World Cup Review - England 25 - 28 Wales

Usually, I try to be impartial with these things.  Which is difficult, when you're a proud Englishmen and you have several loud-mouthed Welsh friends.  It's even more difficult when a loss, to the bitterest of rivals, is followed by a morning consisting of 8 hours travelling and a hangover brought about by 3 days worth of Oktoberfest.  I'm not going to lie.  Sunday was a really, really bad day.

But I suspect that Saturday night was pretty special for some.  An atmosphere that needed no introduction, between two of rugby's oldest enemies, was suddenly electrified further by a half-cut Twickenham crowd and a full-on laser show.  Both sides had their selection issues before this game with Wales' the better documented - the loss of Jonathan Davies, Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny would hurt any team, but the likes of Manu Tuilagi, Jonathan Joseph and Dylan Hartley wouldn't be a bad addition either.  The usual pre-game exchange of words had gone on but, finally, the game everyone had been waiting for - since that World Cup draw back in 2012 - could finally get underway.

The nerves out there were easy to see as, almost straight from the kick-off, Tom Youngs and Courtney Lawes were penalised in quick succession for not rolling away, giving Dan Biggar a simple shot to get the scoreboard ticking in just the second minute.  Both were pretty harsh calls from Jerome Garces, but he would prove to be consistent in his strict application throughout and - for England anyway - this was an ominous indication of what was to come. 

Aside from the brief break when Dan Biggar was lining up his three points of the afternoon, the first 10 minutes were scrappy and chaotic, with Scott Williams and Anthony Watson both catching the eye with sharp breaks, only for good scrapping at the breakdown to kill their sides' momentum.  One area where there very clearly was an advantage though, was the scrum.  Now, I suspect that many people see Dan Cole in their nightmares for other reasons quite aside from those that our rugby-related, but Gethin Jenkins must especially hate the sight of him as he found himself backpedding at a rate of knots in the first two scrums - the second of which led to a penalty which was smoothly knocked over by Owen Farrell.

Cole might have been patting himself on the back but he was the next to allow himself to fall victim to the whistle of Garces, as the prop was alleged to have not been supporting his body weight in a mail when contesting possession.  Again, it was a marginal call which other referees may have overlooked, but with Garces position made clear and Jenkins pleading for the penalty, Cole only had himself to blame as Biggar again stroked Wales into the lead.

As the game began to settle into a familiar rhythm, though, it started to become clear that the hosts were sneaking the physical battle of the gainline, with a couple of meetings between Sam Burgess and Jamie Roberts setting shudders through the stands and, playing off front foot ball, Ben Youngs was starting to cause mayhem around the fringes.  After one snipe nearly saw him scoot through, the move slowed down and the ball came back to Farrell, who somehow scuffed over a drop goal from 40 metres under massive pressure.

Speaking of massive pressure, the Welsh scrum wasn't getting any better either, with Farrell banging over another three points after another penalty was conceded at the set piece - although, to be honest, if I were Welsh I would have been raising questions over the angle of Marler's drive.  The game was now definitely swaying into the hosts' favour and, in the 26th minute, England made what already looked - at the time - like it could be a killer blow.  Off the back of a lineout, Watson came bursting through the gap and, although his pass didn't go to hand, Mike Brown wriggled his way forward to get the men in white just 10 metres out, where Ben Youngs isolated Scott Williams to put Jonny May round and near the posts.  One Farrell conversion later and, suddenly, England had a 10 point lead and a try that looked very, very easy.  In a game predicted to be on a knife-edge, surely that would prove to be too big a mountain for Wales to overcome?  The warning signs that this was absolutely not the case were there when Scott Williams caught Sam Burgess too narrow and surged through a gap, only to be denied by Brown, and they were confirmed when Biggar added yet another penalty to make the half-time score 16 - 9.  England were well on top, but Wales were hanging on.

Hanging on by their fingernails, to be precise, at the start of the second half.  England's lineout was working well and the pressure forced a penalty, again smashed over by Farrell, and then a lightning break by the impressive Ben Youngs brought the pressure straight back on the men in red, only for Burgess to kick the ball away.  It would prove to be the first of many costly wastes, as shortly afterwards the dead-eyed Biggar was booting another 3 points following a smartly taken quick tap by Gareth Davies.  In hindsight, this is when England should have started to worry - they were playing nearly all of the rugby, but Wales were still within sniffing distance.

Farrell and Biggar exchanged yet more penalties from yet more breakdown offences, but England started to lose some of their thrust when first Ben Youngs, and then Billy Vunipola, were forced off injured - arguably England's two best players.  They weren't the only ones, though, as the Welsh injury curse struck again with, unbelievably, three players struck down within five minutes - Scott Williams, Hallam Amos and Liam Williams the unlucky individuals.  It led to a huge backline reshuffle for the Welsh - George North moved to centre with Alex Cuthbert coming onto the wing, scrum half Lloyd Davies had to fill in on the other wing, and Rhys Priestland slotted in at 15.  In amongst all this, Farrell and Biggar had, unsurprisingly, exchanged more penalties, and England had gone close again after Jonny May and Watson carved open the Welsh defence, only for the ball to go to ground.

With 12 minutes remaining, a makeshift backline for Wales and a home side seemingly cruising and in control with a 7 point lead, surely there was only one way this game could go?

Here, it pains me to say it, was one of the more remarkable pieces of rugby I've witnessed - and nobody, not even Welsh supporters, really saw it coming.  Having not really looked threatening for most of the game, the men in red suddenly found space on the left - space created by Brad Barritt's bizarre decision to rush up when 60 metres out, leaving a huge overlap - the substitute Lloyd Williams scooted down the wing and, under pressure from the cover defence, brilliantly kicked the ball infield where the onrushing Gareth Davies scooped up the bouncing ball to crash over under the posts.  It was a wonderful piece of spatial awareness and skill from Williams, a man who was out of position and only just onto the pitch, and well-worthy of squaring the game up following Biggar's conversion.

Whilst most of the fans were torn between applauding the brilliance of the Welsh score and wondering how in the hell they were still even in the game, the visitors now had their eyes on the kill.  England had lost Billy Vunipola to injury and, strangely, had taken Sam Burgess off, meaning their ability to get over the gain line off phase ball was much more limited - Wales, though, looked hungry and supremely clinical.  And there was only one place a 50 metre penalty, against Mike Brown for holding on, was going when Biggar stepped up with his little shuffle.  Right bang between the posts.

Twickenham was stunned.  Through sheer grit, doggedness and determination, Wales had stayed in the game and then, in an explosion of class and ruthlessness, had snatched the game away.  This was Ali v Foreman stuff.  England had one more chance to get their opponent onto the canvas, one last penalty in the Welsh 22.  With the way Farrell had been kicking, this was going straight over - and a draw would be the result.  Not a disaster for either side, given Australia's failure to pick up a bonus point against Fiji.  Chris Robshaw, though, made the big call to go for the corner - if it comes off, it's a great decision; if not, well...ask Chris.  I have no idea why England threw to the front of that lineout, and why they didn't at least try to shift the point of contact, but Wales defended the maul superbly, smashing it into touch.  One last scrum later, the ball was off the park, and Warren Gatland's men had probably their most famous victory over England - certainly up there with 'that' hammering in Cardiff.

The brilliance of this Welsh win should not be understated - especially given the makeshift backline that they had to field - but, equally, the failure of England to win this game should not be overstated.  The easy thing to do now would be for England to listen to the media and lose hope - but this was not an outclassing like we saw in Cardiff two years ago.  This was a classic smash and grab by Wales, but it was a game where England were the better side for 65 minutes - and I don't think you'd find too many Welsh fans disagreeing with that.  Instead, in the cold light of day, England have to look at the decisions which cost them the game, dust themselves up and get ready to go again.  They should have won this game - but they didn't, and they need to use that anger and get a "backs against the wall" mentality ready for Australia.

Because knock out rugby is starting early for them.


Player Ratings

1.  Joe Marler - 6 - Much improved in the scrum, although if I was Welsh I would have been questioning why Jerome Garces seemed happy enough to let him drive in at a slight angle.  Still not as prominent in the loose as we've come to expect.

2.  Tom Youngs - 7 - The first lineout went astray but he was pretty much flawless afterwards, hitting 8 without fail.  A big contribution in the loose as always, particularly in defence.

