort from Tonga, England through Sackey and Corry braces, 2 of them very late, ran home comfortable winners to qualify for the Quarters. We 4, suitably refreshed by the Trois Obus after the game, headed off into the distance to savour Parisian culture once more...

Marseille Quarter Final weekend remains, without doubt, the best rugby trip I have ever been on. A chilled Friday night on the seafront with my three charming female Australian flatmates for the weekend gave way to a glorious Saturday morning. Seats behind the posts at the tunnel end, within hearing distance of ITV's interview point (more of that later), were perfect. A glorious day, with banter aplenty between Aussies, English, Springboks, French and Welsh (who had turned up in their thousands, not predicting their defeat to Fiji), but as kickoff approached, tension rose. The game was not a glorious game of attacking rugby, but a true battle between 2 Nations desperate to get to Paris for the semis. Stirling Mortlock's missed penalties kept England in the game, and the one thing you could guarantee was that where Mortlock missed, Wilkinson wouldn't. One of the grittiest England wins I have ever seen! As for the interviews, as Will Grenwood was about to interview Andy Gomarsall after the game, I found my voice and screeched my appreciation of Gomarsall's performance, which saw both men turn their heads and a frantic director try to get their attention.... Sometimes I have a big mouth it would appear (no comment necessary thanks very much). My three Aussie companions had to be thus photographed in my ridiculous England hat as a penance. Great afternoon.... onto the evening.

Having met up with Manu and his English boss Chris, who were equally as smiley as I was, we meandered back to the Vieux Port area, to that traditional French (!) bar, O'Malleys. The Guinness flowed, as we prepared for the evening game - New Zealand vs. France from Cardiff. The game is etched into the history books, and as I wasn't there, I won't repeat everything, but when the French scored what proved to be the winning try, it rained Guinness in Marseille. My pristine white England shirt has never been the same, but who cares. Everyone was deliriously happy, and as a coach load of Australian supporters got stuck in a traffic jam outside the bar, there was a 5 minute long multi-national chorus of "Cheerio, cheerio, cheerio" much to the amusement of all.

Sunday dawned with another glorious day, and we headed to the magnificent Stade Velodrome once more to see the anticipated drubbing of Fiji by South Africa. It all looked straightforward, but midway through the second half the Fijians ignited, and but for hair's breadth miss of a try in the corner, would have taken the lead and really pressured the Boks, but it wasn't to be, and the Fijians left to a hero's reception, even if they had lost eventually by 17 points. 2 incredible days, and the 3 hours sleep on the train back to Paris were gratefully received.

One week later, and Stade de France beckoned me for the first time in the tournament. England vs. France in the semi final. The atmosphere was the best I have witnessed there, as even the open backs to the stands couldn't contain the noise. It was an evening of much mirth. How we laughed at the pockets of All Blacks fans who had come all the way to Europe "for the semis and final only, as there was no-one who could beat us". How we laughed at the French selection of Traille at 15. How we exploded in joy when Josh Lewsey jumped all over him to score after 2 minutes. How we lifted the roof when Jonny came to our rescue again in the last 5 minutes with his usual penalty and drop. My first live English win against France, and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Another week on, and it was Final time. That week had been spent sourcing tickets, first for me, then for every mate I have ever known. 4 came through a former French International, another for an old school friend came through a bloke in the pub. 3 friends chartered a neighbour's private jet to get over (trains, planes and ferries having long since been booked up). The old school friend left Northampton at 3am on the morning of the game to squeeze on a ferry then drive down to Paris. 7 friends came over in the back of a horse box.... the stories are endless.

On the way to the game (French train strike wouldn't you know) I joked that at least I couldn't be further away than I was for the semi (top tier next to back row). As I took my seat between three Men Mountains of South Africans, on the very back row of the top tier, I laughed to myself. The first half went quicker than any game I can remember, in spite of there being little open play. England seemed to have made the perfect start to the second half when Cueto went over in the corner after a mazy run from Tait. I could not have been further away from the incident, but it was clearly a try and no amount of airbrushed replays will convince me otherwise! When Robinson gingerly walked off after 50 minutes or so, I knew the goose was cooked, and the South Africans won a deserved victory. It was a match played in great spirits, and the support around me, split 50/50 between England and South Africa, with the odd French or New Zealander thrown in. The trade of single malt from my two hipflasks for chunks of various varieties of biltong was made many times.

