‘All Blacks have better odds of World Cup win than 2015’
Japan preparing for ‘different level’ at WC
WELLINGTON, Aug 29, (RTRS): While many pundits expect this year’s Rugby World Cup will be the most open one yet, one economist has calculated that the All Blacks actually have a better chance of winning it than they had in 2015.
New Zealand were the first team to win back-to-back World Cups when they beat Australia in the 2015 final and had players like captain Richie McCaw and flyhalf Dan Carter who will go down as greats of the game.
Wellington-based economist Nevin Winchester has, however, given the 2019 All Blacks side a 53.6% chance of securing a third successive title in Japan on Nov 2 compared to the 47.1% chance his model gave the 2015 vintage.
While the model ranks England as second favourites, with a 15.5% chance of winning a second title, the nature of the draw has resulted in the prediction that New Zealand will face South Africa in the final. In this Aug 25, 2018 file photo, New Zealand’s Owen Franks holds the Bledisloe Cup as he wears his 100th international appearance cap for playing against Australia in their rugby Test match at Eden Park in
Auckland, New Zealand. (AP)
tier teams, head coach Jamie Joseph said on Thursday.
Joseph, who named his 31-man squad during the day, said playing against heavyweights like New Zealand and Australia over the past four years had helped them develop the mental and physical toughness needed to compete at the global showpiece.
Furthermore, prop Rhys Carre and wing Owen Lane will make their international debut for Wales when they host Ireland in their penultimate Rugby World Cup warmup match in Cardiff on Saturday, head coach Warren Gatland said on Thursday.
Gatland made 14 changes to the squad that beat England 13-6 earlier this month and the team will be captained by Josh Navidi, with Aaron Shingler and James Davies in the back row alongside him.
Uncapped Carre and Lane have played together for Wales’ age-grade sides and Gatland said it was a “great opportunity” for the pair to make an impression before he finalises his 31man squad for next month’s World Cup in Japan.
“They’ve worked hard all summer to get to this point so it will be good for them to get their first international caps and put their hands up for Rugby World Cup selection after the match,” Gatland said in a statement.
Problems with player availability, funding and inequity of resources, however, have reared up their head again with Samoa and Tonga unable to select players for the World Cup due to their clubs exerting pressure on them.
Samoa coach Steve Jackson told TVNZ earlier this month that one player had arrived in camp ahead of this year’s Pacific Nations Cup and then left within two hours after being offered a club contract.
“I understand that,” Jackson told TVNZ. “I support every decision an individual makes, because he has to do what is best for himself and his family.”
Pacific Rugby Players union chief executive Aayden Clarke, however, said he had heard of clubs placing players under almost daily pressure to not play at the World Cup, which was not the best preparation for them ahead of the global showpiece.
“I’m saying to World Rugby ‘do the players really need to go through the duress to get to the World Cup?’” Clarke told Reuters. “It’s a shocker.”
All three Pacific nations have continued to struggle financially even after disbursements from World Rugby for development programmes and World Cup preparations.
Local media in Samoa organised a fundraising drive to help pay for the team’s training camps, where the players are paid about NZ$100 (about $64) a day.
“I think our entire weekly salary is the same as what one England player gets,” Jackson said.
“They don’t come here to play for money. They play for the jersey. As a coach I can’t coach that. I can’t coach that hunger.”
The local community’s support during the fundraising drive was not lost on the players.