Rugby World Cup 2015: Megathread

[Uitbregen]

Well, considering the competition starts in two weeks, I thought it might be cool to start the discussion thread. All the squads have been announced, and the last of the warm-ups are being played over the next few days.

Fixtures
Squads

OP's worthless opinions:

New Zealand

Will always be a threat. Their pack is always strong, regardless of whether McCaw - still a class act - is on his last legs. Kieran Read is still a one-man rugby team. I'm none too versed in the new names in the Kiwi backline, but there's not much of a chance of them being anything less than super good. Carter, like McCaw, will probably bow out, but is still quality. Savea's been out injured recently, but is apparently back to somewhere near his best. Will demolish their group and quite possibly the tournament. Won't reach top gear until the semi-finals, where they'll outdo their opponents, whoever they may be.

South Africa

I like the look of South Africa. The meatiest pack as usual, including my personal favourite Duane Vermuelen. Amongst their backs, assuming they play them, I really like Damien De Allende and Jesse Kriel, who I saw play twice during the Rugby Championship and look electric in midfield. Willie Le Roux is world class, and their wingers are never bad. Easy-as-hell group, with only Scotland, and they'll take them apart. Might come up against any one of England, Wales or Australia in the quarters, and it'll be a heavy affair regardless of opposition, but should come through. Could see them going to the final, but I'm not sure about them beating NZ. They could do though, you never know, they have have the mental and physical strength.

Australia

Don't know what to make of them. Half the time they pull out performances like they did when they beat New Zealand in Round 3 of the Quad Nations, and other times they are rubbish like in Round 4 - it's that polarised. They've got real world-beaters in Cooper, Folau etc., but sometimes they just don't perform, and I guess that's pretty frustrating for Aussie fans. However, I could see them overturning both Wales and England in Group A, and in the knock-out stages, anything can happen. Don't rule them out for the final, but a title is unlikely IMO.

England

You just get the sense it's all falling apart right at the wrong moment. Our pack suddenly looks weak compared to the best, and our back row, whilst comprised of good players, looks a bit weak. Robshaw is good, but he's not the all-conquering man at the breakdown that he needs to be. Ben Morgan is my preferable Number 8, but they'll probably play Vunipola, which is meh. Line-out is rubbish as well, but Parling might fix that. Our half-backs are serviceable, although Ford looks wobbly, which is bad, because they'll select Farrell whom I dislike. Our centres should be Burgess and Joseph, but will be Barritt and Joseph. Watson is really good and could be one of the best players at the tourney. Cipriani was unlucky to miss out, as was Burrell. Jonny May is just fast. If we get out the group, which I'm undecided on whether it'll happen, then we could perhaps fluke our way to the final, but a victory won't happen. The crowd will play a big part, and could push us over the line one time or another. Tomorrow's game vs Ireland is a very big one.

Wales

Looked good when they beat Ireland last weekend, but I'm not to versed about the minutiae of their build-up. I know Anscombe is injured, but other than that, they're good. Their back row is quality, and could well play two No 7s in Warburton and Tipuric, which I like. North is world class, provided he doesn't get hit on the head, and their backs are generally sound all-round. It's difficult to know; in front of the Millenium, they're pretty tough, but in England, I don't know how good they'll be vs England and Australia, and could well go out at the Group Stages. Or they could recreate their 2013 form and gut England. They've got a problem with Australia though, and I think Australia will beat them. England vs Wales will be a very crucial game. Halfpenny is awesome.

Ireland

Will bash, tackle and scrum their way to the semi-final IMO. Not pretty, but effective, and will quietly go about their business to the semi-finals. They're grouped with France and Italy, who are both tough, but Ireland are tougher. Sexton is one of the best fly halves in the world, and whilst none of their backs are particularly world class, they're all good and do score points. Their defence is titanic, and will ship very few points.

My predictions

Quarters

Australia vs Scotland
South Africa vs England
France vs New Zealand
Ireland vs Argentina

Semis

Australia vs South Africa
New Zealand vs Ireland

Final

New Zealand vs South Africa

[Wopruthien]

Yesterday's game was a disaster for me. We got the win, but lose Webb at scrum-half, a position we lack any depth and quality and also lose Halfpenny who is a huge loss for our kicking.