A Rugby World Cup is a stunning event to be involved in. I'm lucky to be attending my 4th at the end of September, and I suggest, if you haven't been to one yet, England 2015 should be on your list as soon as possible. The convivial atmosphere, the laughing and joking and two-way banter, is so far removed from the atmosphere at top level Football it is unbelievable. If you're lucky enough to have experienced it, why not spend the time and add your own RWC memories to this blog in the comments.

And Finally....

I have set up a Prediction Game Pool on this link http://www.sportguru.co.uk/ with the pool name being The Egg Chasers and the Pool Code being prosflea join me there and see how little I know.

I've set up a page for the blog on Facebook as well now. Search for The Egg Chaser and Like the page if you don't mind.

As I said earlier this week, England's League starts on Saturday, and I am going for a Semi Final 4 of Saracens, Leicester, Northampton and Bath. The big sides will lose their International stars for large periods though, as post World Cup, there is always recuperation time, and then after Christmas we have 6 Nations again. That is me saying that it's anybody's guess what will happen this year....

Next Time

Next time you hear from me I will be giving you a team of XV that I think will have a major impact in their positions, and you'll also hear my predictions of eventual winners, top try scorer, and many other things. There’ll be a quick A to Z of the World Cup, and some two line summaries of the hopes of each Nation. I hope you will join in and let me know where I have gone wrong.

Thanks as ever, catch you soon

RWC 2011 - Pool D Preview

15 down and 5 to go; teams that is. 3 Pools previewed and just the reigning Champions' Pool to go. Before I start, take a look to the right of this article and you will see a poll. The 9 Top Nations in World Rugby are listed, you just need to tell me who you think will win, simple as that. Only 18 people have had a go so far, and it would appear the Australians made a major impression with their weekend win. Just one vote for the Springboks which is hardly surprising, or is it? You tell me after you've read my thoughts below.


This blog, and the linked twitter account @theeggchaser (follow me there too why not?) are creating a little bit of traffic, which is nice to see. I'm looking forward to the World Cup, and taking a sometimes quick look and sometimes more detailed look at the games as they happen. The first three weeks will unfortunately be done from the UK, and after a short break while I travel round the world, the last three weeks or so will see me in New Zealand itself. But enough of that, back to the Preview.


I've only really been scratching the surface of these Pools, as to do them justice would be a full-time job, for which I would have been researching in detail for weeks now, but that luxury isn't mine and all I can do is give you a taste of what I see in each team as we head into the final week before the first game. And with that we head on to Pool D, where the reigning champions, last time's biggest under-achievers, 2 Pacific island Nations and the 2nd best side in Africa lock horns.


Starting with 2007 Quarter Finalists Fiji, who shocked the eventual winners South Africa in 2007, against Namibia, and ending with a revenge match between Fiji and Wales, this promises to be the most interesting pool in many ways, as there is a lot of history involved between some of the sides, and the bigger sides fortunes have fluctuated substantially recently.


So the reigning champions, South Africa, travel to New Zealand hoping to become the first side to retain the title and the first side to win the trophy three times. The best title defence in the history of the tournament is to be runners-up next time around. Australia (1999 winners and 2003 second) and England (2003 winners and 2007 second). Should that series continue, South Africa will be on the second step of the podium come the end of October, but is that a realistic outcome? An experienced side, with an experienced captain in John Smit (if he gets in the team as he is under severe pressure from Bismarck du Plessis). The Springboks had an awful Tri Nations. There is no way of dressing that up any prettier unfortunately. A win at home against a seriously depleted New Zealand B side, and that by a narrow margin, shows serious problems (relatively speaking of course). They have fallen comfortably behind their Southern Hemisphere rivals, and some would argue behind England too in the pecking order. That said, they should have enough to come out on top of the Pool, though a lot of that will depend which Welsh side turns up in Wellington on the 11th September.