3.  Dan Cole - 7 - Had Gethin Jenkins on toast in the scrum and impressed with a big tackle count.  He was a handful at the breakdown but he was one of those who failed to adapt to Garces' strict interpretation, getting pinged twice for ruck offences - one of which was booted by Biggar.

4.  Geoff Parling - 6 - Ruled the skies in the set piece and worked hard all over the park, but as one of the leaders of the team he has to take some responsibility for some of the brain-farts by the England side.  I assume he called the front-pod ball on 'that' lineout which was so easy to defend.

5.  Courtney Lawes - 5 - Only lasted half the game and, although he was effective in the set piece, he really struggled to get into things in the loose.  Gave away the first penalty needlessly, too.

6.  Tom Wood - 4 - What a shame that, after a couple of impressive showings, he seemed to disappear in the one where he was needed most.  Only made three tackles all game and couldn't get into the match on the carry either - in addition to giving away two penalties.

7.  Chris Robshaw - 5 - Speaking of a shame, Robshaw's odd call to go for the lineout, rather than the posts, will haunt him forever.  Until then he had got the better of Sam Warburton and had earned a couple of turnovers, but as skipper he also has responsibility for his side's chronic lack of discipline.

8.  Billy Vunipola - 8 - A relentless display of running that was only stopped when he damaged a knee, an injury which has sadly ruled him out of the tournament.  Carried for more metres than any other forward and got through a mountain of work in defence.

9.  Ben Youngs - 8 - After a very average game against Fiji, this was much more like it.  Youngs set the tempo and his sniping was a constant threat, setting up May for England's only try.  It was worrying how much energy his side lost when he was forced off the pitch.

10.  Owen Farrell - 7 - Vindicated Lancaster's selection with a flawless display from the tee and weighed in with some big tackles, too.  His kicking out of hand was, however, a mixed bag and towards the end that helped pass the momentum back to the Welsh.

11.  Jonny May - 6 - On hand to finish well and made some promising runs in the first hour, but faded from the spotlight as the game descended into a battle of attrition.

12.  Sam Burgess - 6 - He certainly did more good things than bad, and can be pretty pleased with how he dealt with Jamie Roberts - he probably shaded the battle of the gainline.  Caught out glaringly in the first half though, when Scott Williams coasted through, but luckily England got away with it.  Couldn't get his offload going, however.

13.  Brad Barritt - 3 - He made 4 metres all game, and that is simply not good enough for an international centre.  Not only that but, for me, the break out for the Welsh try was a glaring defensive error on his part as he rushed up and found himself in no-man's land.  There was no need to do that in that position.

14.  Anthony Watson - 6 - I've seen him get pillared in certain corners for the above break leading up to the try, but he was left high and dry by Barritt.  Some early glimpses of him ability but he was otherwise pretty well shackled.

15.  Mike Brown - 7 - Sometimes he is a bit too agro for his own good, but to be honest every team needs 'one of them'.  He was superb under the high ball and once again, dangerous coming forward, but that late penalty will weigh heavily on his mind.

Reserved - 3 - Some of them were forced, such as Vunipola and Ben Youngs, so it is hard to blame Lancaster for those, but the introductions of Ford and Wigglesworth in particular seemed to cause England to lose their rhythm and their shape.  Only Joe Launchbury really emerged with credit.

World Cup Preview - England v Wales

First up, I need to apologise - for probably the first time ever, this preview is early...so early, in fact, that the teams haven't been announced yet. Which makes a preview pretty difficult. The reason for my enthusiasm is because I'll be frequenting Oktoberfest from tonight, and I don't think we'll be hearing much from me over a couple of days. My primary concern, of course, is trying to find somewhere that will actually show the game when I am about 7 steins down.

But I'll do my best - and to be fair, this match needs little introduction. It's been done to death ever since that bonkers pool selection almost three years ago. But here we are, on the cusp of watching one of the game's most bitter rivalries unfurl on the world's biggest stage. It simply doesn't get bigger than this - nor any harder to call, to be honest.

The Welsh injury problems are well documented, and rightly so - after losing their Lions centre, Jonathan Davies, months ago, they've then been subjected to the sight of star men Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb being denied the chance to play in the tournament in their final World Cup warm-up game. And, following that, there's now been a catalogue of niggles and nasties to both front line and support players, meaning that - contrary to what he's used to - Warren Gatland probably isn't completely sure what his best side his. But those who have written Wales off need to be slapped, hard, with an old fish. This is a side that boasts Lions of the quality of Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts, George North...in fact, just look at the teamsheet of the third Lion's test - most of them are still in this Welsh side. And, after being written off by much of the global press, they will have no problem getting fired up for this one.

And they'll go into it, rightly, with a touch of optimism, too. England have belatedly been accursed by the injury bug too, with star centre Jonathan Joseph, who terrorised the Welsh in Cardiff, allegedly being ruled out by a chest injury - with his spot allegedly being taken by Sam Burgess, a man with only 112 minutes of international experience having played most of his union at centre. Wales will smell an opportunity, an area to exploit. And that won't be the only change, according to the rumours, with Owen Farrell set to usurp George Ford in the 10 shirt as Stuart Lancaster looks to tighten up his side in the face of their biggest test, under the most-pressurised environment. Farrell, Burgess and Barritt all give you physicality, commitment and determination - but at what cost to creativity, especially with the pace and talent out wide? But having the likes of Ford to come off the bench against a tiring defence brings with it a different opportunity, and England can be confident that their bench looks better place to make an impact than Wales'.

The teams may be unknown and their form - after England's stuttering win over an impressive Fiji and a second string Welsh side's win over amateur Uruguay - maybe undefined. But we do know one thing - whoever wins this takes a major step towards qualification out of the Pool of Death.

As if England v Wales needed to get any bigger.


England Team News

If rumour is to be believed, then Lancaster has been forced into making two changes, with Billy Vunipola replacing Ben Morgan, who took a knock to the knee, and Sam Burgess replacing the injured Jonathan Joseph, with one further tactical change seeing Owen Farrell take over from George Ford at 10.

Likely starting line-up: Brown, Watson, Barritt, Burgess, May, Farrell, B Youngs, Marler, T Youngs, Cole, Parling, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw (c), B Vunipola.

Subs: Webber, M Vunipola, Brookes, Launchbury, Haskell, Wigglesworth, Ford, Nowell.

Key player

Owen Farrell. If the rumours are true and Farrell is to start, then this is a massive shout by Lancaster. In fairness to the Saracens 10, the perception of him offering no attacking threat is massively outdated - his decision making and variation have improved almost beyond recognition over the last 12 months. But, as he showed against Ireland in the warm up game as he butchered a 3-min overlap, he is still prone to the occasional brain-implosion. With Joseph out injured and a midfield of Burgess and Barritt set to start, Lancaster is clearly expecting a tight, physical encounter and, to that extent, the discipline, physicality and goal-kicking prowess of Farrell makes perfect sense. But this game will also be about taking opportunities - and so when the chances present themselves, Farrell has to make sure his decision is spot on...as Ford's would be.


Wales Team News

Warren Gatland has big decisions to make in regards to his back three - assuming that Liam Williams is cleared to play, expect to see Hallem Amos get the nod on the wing ahead of the out-of-form Alex Cuthbert. He'll also be tempted to start with the energy of Justin Tipuric ahead of Dan Lydiate, but I suspect he'll prefer the Ospreys man's dynamism off the bench.

Likely starting line-up: L Williams, North, S Williams, Roberts, Amos, Biggar, G Davies, Jenkins, Owens, Lee, B Davies, A W Jones, Lydiate, Warburton, Faletau.

Subs: Baldwin, James, Francis, Ball, Tipuric, Phillips, Priestland, Cuthbert.

Key Player

Alun Wyn Jones. When you look at how this English team can be beaten, I've got little doubt that most Welsh fans will cast their minds back to THAT game in Cardiff in 2013. That may be a couple of years ago, but the template still remains - dominate the collisions against England, and they don't have too many ideas. Fiji demonstrated that for a 60 minute period last Friday. If Wales are to win at Twickenham, they will need to smash England from the off and stun them with the levels of physicality and aggression, forcing them on to the back foot. A full blooded display by Alun Wyn Jones would be at the heart of that...just as it was in 2013.


