World cup fixtures announced.

[kingol22]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/7759155.stm
Opening game new zealand v tonga.
Wouldnt they have been better off with france as a game that should be a 50+ win is hardly going to get much excitement.

[SimonP in Surrey]

Quick check of the fixtures and current form guide would have England vs France in QF2. That is a flip of the coin who would win IMHO. Then SF1 would have England vs Australia .. again maybe a flip of the coin eiethr way. Then with even more optimism England would play either the Boks or NZ in the final. I think NZ will beat England in the final.

Predictions please !!

[Tigerbob]

Pool A
1. New Zealand
2. France

Pool B
1. England
2. Scotland

Pool C
1. Australia
2. Ireland

Pool D
1. South Africa
2. Wales

Quarter Finals
Aus vs Wales - Australia

South Africa vs Wales - South Africa

France vs England - France

New Zealand vs Scotland - New Zealand

Semi-Finals

Aus vs France - Australia

South Africa vs NZ - New Zealand

Unfortunately New Zealand will avoid their bogey team - France
AND Australia will avoid their bogey team - England

New Zealand to finally not bottle it in a World Cup Final with Australia

[kingol22]

france will top their group and england will get past new zealand. australia will finish 2nd and it will be a england australia final with flood kicking the drop goal to win the game.

[Tigerbob]

.... and then you woke up!!

[Tigerbob]

Anyone noticed the turnaround times between games in the pool stages?

Team------------Game 1--Game 2--Game 3--Game 4--------Total-Days
New-Zealand------------7------8--------8-------------------23
Australia--------------6------6-------11-------------------23
Argentina--------------7------8--------7------------------22
Fiji-------------------7------8--------7------------------22
Tonga------------------5------7-------10------------------22
Wales------------------7------8--------7------------------22
England----------------8------6--------7-----------------21
France-----------------8------6--------7-----------------21
Ireland----------------6------8--------7-----------------21
Italy------------------9------7--------5-----------------21
Scotland---------------4------11-------6-----------------21
South-Africa-----------6------5--------8---------------19
Canada-----------------4------9--------5--------------18
Georgia----------------4------10-------4--------------18
Playoff-Winner---------7------7--------4--------------18
Japan------------------6------5--------6-------------17
Namibia----------------4------8--------4------------16
Samoa------------------4------7--------5------------16
USA--------------------4------8--------4------------16

Noticeably, the minnows have the worst turnarounds, and will have the smaller and less experienced squads, unable to field alternate players of reasonably equal standards e.g. Japan, Namibia, Samoa, USA, Canada and Georgia.

The higher seeded teams have the longest turnarounds, notably New Zealand (no bias there then!), Australia, Argentina, Fiji, Wales, England, Ireland and France.

I think it should have been possible to allow the minnows the luxury of the longer turnarounds, and let the tier 1 sides have to suffer shorter ones.

[tigerwoodz]

I hadn't noticed that Tigerbob, but now you have pointed out it seams pretty unfair. I guess they just want the best world cup they can - and in giving the bigger teams that added rest should create better games.

Although I agree with you, they should have handed th longer rest periods to the "weaker" sides.

[Outlander]

Hi, folks. Long time since I've posted. But I have been lurking ...

Say, doesn't it seem that England have an incredibly fortunate pool? No SA, no NZ, no Aus, and none of the recent 6N winners? Could it be said ENG have the easiest path to the knockout stages?

I suppose, to be fair, the same could be said for ARG. I suppose Scotland would feel fortunate as well, but I dunno if I really believe in them.

However wins the ARG/ENG match could be seeded close to or even at the top!

I find it remarkable that the host nation is placed in a pool with the team that knocked them out last time.

I am vague on how all this is done but I thought it was done by world rankings. If this is so, I am surprised that ENG have a low stress road to the knock-out stages while the higher ranked nations face each other.

Remarkable.

[Outlander]

Looking at Tiger Bob's post, maybe I am misreading?

I figured the pool members would play each other.

Is that wrong?

[kingol22]

no it is not wrong all he is showing is the gaps between the games.

[SimonP in Surrey]

After yesterdays Tri-nations match between AUS and RSA you have to think the boks are very much on the wane .. and with the coach PdV .. they have no time tio get any real new blood up to speed ...
... I think NZ will be licking their lips ...

[Kinoulton]

It was noted by the commentators and the pundits at the last World Cup that the "lesser" nations had a far harder schedule than the seeded teams, with much less time between games.

It would seem that nothing has altered in that respect.

[Bill W (2)]

france will top their group and england will get past new zealand. australia will finish 2nd and it will be a england australia final with flood kicking the drop goal to win the game.

Aus v England final.

All square into extra time.

Croft wins a line out. Spun along the line. Hipkiss into contact - maul - advances 10m - Young darts - Parling drives - and Young darts again and scores under the posts!!!!

[kingol22]

no it will be manu crashing up field offloading to hipkiss who will pass to parling who will set up the mall with youngs darting round and making cooper look like an amature.