Wales are a real enigma. Warren Gatland seemed to have created a squad that could sustain a level through from their Grand Slam in 2008 to this tournament, and be candidates for a semi final spot. Injuries, retirements and a general loss of form though, along with an insistence, from where I don't know, to keep trying Gavin Henson when there are better, younger options, seem to have seriously hit that theory though. Wales beat England in Cardiff, though more through England's insipid attacking play than any particular new found strength on Wales' side. Other than that, a decidedly average 6 Nations, and a lot of gaps up front, the excellent Warburton aside, mean they really can't be expected to go any further than the Quarter Finals. That said, Wales have history of being dumped out at the group stage, and two of their vanquishers are in this group. Do these things come in threes? Will Fiji or Samoa be able to get another one over the dragons? It will be interesting to watch. In 2007, when Fiji played South Africa in the Quarter Final in Marseille, I watched as 1000s of Welsh fans, who had calculated the likely passage of Wales to that Quarter Final, appeared in Fijian garb to support the team who had beaten them. I hope for their sakes, given the distances involved this time, that they haven't all done the same thing..... or that they've packed the skirts just in case.


Fiji. Fiji. Fiji. Say the name and you think of extravagant passing movements, rangy second row forwards goosestepping their way down the wing in Hong Kong on their way to another Sevens title. The entertainers ever since the early days of the World Cup, but more than that. They have the forwards, on their day, to punish a side off their form, like Wales in 2007. Predicting what Fiji will do in this tournament is rather like buying a lottery ticket, if slightly more entertaining. They always seem to be slightly better prepared for World Cups than for the stand alone Test matches, so it's tricky to put a position on them in this pool.


Samoa next. If Fiji are the entertainers, Samoa are their burly bodyguards. For every beautiful Fijian move of recent World Cups, there has been a bone crunching Samoan tackle, usually by Brian Lima. Samoa, back in the days when they were Western Samoa, were the first to destroy the Welsh dream at a World Cup. They have 2 Tuilagis (that's one more than England have - the vagaries of having three brothers playing for 2 different teams is still beyond my intellect) and several other players performing at the top level in Europe. Again, I'm finding it difficult to place them in this pool.... 

While I deliberate over places 2 to 4, I'll move on to the final team in the Pool, Namibia. Namibia, to put it bluntly, have little chance of doing anything. 4 years ago, they were the whipping boys of a pool involving France, Argentina and Ireland, and I can't see them doing much more this time around. Jacques Burger, the Saracens flanker of the multiple broken noses, is their star name, but he, outstanding though his performances have been for Saracens, will not be able to take his side to anything higher than a 5th place finish - the height of their ambition is possibly a losing bonus point against either Fiji or Samoa, and that is a massive stretch to even give them that.

As I said at the beginning of this blog, this Pool is an intriguing one. So many sides, with so much potential for brilliance yet so much inconsistency. Time to get off the fence though....

Predicted Pool D Standings

1. South Africa 2. Wales 3. Samoa 4. Fiji 5. Namibia

Much thought went into this, and I do think that Wales will, in spite of their obvious weaknesses, have enough to get by both Fiji and Samoa. Samoa will I think be too strong for Fiji, though I look forward to witnessing the contrasting styles. Namibia will finish 5th as I said.

Stars of the Pool

This again is a tricky one. If Wales manage to overcome their jitters and perform in all 4 games, then I expect Sam Warburton, Mike Philipps and Jamie Roberts to be to the fore. Botha and Matfield will obviously front up for the Springboks, and you can never rule out men like Spies and Habana, who can turn a game in the blink of an eye. Alesana Tuilagi, the 111kg Samoan wing, and the Fijians Bai and Tagicakibau will need to have massive games to see the Fijians repeat their last performance in a World Cup.

And Finally....

It has been remiss of me not to mention that the FFR (French Rugby Federation) have strangely announced that Philippe Saint-Andre will be replacing Marc Lievremont as coach after the World Cup. There's nothing quite like good timing, and typically for France, that's nothing like good timing. As usual, the French fingers are hovering over the self-destruct button before the tournament has even started.