Key Battle

Sam Burgess v Jamie Roberts.  Yikes. Being between these two at the first hit-up would be like being stuck between Boris Johnson and his lunch - not a place you want to be. If various media's sources are correct and Burgess is to be selected at 12, then expect some titanic collisions between these two. Roberts clearly has the experience advantage over the league convert, but I genuinely believe that Burgess will offer something extra with the ball in terms of his offloading ability - however, it's in defence where he'll really be tested. He simply cannot afford to go high on Roberts when the Welshman is on full charge but he also must avoid the temptation to rush up out the line and meet him. Wales will be watching for this and any dog leg will be ruthlessly exploited by the likes of Scott Williams or George North.


Prediction

As an Englishman, I've lost sleep over this game. Truth be told, the scrum problems of late, the lethargy of the breakdown and Lancaster's apparent decision to replace a potentially exciting 10, 12, 13 axis with a brick wall has had me leaning towards a Welsh win. But then I take a step back and realise that, over the last 12 months, England have been the better side and - truth be told - Wales haven't hit their heights for a while now either. There's no doubt that this will be pant-wettingly tight, but my gut feeling now is that an improved display from a fired up pack and Farrell's accuracy from the tee should see the hosts squeak home by the narrowest of margins. England by 2.

World cup Review - England 35 - 11 Fiji

I'm not going to lie, I'm not much of a fan of opening ceremonies.  They just seem to be expensive and inventive ways of delaying the proper action.  And, as this one started with a some adolescent toff lecturing the crowd on honour and pride in a reconstruction of William Webb Ellis' creation of our beloved game, I thought this one was going to be another flop.  But, as Martin Johnson was introduced to Twickenham, chest puffed out and fist clenched high above his head, the stadium erupted.  The icon of the English game was here to get the rugby's showpiece event underway; and if that didn't get you pumped for the start of the World Cup, I don't know what would.  As England, led by Chris Robshaw and wearing their red change strip, and Fiji emerged to a chorus of fireworks and lasers, you could be in no doubt that this was, properly, the big time.

The crowd may have been raucous before, but there was a sense of tension as the players finally lined up - and that was immediately apparent from the moment that Fiji kicked off the World Cup.  England let the ball bounce, meaning scrum half Ben Youngs had to tidy the ball up, and when they cleared their lines the talented Ben Volavola spilled a simple kick under no pressure to hand the hosts a scrum.  A scrappy start to say the least - but entirely expected, given the fanfare in the build up.  from the set-piece, the much-criticised England scrum made the first statement by earning a penalty, which was duly slotted from 40 metres out by George Ford, giving the hosts the perfect nerve-settler - or so you would have thought.

A dodgy pass from Ben Youngs handed possession to the Fijians just a couple of minutes later and, when Brad Barritt failed to role away, Volavola had the chance to immediately respond for the underdogs - however, his effort hit the post.  It would prove to be a costly miss as, after Anthony Watson had gained field position by brilliantly taking a cross-kick above Nemani Nadolo, England reverted back to basics with a rolling maul off a lineout.  Steered well by Tom Youngs, who had been busy throughout, the men in red (yep, it feels weird writing that) surged forward irresistibly only to be hauled down just before the line thanks to an illegal intervention from scrum half Nikola Matawalu, who chopped the maul down from the side.  It was enough for Jaco Peyper to award a penalty try and send the new Bath signing to the naughty step for 10 minutes to think about what he had done.  After Ford added a simple 2 points, England found themselves 10 points up - a perfect start on the scoreboard, even if they had struggled to find any rhythm in attack.

Despite the man advantage for the hosts, it was Fiji who attacked next.  The giant Nadolo was finding plenty of joy attacking Ford's channel, where he was inadequately protected by Ben Morgan on more than one occasion, and it took some smart clearing up from Mike Brown to allow the hosts to clear their lines.  They eventually got themselves into an attacking position again after Api Ratuniyarawa was spotted clearing out without the arms by the TMO (although there should have been no intervention in my view, since the offence never warranted a yellow card) and, although they couldn't score off their attacking line-out, as Watson was bundled into touch, they took full advantage of a colossal balls-up by the Fijian set-piece.  Opting to throw over the top, Tom Wood spotted the obvious plan and snaffled the line-out ball 5 metres from the Pacific Islander's line and, from there, some lovely hands from Jonathan Joseph gave Brown the room he needed to scoot in by the corner.  Ford missed the conversion, but England were now cruising at 15 - 0 after 20 minutes, and perhaps a hammering might have been on the cards - but Fiji had other ideas.

With their nerves seemingly settled, the visitors finally got the crowd off their feet and it certainly deserved a try.  Matawalu, back on the field, peeled off a scrum and scorched 60 metres, wriggling between Jonny May and Brown to reach over a score in the corner.  Peyper awarded the try but then noticed, on the big screen, that Matawalu lost the ball behind the line - one TMO review later, and the score was chalked off.  It was a clear knock on but the process here was all wrong - if the referee is certain that a try has been scored, he should award it and we should move on.  If he's not certain, that's when you use the TMO.  I think 90% of rugby fans would rather have referees make a call and stick to it, rather than have this replay-based decision making that officials seem to be leaning towards.

As it turned out, this was all a bit of a moot point.  Once again, that bind between Tom Youngs and Joe Marler was called into question as the Fijians smashed England off the ball at the scrum, allowing Volavola to boot the ball across to the onrushing Nadolo - who, this time, got the better of Watson in the air and claimed the ball for a superb try.  It was a delightfully weighted boot by the fly-half but he unfortunately didn't follow it up with the same quality off the tee, fluffing the conversion horribly.

The rest off the half regressed into a bit of an arm-wrestle, and Ford and Nadolo (with a wonderfully lazy technique) exchanged penalty kicks to leave the score at 18 - 8.  A decent lead for the hosts, but the crowd were becoming frustrated - not just at the lack of fluency from the hosts, but the amount of time they'd been sat around waiting for a TMO to make his mind up.

That frustration built in the second half when Tom Wood was spotted making a high clear-out - a penalty, sure, but if it's not deemed to be worthy of a card, surely it's in the interests of the game to let it go if the referee or assistants didn't see anything untoward.  It was all part of a scrappy third party, generally typified by England building some nice phases, only to be penalised or turned over as Fiji's defence - which had been aggressive and disciplined all game - got on top, with Akapusi Qera in particular proving to be a handful at the breakdown.  The flipside was that, although Stuart Lancaster was getting increasingly agitated, the Fijians themselves weren't looking especially threatening with the ball in hand, with only a scuffed penalty attempt from Nadolo to show for their efforts.  Finally, Volavola had another crack after being handed the kicking duties, and he duly added the three points that the Fijian defensive effort deserved.

Fortunately for the hosts, this seemed to galvanise them - along with the introductions off the bench, in particular the Vunipola brothers, Sam Burgess and Joe Launchbury.  Too often before the ball had been put wide without anyone running straight to make those initial hard yards - with Ben Morgan particularly invisible - but England now had that directness that they were missing.  And it paid big dividends.  Firstly, Owen Farrell (on for Ford) added 3 points from the tee after a scything run from Brown forced a penalty from the Islanders, and then the fullback himself got on the scoresheet for a second time as a tenacious run from May and a great offload from Farrell.  It sealed the win for the hosts, and suddenly a fourth-try bonus point was on the cards.

They left it late.  With Twickenham finally rocking, Brown surged clear to give England a good attacking position and, after May had hurtled his way to within inches of the line, Billy Vunipola wriggled over to scrape the ball against the whitewash, with the score - fittingly - being confirmed via the TMO.

England had 5 points and, despite an unconvincing display, the World Cup 2015 party had properly started.

PS It would be remiss of me not to mention the incredible Japanese victory over South Africa.  The biggest shock in rugby history but, in the context of the game itself, it wasn't a surprise - they were the better team.  I didn't predict that they would beat South Africa (I'm not mad) but I did predict that they'd finish the tournament as everyone's favourite team.  I was right on at least one count...

Player Ratings

1. Joe Marler - 5 - Once again he occasionally struggled at scrum time, losing out as often as he caused problems himself, and that bind with Tom Youngs is becoming a real concern.  Worked hard in defence but not seen with the ball in hand.

2. Tom Youngs - 8 - England's best forward around the park.  One lineout wobble aside, he was much more assured and he was one of the few men to actually carry with aggression.  Defensively magnificent.

3.  Dan Cole - 5 - Another increasing worry for England.  The problems were not on his side of the scrum but he was unable to put forward any significant pressure of his own on a regular basis.  Quiet around the park.