If we can get Liam Williams fit it's not such a big loss as he offers a lot more attacking options. But Halfpenny will kick anything that is around the half way line and convert to 3 points which is invaluable against the likes of Australia and England in close games.

We've lost Jonathan Davies, Samson Lee, Liam Williams (fingers crossed he's fit in time), Rhys WEbb, Alun Wyn Jones (same as Liam) and Leigh Halfpenny. Cuthbert is in terrible form too. Huge losses, and in a group where there is no easy game I can't see us getting out of it. Uruguay isn't easy, simply because it could come down to points difference you have to put close to a hundred points on them to put pressure on the other 2 teams.

My prediction, we lose to Australia but beat England. Fail to get out of the group due to points difference. Australia, NZ final.

Scotland to do terrible (still not forgiven you for rolling over against Ireland in the 6 nations)!

[The Archregimancy]

Bumping up because the competition starts on Friday, and I want to avoid multiple threads starting (I actually came in to start my own RWC thread, but saw someone else had already had a go).

If I'd been starting the poll, I would have done so as neutrally as possible by offering the top 9 teams in the [urlhttp://www.worldrugby.org/rankings]World Rankings[/url], and making option 10 'other'.

Which, paradoxically, would have meant replacing the team I actually support in rugby (Scotland) with Fiji; but there you go. Though I recognise that Scotland have a better chance of getting to the second round given the miserable draw Fiji were given. That a single group (Group A) should include the 2nd (Australia), 4th (England), 5th (Wales), and 9th-ranked (Fiji) teams in the world does seem a little hard on the Fijians (never mind poor Uruguay, who are the group's sacrificial lambs).

As to the actual tournament, Scotland should get out of their group in second behind Sarf Ifrica, and will then likely face a crashing reality check against England, Australia, or Wales in the second round.

[Shamhnan Insir]

Bumping up because the competition starts on Friday, and I want to avoid multiple threads starting (I actually came in to start my own RWC thread, but saw someone else had already had a go).

If I'd been starting the poll, I would have done so as neutrally as possible by offering the top 9 teams in the [urlhttp://www.worldrugby.org/rankings]World Rankings[/url], and making option 10 'other'.

Which, paradoxically, would have meant replacing the team I actually support in rugby (Scotland) with Fiji; but there you go. Though I recognise that Scotland have a better chance of getting to the second round given the miserable draw Fiji were given. That a single group (Group A) should include the 2nd (Australia), 4th (England), 5th (Wales), and 9th-ranked (Fiji) teams in the world does seem a little hard on the Fijians (never mind poor Uruguay, who are the group's sacrificial lambs).

As to the actual tournament, Scotland should get out of their group in second behind Sarf Ifrica, and will then likely face a crashing reality check against England, Australia, or Wales in the second round.

Whilst I also will be supporting my home team of Scotland, I do feel a bit sorry for the Fijians. However given the injury problems of Wales you never know!
I'm waaay behind on my preparations for this though. Need to move the furniture back into the lounge and buy enough ale to make sure I'm above the recommended blood alcohol level for the whole tournament.

[Risottia]

Scotland in the OP's poll? Then why not Italy, considering how Scotland managed to get the spoon this year?

Anyway, I think Ireland's going to win.

[Ifreann]

I was previously unaware of the existence of either a Canadian or a Romanian rugby team.

[Kaboomlandia]

What? No Canada in the poll?

[The Archregimancy]

I was previously unaware of the existence of either a Canadian or a Romanian rugby team.

Prior to the Romanian Revolution, Romania were consistently one of the best teams in Europe. They won the bronze medal in rugby in the 1924 Olympics, and formed strong associations with French rugby (and would regularly defeat France when playing in Bucharest). By 1975 they were good enough to be invited on a tour of New Zealand. Into the 1980s they were still improving, and started to manage some excellent away results, including a 13-13 draw against Ireland in 1980 and a victory over Wales in Cardiff in 1988 (Wales had been crushed 24-6 on a visit to Bucharest 5 years earlier). As late as 1990 they managed to beat France in Paris.

But Romanian rugby suffered badly when communism collapsed - not least because of the strong associations between the top club sides and the regime - and the national union was unable to react when rugby became professional shortly thereafter. From a peak of 12,000 players across over 100 club sides, they're now down to a small pool derived from a mere 28 clubs. The national team's since been eclipsed by both Italy and Georgia as Europe's leading 'other' sides; but if we'd been expanding the Five Nations to the Six Nations before Ceausescu's fall, we likely would have picked Romania over Italy.