What do SImon Shaw and Gordon D'Arcy have in common? 1 forward and 1 back, 1 Englishman and 1 Irishman, 1 is 9 feet 3 tall, the other 4 feet 2. I give in. Well they both got left behind by their teams to fly later due to illness (in the case of Shaw) and a calf strain (in the case of D'Arcy). I'm surprised D'Arcy has been left behind if that is the extent of the problem. I would have thought a plane, with all the enforced rest that is involved, would be as good a place as any to rest an injury. More to this than meets the eye??

The new World Rankings are out. The 20 Teams heading to New Zealand (coincidentally the Top 20 Nations in World Rugby) now know officially what is expected of them according to the IRB's numbers game. 20 coaches immediately said that 'the rankings mean nothing' in a desperate attempt to either downplay expectations or portray themselves as underdogs. The same coaches will no doubt be using the higher rankings of opponents as psychological weapons as the tournament goes on. Ireland's awful August sees them plummet in the rankings to 8th, below Scotland who beat them at Murrayfield earlier in the month. The rankings in full: 

1. New Zealand, 2. Australia, 3. South Africa, 4. France, 5. England, 6. Wales, 7. Scotland, 8. Ireland, 9. Argentina, 10. Samoa, 11. Italy, 12. Tonga, 13. Japan, 14. Canada, 15. Fiji, 16. Georgia, 17. Romania, 18. USA, 19. Russia, 20. Namibia

Applying these rankings to the Pools, we would see Quarter Finals of New Zealand vs Scotland, England vs France, Australia vs Wales, South Africa vs Ireland. That, coincidentally, is the same line-up as that produced my by predictions, but Argentina and Samoa in particular will be hoping they can get to the party by shocking Scotland or Wales.

England's Aviva Premiership starts this weekend as I mentioned earlier this week. Saracens defend the title they earned in a hard-fought Twickenham final win over Leicester, and these two will be most people's favourites, though I expect Northampton to be strong when their stars return from the World Cup, and Bath may be a slightly better proposition this time around. The key to this year, more than ever given the World Cup effect, is to qualify for the Play-offs. 

More from me in a couple of days time as the build-up to the World Cup continues. I plan reminiscences of my travels during the 2007 World Cup, and I will select a couple of teams in another blog: 1 best team of the previous World Cups based purely on RWC performances, the other will be a team of those I expect to make the biggest impact this time around. 

Thanks for reading, remember to vote for who you think will win RWC 2011 and look forward to hearing from you either hear or by Twitter (@theeggchaser)

RWC 2011 - Pool C Preview

11 and a bit days only now till the 7th edition of the Rugby World Cup kicks off. I hope you're enjoying these Pool previews, which are intended to inform those who maybe know little about the game, and give food for thought to those who know a little more, hopefully all with a little bit of humour thrown in.

So far, I've predicted a New Zealand route march, with the French snapping at their heels in second place in Pool A, and England headed Pool B, with the Scots sneaking by an ageing Argentina to grab a Quarter Final place.

Today I'm looking at Pool C, which while on paper slightly more straightforward, has a couple of interesting battles bubbling under the surface.

The two biggest names in the pool - Australia and Ireland - have had a contrasting month, which may well have seen them both re-assess their targets as we enter the competition. Italy sit as third favourites, while the 2 most populous nations in the tournament, USA and Russia, will be making up the numbers.

Let's look at this Pool in reverse, and start with the team who have never graced this stage before. Russia are a much improved side, and have benefited enormously from the IRB World 7s Series, where they have had some pretty high profile victories. The recent decision to elevate 7s to an Olympic sport will benefit the game in Russia as it will now benefit from financial input of a much higher level from the government, and it will become an integral part of Physical Education programs in Russian schools. All looks good for the future then for Russia, but in terms of 2011, a win against the USA is the best they can expect. Three defeats against the USA since 2004, by ever decreasing margins, show promise and with the USA game being Russia's debut on this stage, maybe they can step up... tough game to call.