4.  Geoff Parling - 6 - Seemed to be one of the few who had a desire to carry in the first 40 - but that's not really his forte.  Worked well in the set piece but struggled at the breakdown.

5.  Courtney Lawes - 6 - Weighed in with a couple of key tackles but there have to be questions about his physicality in the tight, where England consistently looked out-fought at ruck time.

6.  Tom Wood - 7 - Grew into the game and made some important yards with the ball in hand.  Seems to have worked really hard at his carrying game and was physical throughout.

7.  Chris Robshaw - 6 - Was very quiet in the opening 40 but, like Wood, he came into his own in the second half.  Some important carries and offloads helped his side re-gain control.

8.  Ben Morgan - 3 - I am a big fan of Big Ben but, sorry, this was a really poor display.  England needed him to carry - he didn't.  And on the odd occasion he did, he lost the ball.  Not good enough for a number 8.

9.  Ben Youngs - 5 - Service was shaky to start with but got better.  Didn't have a particularly good platform to work from and we didn't see any sniping.  Decision-making not as sharp as usual, either.

10.  George Ford - 6 - Kicked well off the tee but stood too deep and, uncharacteristically, didn't vary his play a whole lot.  Too often the ball was just slung wide, as opposed to using the big runners to take the ball up and make yards.

11.  Jonny May - 6 - Some nice touches but didn't really find any space.  Superb gallop nearly got him a try right at the end but otherwise he was pretty well shackled.  Caught out for Matawalu's 'non-try', too.

12.  Brad Barritt - 4 - Another to return from injury and to disappoint.  He gave away a couple of silly penalties and offered nothing going forward.  Under pressure now from Slammin' Sam.

13.  Jonathan Joseph - 7 - Some electric feet when he found space towards the end, and he showed lovely hands for Mike Brown's try.  Two touches of class in a display where he was closed down quickly.

14.  Anthony Watson - 6 - Can't blame him for the try as he was having to backpeddle - but he was another, like May, to be frustrated by the lack of space available to him.  Glimpses of magic, however.

15.  Mike Brown - 9 - Grew into the game and just got better and better.  Finished his two tries well and joined the line menacingly throughout, but it was his counter-running that really caught the eye and allowed England to maintain the pressure.

Subs - 8 - Pretty much everyone helped raise the tempo, as you would want your bench to do.  The Vunipola brothers, particularly Billy, added real punch but Launchbury and Burgess were impressive too.  Farrell and Wigglesworth were both intelligent and solid when they entered the fray.

World Cup Preview - England v Fiji

Well, it's here.  

Anyone who's seen me churning out previews, predictions and drinking games over the last 3 weeks will know that I'm a tad excited about this - but I can draw comfort from the fact I'm not alone.  With hyperbole spouted from all corners of the press, advertisements of varying quality and even, possibly, the worst bit of rugby 'banter' of all time (courtesy of Matt Dawson and his 'hakarena') - not to mention a great big opening ceremony - it's quite easy to forget that that there's a rugby match to be played on Friday night.  When England face up to Fiji, wearing their unfamiliar red jerseys, all this peripheral nonsense will fade away; at the end of the day, it's another 80 minutes of chasing a pig-skin around.

But what an important 80 minutes for the two squads running out at Twickenham.  For England, the honour of opening their own World Cup carries with it a huge amount of excitement, adrenaline and risk, particularly when their opponents are a group of talented, muscular Pacific Islanders who are regarded as one of the most dangerous attacking sides in the world, and who will have a burning desire to earn the title of 'ultimate party-poopers', currently held by the Pumas following their win over the French in the opening 2007 game.

Fiji bring a huge amount to the table.  A vast amount of column inches have been reeled off about Nemani Nadolo alone.  The 20 stone, behemoth winger has crushed defences for fun during the Super Rugby season for the Crusaders, but ignore the rest at you're peril - Goneva, Qera, Volavola, Matawalu and Nakawara are all names that a) you shouldn't try to say whilst eating, and b) that Stuart Lancaster's analysts and players will have done a hell of a lot of homework on.  They're the Pacific Nations champions, they have a much-improved set-piece, and their phase play - particularly their runners off 10 - is disciplined and intelligent.  All this, of course, goes very nicely with their phenomenal ability to create space and exploit it through their natural athleticism and outrageous offloading ability - yes, it's fair to say that, now the Pacific Islanders have a set piece and gameplan to compliment their flair, the Fijians are a bona-fide banana skin, the size of which wouldn't be out of place in the aftermath of a King Kong buffet. 

But I'm not buying into all of this to the extent that many journalists seem to - by reading the press over the last couple of days, you wouldn't have thought that England have a hope in hell against their first opponents.  But whilst Fiji are improved and have impressed pre-tournament, they haven't played a side of England's quality and discipline for a long time - and let's not forget that, whilst the hosts were a bit wobbly against the French, they were utterly dominant against a strong Irish side in their last outing and were, once again, the best attacking side in the Six Nations.  This is an English side with threats of their own - and I'm not just referring to the obvious names, such as Jonathan Joseph, Anthony Watson and Jonny May, but guys like Ben Youngs and Ben Morgan - players who can make things happen at any time.  

There's no doubt that both sides' blood will be up by the time that kick off comes around - but I think that England will be in a better position to control it.  Fiji will be fired up by their skipper Akapusi Qera - so intent on proving themselves, so determined on laying down a marker, that they will come out of the blocks at 100 miles per hour.  Stuart Lancaster will know this, and England will have to deal with it - and control it.  This doesn't mean that they have to be negative - it doesn't mean they slow the game down or simply stick it up the jumper - but it means that the half backs need to get the ball deep into opposition territory first off and tell the Fijians, "If you want to have a go, run it from there".  And when England do get the ball in the Fijian half, they have the talent themselves to create opportunities and score tries - but patience is key.

Pah, patience.  Who wants to hear that now?  We've waited four long years for this, and now we can get finally get started.  Bring it on.

England Team News

Stuart Lancaster has stuck to the same XV that impressed against Ireland, ignoring some dirty rumours that the 'Test-Match-Animal' mentality of Owen Farrell may be preferred over the attacking touch of George Ford.  Ben Youngs wins his 50th cap and, with Morgan and Parling holding off Billy Vunipola and Joe Launchbury respectively, the only change to the squad comes on the bench where Jamie George has been somewhat harshly replaced by Rob Webber, with the coaching squad citing 'experience' as the main issue.  Considering Webber is hardly a Test veteran himself, I find that odd, but there we go...

Starting Line Up: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw, 6 Tom Wood, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Joe Marler.

Subs: 16 Rob Webber, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Joe Launchbury, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Sam Burgess.

Key Player

Ben Youngs.  Winning his 50th cap is a great achievement for the Leicester man, but celebrations will have to wait until after the game - as mentioned above, he has a huge job on his hands, especially in the opening 20 minutes.  Against Ireland, Youngs was supreme, dictating the tempo and varying the points of contact around the fringes as well as playing the territory game to perfection - and his ability to control the speed of the game is key.  A lot has been said that England don't want a quick game - that's nonsense, they do, but it has to be on their terms.  There will be times in the game when the hosts are a little rocky or under the cosh, and that's when Youngs' 50 caps of experience needs to come in, calm things down and play the territory game - but when it's on, he knows he has a backline that can cause some serious damage off quick ball.  If he can control the tempo the way he did against the Irish, that's when it'll be time to pop the champagne.

Fiji

Coach John McKee has named three Britain-based players in his starting team for Friday's opener against England, with Leicester's Vereniki Goneva, Bath's new signing Nikola Matawalu, and Glasgow's Leone Nakarawa all taking the field from the off against the hosts.  Ospreys fly-half Josh Matavesi, London Irish wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma and new Worcester lock Tevita Cavubati are named among the replacements, whilst Ben Volavola is preferred to Josh Matavesi at fly-half.

Starting Line Up:15 Metuisela Talebula, 14 Waisea Nayacalevu, 13 Vereniki Goneva, 12 Gabiriele Lovobalavu, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Nikola Matawalu, 8 Sakiusa Masi Matadigo, 7 Akapusi Qera (c), 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, 3 Manasa Saulo, 2 Sunia Koto, 1 Campese Ma’afu.

Subs: 16 Tuapati Talemaitoga, 17 Peni Ravai, 18 Isei Colati, 19 Tevita Cavubati, 20 Peceli Yato, 21 Nemia Kenatale, 22 Joshua Matavesi, 23 Aseli Tikoirotuma.