But even now, Romania are still only one of 12 teams to have played in every Rugby World Cup (New Zealand, Australia, England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and Japan are the others).

[Ifreann]

I was previously unaware of the existence of either a Canadian or a Romanian rugby team.

Prior to the Romanian Revolution, Romania were consistently one of the best teams in Europe. They won the bronze medal in rugby in the 1924 Olympics, and formed strong associations with French rugby (and would regularly defeat France when playing in Bucharest). By 1975 they were good enough to be invited on a tour of New Zealand. Into the 1980s they were still improving, and started to manage some excellent away results, including a 13-13 draw against Ireland in 1980 and a victory over Wales in Cardiff in 1988 (Wales had been crushed 24-6 on a visit to Bucharest 5 years earlier). As late as 1990 they managed to beat France in Paris.

But Romanian rugby suffered badly when communism collapsed - not least because of the strong associations between the top club sides and the regime - and the national union was unable to react when rugby became professional shortly thereafter. From a peak of 12,000 players across over 100 club sides, they're now down to a small pool derived from a mere 28 clubs. The national team's since been eclipsed by both Italy and Georgia as Europe's leading 'other' sides; but if we'd been expanding the Five Nations to the Six Nations before Ceausescu's fall, we likely would have picked Romania over Italy.

But even now, Romania are still only one of 12 teams to have played in every Rugby World Cup (New Zealand, Australia, England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and Japan are the others).

Definitely going to bring this up in the pub.

[The Blaatschapen]

Prior to the Romanian Revolution, Romania were consistently one of the best teams in Europe. They won the bronze medal in rugby in the 1924 Olympics, and formed strong associations with French rugby (and would regularly defeat France when playing in Bucharest). By 1975 they were good enough to be invited on a tour of New Zealand. Into the 1980s they were still improving, and started to manage some excellent away results, including a 13-13 draw against Ireland in 1980 and a victory over Wales in Cardiff in 1988 (Wales had been crushed 24-6 on a visit to Bucharest 5 years earlier). As late as 1990 they managed to beat France in Paris.

But Romanian rugby suffered badly when communism collapsed - not least because of the strong associations between the top club sides and the regime - and the national union was unable to react when rugby became professional shortly thereafter. From a peak of 12,000 players across over 100 club sides, they're now down to a small pool derived from a mere 28 clubs. The national team's since been eclipsed by both Italy and Georgia as Europe's leading 'other' sides; but if we'd been expanding the Five Nations to the Six Nations before Ceausescu's fall, we likely would have picked Romania over Italy.

But even now, Romania are still only one of 12 teams to have played in every Rugby World Cup (New Zealand, Australia, England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Argentina, Canada, and Japan are the others).

Definitely going to bring this up in the pub.

Archregimancy, providing pub trivia to NS since 2005

I might catch a few games during the weekends here and there. Not particularly rooting for any one team. But I'm open for suggestions/bribes

Probably Ireland, since some of the games will be seen in an Irish pub (but some others I'll watch at work ).

[Ifreann]

Definitely going to bring this up in the pub.

Archregimancy, providing pub trivia to NS since 2005

He's not just a pretty face.

I might catch a few games during the weekends here and there. Not particularly rooting for any one team. But I'm open for suggestions/bribes

Probably Ireland, since some of the games will be seen in an Irish pub (but some others I'll watch at work ).

*discreet brown envelope*

[Uitbregen]

Scotland in the OP's poll? Then why not Italy, considering how Scotland managed to get the spoon this year?

Anyway, I think Ireland's going to win.

Horrendous Home Nation's bias, that's why Italy aren't in the poll, as well as the fact that Scotland are higher than them in the World Rankings. Plus I rate Scotland above Italy, despite the wooden spoon. Playing in the British Isles will aid them.

What? No Canada in the poll?

Canada are technically the third worst team in the competition, above Uruguay and Namibia, plus they've got to play all of France, Ireland & Italy, who will roll them, and Romania who are on a par with them.

[Shamhnan Insir]

Good to see Namibia playing. Some of the rugby culture of SA must be crossing the border, they even televise the games between the big public schools.