The USA seem to have reached a level on the World stage. The big dream of the IRB used to be to get the game growing in the USA (a little like FIFA's dream for our round-balled cousins) to take the Rugby World Cup to the fabled 'next level'. I'm not sure this is either viable or necessary to be honest. The IRB does need some of the second tier Nations to stand up and be counted, like Argentina over the last 12 years, in order for this tournament to not be seen as the sole domain of the Tri/Six Nations mafia. Whether that is the USA, Russia, Canada or a Pacific Islands side is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. The USA, as Russia, have some outstanding athletes who are capable of making an impact with some searing plays as proved by Takudzwa Ngwenya whose Try of the Tournament 4 years ago saw him burn off Bryan Habana no less. They will still be battling for 4th place at best though in Pool C.

"Fratelli d'Italia, I'Italia s'e desta" Sorry, any thoughts of Italian rugby immediately get me singing the marvellous National anthem. Italy have grown steadily over the last 6 or 7 years with a succession of high profile coaches, but just seem to be teetering on the brink of making that next big step. Since entering the 6 Nations, initially as whipping boys, they have now recorded 6 Nations wins against Wales, Scotland and memorably France earlier this year. That win, allied with Ireland's appalling preparations will have seen Nick Mallett's men grow in confidence, and with talismanic Number 8 Sergio Parisse to the fore, you just never know. That said, I see a 2-2 record and 3rd place in the Pool.

As good as Ireland have been in recent years, they have under-performed at World Cups. You could argue that they have been particularly unlucky with the Pools they have drawn (France and Argentina - both semi-finalists) in 2007, Australia and Argentina in 2003 (a tough route through to an eventual QF defeat by France) and a 1999 QF Play-off loss to Argentina, but irrespective of that, they have under-performed when you compare results with Scotland for example.

With a fully-fit squad, and such pre-eminent names as O'Driscoll, O'Connell, O'Brien, O'Callaghan, Wallace and Heaslip having good tournaments, they could well have been up there pushing hard against Australia in the pool or South Africa, probably, in the Quarter Finals. Any hope of such a performance will have dissipated as defeats to Scotland (6-10), France (12-19 and 22-26) and England (9-20) along with injuries to Sean O'Brien and David Wallace, left the preparations in turmoil. A win against Australia now looks unthinkable, and the efforts will be focused on a fully professional performance against Italy (last pool game in Dunedin, 2nd October).

Australia, conversely, have had a good month. Since their victory in the 2001 Tri Nations Trophy victory, the Wallabies had not picked up any silverware of any value. Sure, they had won Bledisloe Cup matches, and Cook Cup matches and one-off matches for pointless ridiculously-named trophies, but no World Cup and no Tri Nations trophy since then, and the feeling to an outsider was that the Australians' traditionally small talent pool (losing a lot of potential stars to the 13 man game) had finally caught up with them. However, 3 wins from 4 in this year's Tri Nations, with the only defeat coming against New Zealand in New Zealand, see them rising to prominence at the right time. A superb set of half backs, with inspiration pace and quick feet (in Cooper's case a quicker set of feet than brain) see Genia and Cooper pulling strings, and Elsom, Pocock and Samo will pressure any side from the back row. Their lack of front row presence and no real centre pairing could well be their downfall ultimately. Top of the Pool with 4 from 4 without a shadow of a doubt for me.

Predicted Pool C Standings


1. Australia 2. Ireland 3. Italy 4. USA 5. Russia

Star of the Pool


Radike Samo - impressed massively in the recent victory against New Zealand and given the opposition in these Pool games, I expect Samo to run through sides almost at will, before being rested after 50 minutes to an hour. Quade Cooper will certainly spark the Australian backs and he will be worth keeping an eye on too. A fit Sean O'Brien will show why he is so highly rated for Ireland, and Sergio Parisse will no doubt lead from the front as always for the Azzurri.

And finally....


Australia and Ireland have history in the World Cup. One of the most thrilling games took place in 1991 when it took an inspired combination between Michael Lynagh and David Campese to break Irish hearts and send Australia on to their first trophy against the English.