Key Player

Leone Nakawara.  Again, everybody's eyes will be on Nadolo - and with good reason, too - but he won't get the opportunity unless this man can put in the kind of displays he's been putting in for Glasgow over the last year.  He doesn't get a whole lot of attention in the second row, but he's a tall, lean unit who has an unnerving ability to wriggle through tackles and offload via his inspector-gadget arms, getting his team on the front foot on a regular basis.  Having done the hard graft in Scotland over the last couple of years, he's also become a physical presence in the loose and set piece - areas England will hope to dominate, so it's essential he steps here.


Key Battle

George Ford v Ben Volavola.  Volavola may not be a household name, but the Aussie-born fly half showed glimpses of what he is capable of in Super Rugby for the Waratahs, before being surprisingly released.  However, he's been snapped up by the Crusaders for next year and, more importantly, he made is breakthrough over the summer for Fiji.  Blessed with mesmeric footwork and a good rugby brain, nurtured through the Aussie youth systems (he played for the Under 20 Wallabies), the talented fly half can make things happen - but it will be interesting to see how he reacts to the pressure that the English defence will put him under.  The same goes for Ford, who is sure to be targeted by a very large, and very angry, Fijian backrow - his speed of thought is never in doubt, but his ability to deal with occasion and react to where the space is in an aggressive defence will determine whether this is smooth ride for England, or one of those games where we may be needing new underwear by the end. 


Prediction

All the years of preparation, all those months of putting in the graft, and it all comes down to this.  As has been widely reported, Fiji have the weapons in the armoury to cause some damage and they will be fired up for this - and, put frankly, if Fiji play at their best and England have a bad day at the office, particularly in the set-piece, a huge shock could be on the cards.  But there's a lot of 'ifs' for that to happen.  The bottom line is that England are prepared for this and they will be ready to deal with - and control - the occasion in the knowledge that, if they play their game in the right areas, they will win.  Expect a cagey first half, but for the hosts to pull away in the second.  England by 16.

The Pres Box - Five to Watch

Our man, James Harrop-Griffiths, fancies himself as a bit of a scout.  He's got a damned good pedigree, having spotted the likes of me, a bumbling, awkward fresher at university, to oversee the ultimate transformation into a bumbling, awkward, drunk fresher at university.  And so, to that end, he's produced a Power of Five list that even Captain Planet would be envious of.  Apologies for the 90s cartoon reference there.  

Five to Watch
One of my favourite aspects of most of the sports I follow is the excitement over a potential new star, someone I have seen play for their club and think, “Wow, this kid has got it.”  I certainly do not claim to know 100% what exactly “it” is, but I will back myself to have a damn good guess. These players more often than not sprinkle class over the field of play, whether it’s technique, mental strength, athleticism or just ‘right time, right place’ accuracy.   This is relevant for all sports, however in rugby, we often look at the line breakers, the tactical gurus, the goose steppers, the finishers, and of course the ability to absolutely pole axe an unsuspecting, yellow-booted fly half face-first into mud.  The latter being my favourite, naturally.

We all have our favourite players for a variety of reasons; we all know our club stars, our countries’ stars, we have all made the £10 bet with a mate declaring “this lad will play for his country”. I love it, I love it so much that I envy the world’s sports scouts, who are sent across the globe looking for the latest talent to sign and bring to the club, put resource into and eventually see them grow to the top of their sport.  

The World Cup is the theatre for those who have reached their highest ability, who play for their teammates, fans, and countries, and for those that provide magnificent entertainment! I have selected 5 players who personify these qualities. Throughout last season I’ve seen them play for their clubs and countries, performing wholeheartedly with a unique aura and talent and, importantly, a commitment to the cause.  They have the potential to shine at this tournament, the greatest stage, the big show, Rugby World Cup 2015.

And so, without further delay, I give to you, my 5 to watch.

1. MATTHEW MORGAN: (Age: 23, Position: Fly Half/Full Back, Club: Bristol, Country: Wales)

The surprise call-up to the Wales squad by Gatland and, even before Halfpenny was injured, Morgan was always earmarked as Wales’ diminutive secret weapon.  Cool, calm, fleet of foot and no fear in defence or attack, I predict Morgan will make step up for Wales in this tournament and produce some more highlight-reel worthy footage, like the below. A throwback to the Barry John and Phil Bennett golden era, 5ft8 Morgan has speed, guile, subtlety and excellent vision – a ‘classic’ Welsh player.  Now playing regular rugby at 10 for Bristol (also being a distinguished 15), he has a confidence and X Factor that will catch the eye and produce some spark (and maybe upset) to Pool A – if he gets the chance.

2. IAIN HENDERSON (Age: 23, Position: Second Row/Back Row, Club: Ulster, Country: Ireland)

How do Ulster keep producing such fantastic rugby talent?!  I commend the club structures, academies and the Ulstermen genes. They have found a gem. Whether he is wearing jersey 5 or 6, Henderson has shown an appetite for work and exudes power that is comparable to Paul O’Connell and Ulster legend Stephen Ferris – and both are now offering the youngster their guidance as he looks to secure a starting position in Schmidt’s Ireland. He possesses great pace, power and a game intelligence to always make an important contribution at the right time, whilst not being fazed by anyone.  He will have plenty of attention now, and I look forward to seeing him help Ireland into the knockout stages from Pool D.

3. ANTHONY WATSON (Age: 21, Position: Wing/Full Back, Club: Bath, Country: England)

Arguably this lad has already made it, having secured the 14 jersey for England in the opening game.  Watson was an unknown star only a year ago, but his quality was undoubted.  Having followed his mentor Toby Booth to Bath in 2013, he has excelled physically and tactically to add to his blistering pace, and - quite frankly - ridiculous feet and movement.  The two tries versus France at Twickenham offer only a glimpse into the potentially breath-taking and crucial tries Watson will score in this tournament and beyond.  His first outing against Nemani Nadolo will test his defence and mental strength but I expect him to pass with FLYING colours. Note that Watson scored 25 tries in 21 caps for England U20s, and depending on England’s progress, could become a leading try scorer in the tournament.

4. NEHE MILNER-SKUDDER (Age: 24, Position: Wing/Full Back, Club: Manawatu & Hurricanes, Country: New Zealand)

Firstly, what a name!  NMS (as we shall call him) is an explosive trickster with his running lines and quite outrageous side steps, goose steps, kick steps; you name it, he’s got it. With the ability to beat a player on a penny coin, he has made some seasoned campaigners in Super 15 and Rugby Championship look very ordinary as they grasped at thin air clouds formed in his wake.  Steve Hansen has had no choice but to inject this player into the All Blacks setup, at the expense of proven Test quality in Cory Jane and Israel Dagg.  With an NRL background before switching to union in 2011, his ability has slowly grown over the last few years as he learnt the game, before bursting onto radars in style during the 2015 Super 15 campaign for the Hurricanes, helping them all the way to the final.  Keep an eye on NMS - expect the unexpected.

5. EBEN ETZEBETH (Age: 23, Position: Second Row, Club: Western Province & Stormers, Country: South Africa)

He’s already risen to prominence with Western Province, Stormers and the Springboks - so much so, the South African press have created more column inches on his calf strain than the English press did over Beckham’s metatarsal in 2002. This giant man mountain is vitally important to the Boks and, with stats of 6 ft 8 and 21 stone, he was never going to be missed on a rugby field - or even your local coffee shop.  The sheer strength of the man is mind boggling at such a young age - this boy dispatched all men against him on debut in June 2012 and, although he has already been around for 3 years, I predict this to be his tournament. He will be a force the Scottish will have to combat in the Group to avoid a humiliating defeat up front; he has power, pace, line out nerve, fearless defence and a genuine aura that all truly great second rows have. The Boks have managed to combine Matfield and Bakkies into one 23 year old machine; a terrifying prospect and a key component to a possible Bok resurgence in the tournament.

Honourable Mentions:

• Harumichi Tatekawa (Japan): Igniting a Japanese onslaught with management and skill. Snapped up by Brumbies for temporary cover, providing him valuable experience going into the tournament.

• Pablo Matera (Argentina): A man who has the future of Argentina rugby on his young shoulders and will never have to pay for a glass of Malbec in Buenos Aires again.

• Sean McMahon (Australia): Hard as nails, quick off the mark and huge physicality.

• Tim Nanai-Williams (Samoa): Will find the gap before you’ve finished saying his name.