[Risottia]

Good to see Namibia playing. Some of the rugby culture of SA must be crossing the border, they even televise the games between the big public schools.

More rugby culture would be a good idea for the whole Africa.

[Costa Fierro]

I voted for France, primarily because they're the best side that hasn't won and because New Zealand has not won the cup outside of New Zealand itself.

No doubt that glorious tradition will continue either in the semi-finals or in the finals.

[The Archregimancy]

Good to see Namibia playing. Some of the rugby culture of SA must be crossing the border, they even televise the games between the big public schools.

This will be Namibia's 5th consecutive World Cup.

The roots of Namibian rugby lie in the South African apartheid regime's de facto control of the former Southwest Africa - which is why so many of the players have names like Torsten van Jaarsveld, Louis van der Westhuizen, Eugene Jantjies, Johnny Redelinghuys, Chrysander Botha, and their best player (and captain) Jacques Burger. The Namibian union has arguably been much less successful than their South African counterparts in broadening the sport's participation and support base in a multi-racial society, and Tjiuee Uanivi is a rare exception to the Boer dominance of the Namibian team.

So yes, SA rugby culture did cross the border; whether it was the right sort of SA rugby culture is, perhaps, more open to question. I stress that this isn't an accusation of racism towards the current Namibian union and national team player base; and president Hage Geingob did wave the team off to England from Windhoek airport, so to some degree they've overcome their roots (Geingob's admonition to 'give the All-Blacks hell' might, however, have been slightly optimistic). But the circumstances under which rugby came to be played in the country, and under which the initial player base was formed, perhaps implicitly restrict further growth of the sport.

[The Archregimancy]

I might catch a few games during the weekends here and there. Not particularly rooting for any one team. But I'm open for suggestions/bribes

If you enjoy masochism, might I suggest Scotland?

Our whisky is also better than Ireland's whiskey.

[Please note important different spellings of distilled spirit's name in previous sentence]

[The Blaatschapen]

I might catch a few games during the weekends here and there. Not particularly rooting for any one team. But I'm open for suggestions/bribes

If you enjoy masochism, might I suggest Scotland?

Our whisky is also better than Ireland's whiskey.

[Please note important different spellings of distilled spirit's name in previous sentence]

I enjoy masochism, I support the Netherlands in football.

I'm not fond of whisk*y though.

But I'll pick South Africa or Namibia, I can pronounce some of the names

[The Archregimancy]

If you enjoy masochism, might I suggest Scotland?

Our whisky is also better than Ireland's whiskey.

[Please note important different spellings of distilled spirit's name in previous sentence]

I enjoy masochism, I support the Netherlands in football.

I'm not fond of whisk*y though.

But I'll pick South Africa or Namibia, I can pronounce some of the names

You can pronounce Tendai Mtawarira, Lwazi Mvovo, and Tjiuee Uanivi?

[The Blaatschapen]

I enjoy masochism, I support the Netherlands in football.

I'm not fond of whisk*y though.

But I'll pick South Africa or Namibia, I can pronounce some of the names

You can pronounce Tendai Mtawarira, Lwazi Mvovo, and Tjiuee Uanivi?

I said 'some', not all

Also: Yes

[Yakkistan]

England is going to win anyway.

[Lauranienne]

Well, the upside of being half English and Irish is I have a good chance of winning something, although England would be the preferred choice

[Ifreann]

I might catch a few games during the weekends here and there. Not particularly rooting for any one team. But I'm open for suggestions/bribes

If you enjoy masochism, might I suggest Scotland?

Our whisky is also better than Ireland's whiskey.

[Please note important different spellings of distilled spirit's name in previous sentence]

I hope you realise this means war.

[The Archregimancy]

If you enjoy masochism, might I suggest Scotland?

Our whisky is also better than Ireland's whiskey.

[Please note important different spellings of distilled spirit's name in previous sentence]

I hope you realise this means war.

A bottle of Ardbeg to the winner!

[Shamhnan Insir]

I hope you realise this means war.

A bottle of Ardbeg to the winner!

If this is the spoils of the war, then I'm in!

But the circumstances under which rugby came to be played in the country, and under which the initial player base was formed, perhaps implicitly restrict further growth of the sport.

Playing at world cup level should hopefully push things in the right direction, although from the attitudes of the Afrikaaners I met in the bars of Northern Cape I think South Africa has got a way to go yet too.