Rugby World Cup Countdown

South Africa 2007 Winners.

With the start of the Rugby World Cup a matter of weeks away, the recent ‘friendlies’ have given the respective managers much to ponder on. South Africa have undergone two fairly resounding beatings in their two Tri-Nations matches, albeit with a much weakened side. New Zealand despatched the Springboks before extending their strong Eden Park unbeaten record   to nine, with a comfortable win over Australia. With the tournament in their own country surely the All Blacks have their best ever chance of finally reclaiming the tournament they last won back in 1987. Pressure from themselves, the fans, and indeed the world, who all expect them to win and win well, may well be their downfall as in other World Cups. And the simple fact that in sport nothing is guaranteed, one sensational performance is all that’s needed to upset the favourites.

Debut try for Manu Tuilagi.

From the Northern Hemisphere, England once again looks to be the stand out team. Winning the six nations, but missing out on the Grand Slam will have done much for their confidence. But the worry is that, with an away defeat in Ireland blotting the seasons C.V. will they have the confidence and the belief to actually take on the might of the Southern Hemisphere. 2015 has been lauded as the year when the English players reach their prime, and as in 2003, the ‘Dad’s Army’ led by now manager Martin Johnson, experience has proven to be the key ingredient in English success in the past.

Lawrence Dallaglio was quoted after the 2003 World Cup as saying, “it was that inner steel, the inner belief within the squad that whatever it takes we will win”. Currently I believe only one side has that belief, backed by a record that strikes fear into the rest of the world, and backed by a knowledgeable  and  passionate home crowd, New Zealand are the team that need to be stopped. But anything can happen in sport, which is why we love it!

I firmly believe that England has what it takes to win their group, with a beatable Scotland and a poorer Argentina side the chief threats. Winning the group is essential, and should this happen then a quarter final match up possibly versus the old enemy, France is on the cards. Once into the knockout stages it really can go either way, but my money is on England reaching the semis, after then, form, injuries and luck will all play a massive part in what will follow.



Captain Richie McCaw with the Bledisloe Cup



So to Saturday’s matches, what have we learnt? Well, on home soil the All Blacks look worryingly clinical, even as Australia get themselves back into the game, the Blacks scored from the  resulting restart.  They have a team packed with pace and power, and now have Daniel Carter as the all time leading points scorer in International rugby, overtaking our own Jonny Wilkinson.  An Australia England semi is on the cards if it goes to form. Law of averages says that the Aussies are due a World Cup win having lost in three consecutive tournaments, and they certainly are ahead of the third Tri-Nations side. South Africa’s squad is not strong enough on the evidence of the last two weeks, but if the big players return and return injury free, then a semi for the holders again surely is achievable.

England were never going to better the 62-5 2003 score line against Wales. In fact it really was more a  fact finding mission for the England coaching staff with several fringe players given the chance to prove their worth ,   and others their fitness . To see the players troop out in the all black second strip will immediately bring comparisons to the tournament hosts. It seems that as many column inches have been written on the fact that England’s change strip is black, like New Zealand. Wales, which will sport the same colours next weekend in Cardiff, seem to have missed this criticism.

To the match, A six point half time lead, courtesy of a James Haskell try, and 3 kicks from 2003 winner Jonny Wilkinson, coming in a half of dominance if not shown in the score line, gave hope that even shorn of a few stars England can compete, at least with the ‘mid table’ Northern Hemisphere teams. Rustiness was the key word and it is wrong to compare the performance with today’s Bledisloe cup match as New Zealand and Australia are both three games ahead of both the European nations.

Manu Tuilagi’s early try in the second half settled the nerves and should have laid the platform for England to express themselves.  But the Welsh are too proud to fold against the ‘enemy’, and a Shane Williams try in the corner gave England something to think about, and with five to go George North’s second try of the game put Wales within four points. But it was the English aggression at the breakdown that was the difference in this first of two, home and away pre tournament match ups, winning 23-19. Both sides’ lost key players through injury, Captain Lewis Moody who missed the entire Six Nations limped off and Wales’ Morgan Stoddart cruelly broke his leg and is definitely out.  It remains to be seen how costly these injuries will become. 

Ireland and Scotland will be aiming for the quarters and on the evidence of this match up neither team will trouble the big names. With both sides missing big name players it was left to a late score from Joe Ansbro to win an uninspiring match 10-9. They will both be better next month, World Cups tend to bring out the best in players,   but one wonders how the Scots will get themselves out of the pool stages with both England and Argentina to play.  Ireland have no easy group either with the Wallabies and Italy to face along with an always physical USA, but they should still progress nonetheless