• John Hardie (Scotland): Parachuted or possibly nuclear launched into a Scottish team crying out for class at 7. Still no club but winning fans in the Highlands regardless of his accent.

• Nemani Nadolo (Fiji): Massive Fijian, dubbed the Jonah Lomu of Fiji and the modern game, who brings 122kg of pure pace and power. Watch out England and Wales, this guy is coming for you.

• Remaldo Bothma (Namibia): The Durban based Namibian tackling machine and star. Will take over from Jacques Burger as the heart of their team.

• Michele Campagnaro (Italy): The baby faced assassin for Italy, give him the 13 jersey - "Il O’Driscolla", I have heard him been called! Exeter have poached brilliantly.

• Jesse Kriel (South Africa): Lit up the recent Rugby Championship and a starter from game 1 of the Super 15 this year. 

@JamesHG1986

RuckedOver's 'Balls Out' World Cup Predictions

It's the eve of the eve of the World Cup and, it suddenly dawned on me that, despite some gloriously in-depth previews, I haven't actually put my money where my mouth is and made any firm predictions.  And so, allow me to unzip my fly of foresight and put my plums on the table (metaphorically), and make the big calls for what's going to happen at this World Cup.

Winners:  New Zealand.  I may as well tuck the aforementioned plums back in.  The All Blacks are still, by a stretch, the best side in the world.  Cracks are appearing in their ageing team but they have the knowledge to never panic, and that ability and experience to make the right call when they need it most.  I wouldn't be stunned to see them slip up in the semis, but I think it's more likely to see them retain their title.  Which will be boring.

Dark Horses:  Australia.  A month ago, I'd have said Ireland, but the Aussies have gone from being text-scandal-plagued, boozy bunch of cretins who won just one of their last seven games in 2014, to looking very dangerous indeed.  Playing Pocock and Hooper together is frankly unfair, and with Giteau shoring up the midfield and Folau arguably the best attacking back in World Rugby, I have no problem seeing Humpty Dumpty (Stephen Moore) getting his dirty mitts on the trophy.

Star Player:  Israel Folau.  As above, he's ridiculous.  Outrageous step, great acceleration, a wonderful offload and a soaring leap - he's the complete fullback.  Plus, he seems to thrive on the big stage, so he should feel pretty relaxed with 80'000 people screaming at him.  Aside from him, I can see Louis Picamoles and Ben Youngs hitting form at the right time, too.

Emerging Star:  Jesse Kriel.  Has suddenly become undroppable in the South African backline, despite only having a handful of caps.  With good pace, solid defence and deceptive strength, he's the answer to the Springboks' outside centre questions and, with little seen of him on the international stage, he'll win a few fans and surprise a few teams as well.  Also watch out for Nehe-Milner Skudder, the jet-heeled All Black winger and our own Anthony Watson, of course.


Surprise Package:  Samoa.  They were incredibly unlucky to miss out in 2011 - they probably deserved to beat Wales but they were 'done over' by the World Cup scheduling team.  With the Pisi brothers and Tim Nanai-Williams in the backline, a huge pack and a very, very violent back row, I reckon Samoa can make the knockouts for the first time since 1995.  The Fijians are the definition of a 'banana-skin' too.

Flops:  Scotland.  This is very, very harsh, because I could quite easily put them into the 'surprise package' category - especially looking at their backline now.  But Cotter's decision to drop established names for just-arrived imports is an odd one and makes them an unknown quantity - and I'm not sure that's a good thing.  They'll play some bright rugby, sure, but it's apparent from the Six Nations that they still struggle to close out tight games.

Best of the rest:  Japan. These guys will win some fans.  They've got a much improved set-piece and a lightening quick set of backs and, from watching them pre-tournament, they've got a desire to play some good rugby.  They won't make the knock-outs, but they'll tee themselves up nicely for hosting 2019.

Best shirt (OK, not a prediction, but I haven't commented on this yet):  Argentina (alternate) strip.  I thought their 'home' kit was nice, but look at the below.  That is pure sex of the jersey variety.   I also have a soft spot for the Scottish tartan number.  Shoot me.

Worst shirt:  South Africa.  "You know what, I think it would look great if made it seem as if the players were all wearing bright yellow armbands", said no-one, ever, until the South African kit designers came along.  And is that glitter on the front?!  Atrocious.  The Aussies' isn't much better - they've gone from gold to budgie-smuggler yellow with what looks like a tramp-stamp on one shoulder.  Both made by Oasics by the way (against whom I have no vendetta).

Most likely referee catchphrase:  "Oh no, Mr McCaw, that gate is for plebs.  Please, use this side entrance.".

Pool A:  England and Australia qualify.  England unconvincingly stumble past Fiji, before impressing against Wales and squeaking past the Aussies.  Wales disappoint against England but are superb against the Wallabies before being robbed by a last minute crap decision.  Aussies could turn all the above on its head though (see above).  Actually, so could Fiji.  In hindsight, disregard the above.

Pool B:  South Africa and Samoa qualify.  South Africa are pushed all the way by Scotland in one of the games of the tournament before bludgeoning their way past everyone else.  The Scots are left out when, exhausted from their efforts against the Boks, they are bullied by a very angry gang of Samoans.  Vern Cotter punches someone.

Pool C:  New Zealand and Argentina qualify.  The All Blacks win everything, very easily.  The Pumas also win everything, fairly easily, aside from their game against the champs, who beat them very easily.  As above.  Boring.

Pool D:  France and Ireland qualify.  France stutter past Italy and are unconvincing against the minnows, whilst Ireland build nicely.  But then Les Bleus show up for the last game and ruin it for the Irish.  Canada and Romania have a massive fight.

Quarter finals: England beat Samoa, Australia beat South Africa, New Zealand beat Ireland, France beat Argentina.

Semi-Finals: New Zealand beat Australia, England beat France

Final:  New Zealand beat England.

What are your calls for the 2015 World Cup?

RuckedOver's Rugby World Cup 2015 Drinking Game - A.K.A. The Chart of Destiny

I've been doing this rugby blogging malarkey for the best part of two and half years now.  It has, of course, mostly been a colossal waste of time but it has brought with it some perks - occasionally an article goes viral (or semi-viral), some lively debate is sparked, and I've even been invited to matches with 'the press' and interviewed the likes of Christian Wade, George Gregan and Brian O'Driscoll.  Yes, in hindsight, there's been some good moments that make the plethora of late nights tapping away on a keyboard all worth it.

But this tops everything.  This, I present to you, is my Magnum Opus.  This is to me what the Divine Comedy was to Dante; what the Mona Lisa was to Leonardo Da Vinci; what "I'm Blue Da Ba Dee, Da Ba Da," was to Eiffel 65.  This is RuckedOver's World Cup 2015 Drinking Game. 

Please feel free to print, share and er...enjoy responsibly.

Because I've thought of everything, you can download/print the PDF version here.

Enjoy!

RuckedOver's World Cup Preview: Pool D

Pool D

Last, but not least, we arrive at Pool D.  Where, frankly, nobody knows what on earth is going on.  As you'll see from the soon-to-be-published, superb drinking game I've knocked together, the term "You never know which French side will show up" is not only reeled out with unimaginative monotony but it's also pretty accurate - although you could use the same description for the other two top sides in the Pool, Ireland and Italy, and even the 'minnows' of Romania and Canada have been known to frustrate from time to time.  If you're hoping for an informed prediction on this 'Pool of Possibilities', then I'll do my best to avoid my natural inclination to do a very-French shrug of the shoulders...


France

Coach:  Phillipe Saint-Andre.  Anyone who reads my blog, aside from needing to get out more, will be aware that I'm not PSA's biggest fan.  A superb player, no doubt, but since then he has succeeded in taking a plethora of outrageously talented individuals and extracting total mediocrity from them, through a combination of bizarre selections, positioning, tactics and other confidence-breaking methods.  Worryingly, though, despite never finishing higher than fourth in the Six Nations, he seems to have stumbled on a French side that is not only competitive but - dare I say it - efficient...

Captain:  Thierry Dusautoir.  The French skipper put in one of the all-time great displays in the World Cup final in 2011, a performance of such passion and relentlessness it pretty much won him the World Player of the Year award by itself.  Since then, he's been injured and/or out of form for most of the last four years - but, on his day, the skipper is a phenomenal athlete and captain who has the capacity to drag his French team to new levels by himself.  If he recovers from his knee troubles and finds form, he is a massive asset.