Shane Jennings is the Irish beneficiary of David Wallace's injury. The Leinster back row forward, while not in Wallace's league, is a more than reliable replacement.

This weekend sees substantially weakened sides take the field for the start of the English Premier League and the RaboDirect Pro12 League (Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy). You can't win a League in the first two months of a season, but you can certainly lose it, and many sides have made interesting recruitment over the summer, with ex and unwanted internationals being hot properties (Stephen Donald the ex-All Black being possibly the highest profile recruitment by Bath).

Quade Cooper is a very lucky boy. How anyone could think his knee to the face of Richie McCaw was not deliberate is beyond me. He should learn from this, but I don't think he will; there's a bit of a wild one in his head, and I think this will cost Australia at some point during the World Cup.

Last week's Predictions were mixed. An England win was bang on the nose, but an All Blacks win with a bonus point was way off the mark. I can't stress how disappointed I was with the All Blacks, particularly around the breakdown and at half back. There are a lot of coaches who will have analysed this performance with smiles on their faces as they start to see cracks in what was previously an impenetrable All Blacks wall. It all bodes well for a cracking tournament

Hope you enjoyed the read. One more preview to come this week, then a couple more articles highlighting the World Cup, before we get going on the 9th September with New Zealand Tonga.

Spread the word about the blog to anyone you feel may be interested. There have been an encouraging number of views so far, and I hope this continues to grow.

England Back On Track As Ireland Continue To Falter

The sun greeted the kick-off at Lansdowne Road (to me, irrespective of sponsorship deals, it will always be Lansdowne Road). Ireland, unconvincing in their warm-up games so far, welcomed England, unconvincing in their warm-up games so far. Injury concerns on both sides of the tape, and Hendrie Fourie went straight into the side having been out of the World Cup 30 earlier in the week. England's Grand Slam dreams had been dashed in this very stadium 5 months previously, when they gave their least convincing performance in some time, but Ireland sensed blood that day and there was something at stake then.

After the Irish version of the Haka, a rendition of the uniting Ireland's call, England started ominously. 2 minutes of possession, Fourie to the fore on three occasions, before a series of big Irish tackles drove them back to such a disorganised extent that Wilkinson tried a drop from near halfway. England were buoyed by this though, and took the lead on 5 minutes, before Ireland had been out of their half. Haskell picked up and hit the blind side from a scrum, quick ball for once allowed England to ship it wide through Wilkinson and Tindall, where Tuilagi exploited the gap with great pace and power to stroll home untouched. Wilkinson added the conversion, and England had a deserved 7-0 lead. 

Ireland seemed to wake up with this though, and twice earned penalties in England's half. The first they tried the corner route, but a bad line-out thwarted this. The second was nearer to the posts, following a late charge on Murphy, and O'Gara slotted this between the sticks to get the Irish on the board at 3-7. No sooner this though, than England's tight 5 put a huge squeeze on in front of the Irish posts, and the Irish had to stand up and concede an easy penalty for the metronomic Wilkinson to stretch the lead to 7 once more.

Ireland continued to push for the try, spurning 2 more kicks at goal and Redden somehow finding Cueto when with a little care, the corner was begging. Cueto's interception was the only way England could have avoided conceding, but Redden really should have done better. On 18 minutes, England were pinged bizarrely by touch judge Poite for a forward pass. Poite is an up and coming official, who referees the scrums as well as anyone, but his vision was somewhat errant on this occasion. Ireland got another penalty under the sticks for a breakdown infringement. Advantage was played before the penalty was given, and the bad news for Ireland was that David Wallace, the influential back row forward, was seemingly severely injured in the advantage play; another victim of a last minute injury?

O'Gara kicked the penalty, and Wilkinson retorted following a high tackle on the Irish 22 to make it 13-6 to the English, who looked far more incisive, probably due to the combination of quicker ball and Tuilagi's presence. Tuilagi was making his presence felt at both ends of the pitch and only a great last-ditch tackle by Murphy prevented a 3rd try in a game and a half in an England shirt. A little bit of chess followed, with the only incident of note being the precautionary removal of Heaslip with a slight injury, before O'Gara slotted a 3rd penalty following another England penalty, after which referee Nigel Owens gave the England captain the traditional warning of 'next cynical one goes for 10 minutes'.