Key Player:  Louis Picamoles.  Of course, Wesley Fofana is the purist's choice in the middle, a slick operator at centre, but it's Picamoles who can really fire this French side back to the levels of old.  He's only just returned to the squad after almost two seasons of absence - the first after PSA dropped him for 'disrespecting' a referee with sarcastic applause, the second due to a lung infection - but it was evident, just in the warm-up games against England, just how much Les Bleus have missed him.  Armed with a superb offloading ability and colossally powerful, his legs are the size of cement mixers and he is near-impossible to stop on the first hit - which is key for a side now placing more and more emphasis on playing gain-line rugby.

Watch out for:  Noa Nakaitaci.  I could have talked about the quality of Yoann Huget, the heaviest player in the tournament, Uini Atonio, or even Freddie Michalak, who Saint-Andre seems to have trusted with the '10' shirt for one final time.  But it is the Fijian-born flyer who really has the potential to light up this World Cup.  Blessed with that wonderful balance that so many Fijian wingers seem to have, he adds something completely different for Les Bleus on the wing.  He can, however, be a complete liability in defence and go AWOL on occasion, but he'd be boring if he was a complete player, wouldn't he?  Now he just has to remember to put the ball down before the dead-ball line...

Strengths:  Power.  Hmm, not usually the word you associate as being the pillar of French strength, is it?  I mean their pack is always traditionally big and aggressive, but usually that's a secondary value to their natural flair, spatial awareness and handling ability, isn't it?  Not this French side.  And with good reason.  With Picamoles back into the pack, they have real ballast at the back of the scrum to complement the likes of Szarzewski, Debaty, Maestri and Nyanga - who are all big carriers themselves - and that's not to mention the human bowling bowl they have in the centres, Mathieu Bastareau.  Yes, they still have pace and guile, but their game-plan now very much revolves around an efficient battering of the gain line - and they certainly have the players to excel at that.

Weaknesses:  Inventiveness.  "Shut up, you toad", I hear you cry.  Yes, the French are renowned for cork-popping champagne rugby, but that's a bit outdated.  You see, through inconsistent selection (especially of half backs), bizarre and often rigid gameplans, and probably over-coaching, Phillipe Saint-Andre has a side where talented players very rarely express themselves or play 'off the cuff'.  In the Six Nations, I lost count of the amount of times that Les Bleus pinched turnover ball only to kick it away, or run a structured 'gain-line' play instead of at least looking for space and opportunity.  They clearly have a pack to cause any side problems but, unless they can start taking advantage of opportunities when they're presented - as opposed to just relying on their playbook - they'll struggle to beat the top defences.

Prospects:  After four years of turgid-ness, unfulfilled potential and a bizarre selections, PSA looks like he might just have stumbled upon a French side that could cause some damage at this World Cup.  It was the same feeling with Marc Lievremont's men prior to the 2011 tournament, and we know how that very nearly went...and, with plenty of survivors from that squad, there is the big game experience when it matters.  You also have to take into account that no French side has failed to reach the semi-finals since 1991, a phenomenal record in itself.  They have a habit of coming good at key moments and, with signs of a brutally physical side coming together, they may just cause a few surprises again at this World Cup - starting with Ireland.



Ireland

Coach:  Joe Schmidt.  He looks like a Bond villain, and is just as shrewd and dastardly as one too.  After claiming European supremacy with Leinster, the Kiwi has taken the helm of the national side and delivered two consecutive Six Nations titles, the second without the iconic Brian O'Driscoll in the side for first time in about 15 years.  He's developed and nearly perfected one of the most intelligent and effective territory-based gameplans around and, until about a month ago, it looked as if his side were unshakeable - although the faintest cracks are just starting to emerge.

Captain:  Paul O'Connell.  Striding straight out of Mordor, the legendary O'Connell offers full-blooded commitment to the cause, an inspirational work rate and, of course, his patented 'manic aggression'.  A mainstay of the Irish engine room for a decade now, this is the last time we'll see the former Lions skipper in green - and you can bet he won't retire wondering 'what-if'.

Key Player:  Jonathan Sexton.  A world-class operator in the 10 shirt and arguably the finest tactical kicker on the planet - when on form.  I have to put that caveat into the equation because, as good as Sexton was in the Six Nations - which was very, very good - he's been rustier than a barge's bottom during these warm-up fixtures.  Ireland need him to find his touch again because, when he does, they can boss the territory game against pretty much anyone.  When he's a bit off, it only puts his side under pressure and, with Ian Madigan offering nowhere near the same level of control, Schmidt's gameplan comes apart at the seams.

Watch out for:  Robbie Henshaw.  Sean O'Brien's return to full fitness makes the 'Tullow Tank' a key weapon for the men in green, if he regains his form too, but Henshaw is the man earmarked for great things in the 12 shirt.  The Connacht man is strong and athletic, and has that great ability to pick scything lines between players rather than just aiming squarely for an opponent each time.  If Sexton takes the ball flat, then Henshaw is the man who can take full advantage.

Strengths:  Kicking.  In Sexton and Conor Murray that have two of the biggest brainbox's in world rugby, certainly when it comes to understanding the game anyway.  Their masterclass was against England this year where, despite the visitors making twice as many yards with the ball in hand and beating far more defenders, they never really looked like scoring.  Why?  Because they were constantly pinned back in their own half.  Very rarely, against top sides, can teams score from there and, in World Cups in particular, that pressure can force teams into making mistakes.  It's not sexy rugby by any means, but it's taught this Ireland team the habit of winning games.  Also, in this World Cup, their fixtures draw is a massive advantage - it allows them to build up to the bigger games.

Weaknesses:  Back-up.  What happens if Sexton or Murray have off-days or, even worse, get crocked?  Ireland have Eioan Reddan and Madigan to bring on.  Both fine players and Madigan, especially, can make things happen with the ball in hand, but neither possess the natural decision-making ability of the first choice half-backs.  Without that level of control, Ireland can and often do look a bit directionless.  Also, Schmidt will be praying that Mike Ross and Cian Healy remain fit, with a significant talent gap behind them.

Prospects:  On paper, this is Ireland's best chance yet to make the semi-finals.  They have a decent group which, if they win, paves the way to the last four - although Italy are the only other top-tier nation not to ever make that stage.  If you'd have asked me a month ago, I'd have said that Ireland are dark horses for the World Cup, but the warm-up games have shown that they are so reliant on Sexton that, if the fly-half has an off day, they all tend to struggle.  They have a cracking run of fixtures which will allow them to build form and momentum before their big games against Italy and France but, the flaws in their game and the fact they've only turned over France 3 times in their last 16 games means that I wouldn't be surprised to see Les Bleus pinch a win.

Italy

Coach:  Jaques Brunel.  The Frenchman's tenure has a worryingly familiar tone to it, when it comes to looking at the previous records of Italian coaches: lots of promise, little delivery.  Prime example was in 2013, when Ireland beat France and Ireland in the Six Nations, and then proceeded to go on a 9 match losing streak, losing to Scotland, Samoa, Fiji and Japan on the way.  Like the coaches before him, Brunel has found consistency as easy to find a very particular needle in an extra-large big stack of needles.

Captain:  Sergio Parisse.  AKA, Superman.  If Ireland are reliant on Sexton, I don't know how you'd describe the Azzurri's relationship with their skipper.  Clingy?  Utterly dependent?  Something along those lines.  Anyway, you get the idea.  Parisse is, and has for a long time, been the 'complete' number 8, with a superb athletic ability, a phenomenal all-round skill set and a wonderful rugby brain.  In some ways it is a crying shame that he is Italian because it's sadly meant we've never gotten to see what he could achieve at the top level of the international game.

Key Player:  Tommaso Allan.  Aside from Parisse, obviously, the young man from Perpignan has a huge responsibility, especially as he looks to lock down the 10 shirt for his country.  Although Allan could have represented Scotland, he chose Italy and now, in all likelihood, he will have to pull the strings in a jersey that has yet to be suitably filled since the days of Diego Dominguez.  That said, Allan does have bags of potential and is a smooth distributor - although his tactical kicking game is still being refined - and he will surely represent a step up after the ill-fated Kelly Haimona 'experiment', which saw the first ever 'crash ball' fly half in international rugby.  With Haimona injured and probably relegated in any event, Allan has the responsibility to try and make the most out of some of the talent he has outside him.