A fired-up Croft and Healy exchanged pleasantries on the floor a couple of minutes before the half-time break. Healy lost a contact lens, England didn't lose Croft. Ireland pushed hard during the last 90 seconds, but solid scrambled defence from the away side saw them take the changing rooms with a 4 point lead. 3 important players, 2 Irishmean (Wallace and Heaslip) and 1 Englishman (Cueto), plus the back-up England flanker Fourie, had limped off during a tough first half in Dublin.

Half time Ireland 9 England 13

One minute into the second half, and Chris Ashton was the man who paid the penalty for England's persistent infringement at the breakdown, as he received a yellow card from Mr Owens before O'Gara hit the post with the subsequent penalty. England's 14 men did what short-handed sides need to do. They kept the ball in hand and shared the workload amongst themselves. Tindall, captain for the day, weighted a kick through perfectly for Delon Armitage who dropped over for England's second try to provoke strains of Swing Low Sweet Chariot... strains which were booed and whistled down by the home fans. Wilkinson had the last word from the touchline to make it 9-20.

The usual raft of second half changes, along with a torrential downpour, made continuity difficult in the second half, and both sides seemed pretty niggly meaning lots of penalties. With the rains come Flood, but not here as Wilkinson remained on the field with Wigglesworth who had a quietly efficient game. As usual in such circumstances, the kicking game comes to the fore, and Sexton, who had replaced O'Gara, and Armitage, both put in a couple of magnificent kicks. Inspirational moments were few and far between in a messy second half though, and with the ball more and more resembling a bar of soap, errors killed most positive intentions. It had become a game for the grafters, and the rise to prominence of O'Connell in green and Tindall in white was evidence of that. 2 of the doughtiest scrappers had big second half impacts. 

As the last ten minutes arrived, and with the conditions not improving, Armitage badly sliced a kick from his own 22 allowing the solid Ireland line-out a good position from which to build an attack. Clean ball came, and Ireland went through the phases, but all was a little slow due to both excellent defence in midfield and the rain, and the attack petered out in an England line-out on the other side of the field. Any semblance of Irish penetration had completely gone now, as they missed D'Arcy and O'Driscoll (who wouldn't) and the game finished in a straightforward England win. A game which clearly lacked the intensity of this morning's battle in Brisbane, but then there was nothing on this one.

Final Score Ireland 9 England 20

Men of the Match - Manu Tuilagi and Mike Tindall. An early try, some destructive tackling, a finely placed kick and the required penetration in midfield. Impossible to split these two, who give England a promising partnership in their problem position at last. They're not Carling and Guscott, they're not O'Driscoll and D'Arcy, but they're a good unit. 

Thoughts

Ireland finish their World Cup warm-up matches with a record of Played 4, Lost 4. Any forward momentum, any optimism, any warm feeling has been completely dispelled by a dreadful August. Admittedly, they missed O'Brien, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy and were further reduced during the game with the loss of Wallace and Heaslip. Their performances have left them thankful that they are in a pool that shouldn't cause too many problems (Australia aside, they should beat Italy, USA and Russia). There is no way though that they can compete with the probable Quarter Final opponents, South Africa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves though here. Declan Kidney is a shrewd coach, and assuming all his big names come through their various trials and tribulations, I'm sure he'll have picked them up by the time they land in New Zealand.

England however will bounce toward the plane after recording their first win in Dublin since they were crowned World Champions in 2003. I was a little nervous going into this game given the result in Cardiff 2 weeks ago, but another solid performance up front, where there are options across the board now for England, allied with improved performances at half back and the emergence of a centre partnership worthy of the name, means Martin Johnson can look forward to his World Cup with a little more confidence than he otherwise would have.

I hope you've enjoyed my take on today's two big Internationals. I will be back with the Pool C and D previews during the week. Keep the comments coming and follow me on twitter for more succinct comment and views.