Watch out for:  Michele Campagnaro.  A lesser-known victim of 'that' Wales v Italy warm-up game was Luca Morisi, the centre who lit up the Six Nations, but the season before that it had been Campagnaro who had really caught the eye.  At only 22 years of age he has shown enough talent to be snapped up by Exeter - with Rob Baxter quoting his superb ability in defence as a key factor in his signing.  Now that doesn't sound like a particularly exciting attribute for a centre, but Campagnaro has no qualms dealing with some of the big names in world rugby and, in open space, he has the footwork and pace to create plenty of havoc himself.

Strengths:  The pack.  Once again, it's pretty unimaginative on my part, admittedly, but - aside from Parisse - the Italians have some genuinely top-quality and perennially underrated players, with the likes of Ghiraldini, Zanni and Vunisa all effective operators at international level.  I'm surprised that Brunel cut the hard-tackling Simone Favaro too, who has always impressed me in an Italian shirt, but the Azzurri scrum remains a potent force at international level and it's usually enough to give them a foothold against any side.

Weaknesses:  Consistency.  Usually the first thing you do when you're looking for weaknesses in an Italian side is look at the backline, but this is arguably the finest group they've had for a decade, with the likes of Gori, Campagnaro and Venditti all dangerous players.  Instead, the evergreen question of why they cannot put together an 80 minute display always comes to the fore.  Powerful pack?  Check.  Promising set of backs?  Check.  Then why is it a monumental occasion, a national celebration, when they finally put together a display that is the sum of their parts?  Too often concentration drops off and, in a World Cup, there is no hiding place from that.

Prospects:  Italy can't really go into this tournament with much optimism, having won just 1 of their last 10 games and having never progressed beyond the Pool Stage in World Cup history.  On the plus side, though, they do finally have a set of backs that can threaten, on their day, and their two main rivals for the quarter final spots are both sides they have beaten in the last two years.  There is an opportunity for the Azzurri.  However, the second row does look uncharacteristically lightweight and, with no evidence of any consistency creeping into their game, I suspect we'll see an all too predictable end to Jaques Brunel's reign as head coach and, sadly, to Parisse's World Cup career.



Canada

Coach: Kieran Crowley.  Yet another member of the Kiwi coaching brigade, Crowley is one of the longer serving coaches present at the World Cup, having taken the reigns in 2008.  He coached Taranaki for 9 years prior to that, so he's a man who likes a project and sticks with it, and he's starting to see the benefits of more and more of his side playing top level rugby in Europe and/or on the Sevens circuit . The former All Black also has good pedigree at World Cup's too, having been part of the victorious 1987 New Zealand squad.

Captain:  Tyler Ardron.  A pretty surprising choice as captain, given that he's only 24 and, with 20 caps, by no means the most experienced candidate around, but the Ospreys back-rower has proven a key figure for Crowley's men since his debut in 2012 and demonstrated his leadership skills when captaining the Ospreys during the Six Nations.  A huge unit, Ardron offers that physicality that the Canadians are renowned for as well as good mobility about the park.

Key Player:  Jebb Sinclair.  I still refuse to acknowledge 'Jebb' as a word, let alone a name, but the London Irish flanker has proven himself as a huge performer for his country on the international stage.  He first sprung to the attention of observers in 2011 with his 'beard of the tournament', but there's more to him than just a decent patch of face-fuzz - he's an aggressive defender who's very strong over the ball and, if claims that the Canucks are aiming for a defensive shut-out this tournament are to be believed, 'Jebb' will be key to that.

One to watch:  Jeff Hasler. One of several players to ply his trade in the Pro12, Hasler has had a cracking couple of seasons with the Ospreys, with the first one resulting in the winger getting named in the tournament's 'team of the year' - and, despite being injured for half the season just gone, he still weighed in with 6 tries for his club.  An aggressive, nuggety and elusive presence in the wider channels, Hassler is gaining a name for himself as an effective finisher - he just needs to be given a chance.  

Strengths:  Back row.  It's actually quite striking when you look down the Canadian squad just how many names you recognise, so there's so certainly not a shortage of talent in the first choice line-up - and particularly not in the back row, where you'll find the likes of Sinclair, Ardron and John Moonlight who, believe it or not, is a sevens specialist (and sevens captain) and not an adult filmstar.  They're a big, quick and abrasive unit who will have no qualms about taking the game to whoever they're facing up against.

Weaknesses:  Form.  As above, this is a very solid Canada side but they've looked horribly ropey in the build up to the World Cup.  With just one win in 2015 (by a single point against Georgia), they lost all their matches in the Pacific nations (including two against the USA) and their set piece was pulverised in their recent game against Fiji.  Crowley also won't be too happy that his side lost to Romania last year too, and it all adds up to a side with some potential but little in the way of confidence.

Prospects:  The Canucks have a proud record in the competition, having appeared at every single showpiece and winning at least one game at each one - with the exception of 2007, where they could only manage a draw against Japan - but there is little evidence to suggest that they will hit Crowley's target of two wins this time around.  Despite some proven campaigners such as Sinclair, Jamie Cudmore, DTH van der Merwe and Hassler, they look short on form and confidence and, although they'll be competitive, they haven't got enough to threaten any of the 'big three' in the pool.



Romania

Coach:  Lynn Howells.  Another well-respected Welsh coach to venture into uncertain rugby territory, Howells combines a vibrant and colourful personality with a constant 'p*ssed off' facial expression.  Tasked with trying to rebuild the glory years of the late 80s (they beat the French) upon his appointment in 2012, the former Welsh international has done well with his limited resources but knows that, to put it mildly, that objective may be more of a long term goal.

Captain:  Micai Macovei.  Talented and athletic back-rower, who has 64 caps despite being just 28 years old.  The Oaks' skipper plays his rugby for Colomiers in the French Pro D2 and is a hard carrier and a real weapon in the set-piece, blessed with Stretch Armstrong-esque arms to compliment his 6 foot 5 frame.  

Key Player:  Mihai Lazar.  One of the handful of Romanian players to play top-level club rugby in France, the 47-capped prop has become one of his country's primary assets, proving his worth as a devastating scrummager whilst also being deceptively mobile around the pitch.  In fact, he was so impressive in 2011, that even the New Zealand papers took notice of him - and we all know how much they hate scrummaging.  With a Top 14 title with Castres under his belt, Lazar is a genuinely first-rate operator and he will need to do the business in the scrum if Romania are to even threaten bigger sides.

One to Watch:  Catalin Fercu.  A shining light in an otherwise pretty dim Romanian backline, Fercu is part of the Saracens' squad and, although he's by no means a regular, he did make his Premiership debut at Wembley in front of a record crowd and won the Anglo-Welsh Cup, too.  He's got experience (80 caps, despite being just 29), pace and loves to pick lines when running from deep - exactly what you want from your fullback.  Plus he knows where the tryline is; one more touchdown this tournament, and he'll be his country's top scorer of all time.  He currently has 28.

Strengths:  Experience.  When you look through the Romanian squad the first thing that strikes you is 'wow, they're old'.  Well, when I say old, I mean that 90% of the squad is in their late 20's or 30's, with only seven players under the age of 28.  What this means is, whilst it's not the most youthful squad in the tournament, it does boast bags of experience with 12 players holding 50 caps or more, and over half have had a previous taste of the World Cup.  With a big, gnarly pack too, it makes the Romanians a dangerous team to underestimate - especially in tight games.

Weaknesses:  Backs.  When your head coach even admits that your backs are 'not top drawer', you know you're in trouble.  Going along with the traditional Romanian game, the side places a lot of emphasis on forward power but lacks finesse behind the scrum, with Fercu the only fairy-boy to play his rugby outside of Romania.  The harsh truth is that, against the bigger sides, the Romanian backs are mostly there to defend and make up the numbers - by way of example, centre Minya Csaba Gal has just 4 tries in 84 tests.  There are props with better records.

Prospects:  As expected, the Romanian pack will be a tough prospect even for the 'tier one' nations, but once they get a grip on the sizeable Eastern-European trucks charging their way, the Oaks will struggle to hold their own.  Their display against Scotland, in particular, in 2011 will have given them some hope that they may threaten an upset, but I can't see any of the Italian, French or Irish packs allowing them even parity for more than a half - especially seeing as they were turned over by Edinburgh and Georgia in their warm-up games, whilst only managing a draw against Championship side Yorkshire Carnegie.  Their target match should be Canada but, on current form, I can't see them nicking that either.

@RuckedOver