ALEX SPINK’S POOL-BY-POOL GUIDE TO THE RUGBY WORLD CUP
IRELAND
Coach: Joe Schmidt
Captain: Rory Best
Tournament odds: 9/1
Best finish: Quarter-finals (1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015) 1
Jordan Larmour Start tournament ranked No.1 in world after back-to-back wins over Wales which have changed mood music following dismal first half of 2019 that suggested they had peaked a year too early. Wins over NZ in 2016 and 2018 show how good they can be. Need to rediscover set-piece game.
SCOTLAND
Coach: Gregor Townsend Captain: Stuart McInally
Odds: 40/1
Best: Semi-final (1991)
World ranking: 7
Dangerman: Finn Russell Verdict: Within a minute of reaching semi-finals last time but unlikely to go that close again. Dreadful record away from home against tier one opposition does not bode well. Won’t fear Ireland in opener but lose that and Japan will believe they can beat them to second qualifying spot.
JAPAN
Coach: Jamie Joseph
Captain: Michael Leitch
Odds: 150/1
Best: Pool stages
World ranking: 10
Dangerman: Amanaki Mafi Verdict: Size is always an issue for Japan but the hosts punched above their weight in downing South Africa at the 2015 World Cup and with home advantage and a fizzing attacking game they could do so again.
RUSSIA
Coach: Lyn Jones
Captain: Vasily Artemyev
Odds: 2,500/1
Best: Pool stages
World ranking: 20
Dangerman: Andrei Ostrikov Verdict: Only made it into the tournament by default when Romania were kicked out for fielding ineligible players and Spain and Belgium fell at the same hurdle. Having lost a warm-up match to Jersey it looks bleak for the Bears.
SAMOA
Coach: Steve Jackson
Captain: Jack Lam
Odds: 750/1
Best: Quarter-final (1991) 9
World ranking: 16
Dangerman: Tim Nanai-Williams Verdict: Physical as ever but not the force they once were. Defeats to Fiji and the USA in the Pacific Nations Cup, plus the usual financial issues, leave them lagging behind heading into the World Cup. NEW ZEALAND
Coach: Steve Hansen
Captain: Kieran Read
Odds: 5/4 favourites
Best: Winners (1987, 2011, 2015) World ranking: 2
Dangerman: Beauden Barrett Verdict: Lost World No.1 ranking for the first time in a decade this summer as they failed to win Rugby Championship, but come tournament time they have the class to land a hat-trick of World Cups and will have star forward Brodie Retallick fit for knockout stages.
Rassie Erasmus
Siya Kolisi
4/1
Winners (1995, 2007)
4
Duane Vermeulen Revived under Erasmus, the Springboks won a series against England last summer and the Rugby Championship this year. They have the power to threaten anyone but need to keep Handre Pollard fit at stand-off.
Conor O’Shea
Sergio Parisse 750/1
Pool stages
14
Matteo Minozzi Whipping boys in the Six Nations, they should chalk up two wins against the minnows in their pool but too brittle defensively to cope with the super-heavyweights they are bracketed with.
Phil Davies
Johan Deysel 5,000/1
Pool stages
23
Eugene Jantjies Lack of exposure to top-level rugby a problem for the African lightweights after financial problems led to withdrawal from Currie Cup. The decision of back row Renaldo Bothma to quit international rugby on eve of tournament and play for Harlequins instead is a big blow.
Coach: Kingsley Jones
Captain: Tyler Ardron
Odds: 2,500/1
Best: Quarter-final (1991)
World ranking: 22
Dangerman: DTH Van der Merwe Verdict: Defence coach Richard Wigglesworth reckons Canucks are most intelligent squad he has been involved with, having chess as part of the dressing-room ritual. Brains only takes a team so far though. Unlikely to win more than one game. ENGLAND
Coach: Eddie Jones
Captain: Owen Farrell
Odds: 4/1
Best: Winners (2003)
World ranking: 3
Dangerman: Maro Itoje
Verdict: On their day (usually at Twickenham) England can be devastating, their Saracens spine of Owen Farrell, Jamie George, Itoje and Billy Vunipola as good as anyone. Also have a coach with three World Cup campaigns to his name and an intimate knowledge of Japan. Should win pool but can they find consistency to go whole way?
Mario Ledesma
Pablo Matera
40/1
3rd (2007)
11 Nicholas Sanchez Underestimate Argentina at your peril. Always exceed expectations and will have travelling support. Their fate could depend on their first game. Beat France, as they did twice in 2007, and they will likely qualify for the knockout rounds.
Jacques Brunel Guilhem Guirado
33/1
Runners-up (1987, 1999, 2011) 8
Antoine Dupont Hopeless in the Six Nations, France are given little more than a puncher’s chance. But they are no strangers to upsetting World Cup form book. And if they beat Argentina in the opener they should battle for pool supremacy with England. Lose it and that may well be that.
Toutai Kefu
Siale Piutau
1,000/1
Pool stages
15
Telusa Veainu England’s opening opponents pose a physical threat but not much more. One win in 2019 does not suggest Kefu’s squad will give Tonga its first experience of the knockout stages.
Coach: Gary Gold
Captain: Blaine Scully
Odds: 1,500/1
Best: Pool stages
World ranking: 13
Dangerman: AJ MacGinty Verdict: Improving but can only hope to beat Tonga. Lost Pacific Nations Cup final to Japan but have beaten Canada twice this year. Played in all but one World Cup, but won only three of 25 games. AUSTRALIA
Coach: Michael Cheika
Captain: Michael Hooper
Odds: 14/1
Best: Winners (1991, 1999)
World ranking: 6
Dangerman: Kurtley Beale Verdict: Australia made rugby sit up and take note when they stuck 47 points on New Zealand last month, only to then lose the return 36-0 the following week. Twice champions, Wallabies contain a number of the squad which reached 2015 final.
Warren Gatland
Alun Wyn Jones
9/1
3rd (1987)
5
George North Grand Slam winners Wales have high hopes, even if back-toback defeats by Ireland have tempered expectation a little. Gatland has delivered time and again with Wales and Lions and reckons they can go all the way. Crucially they beat Australia for first time in 14 attempts last season.
Milton Haig
Merab Sharikadze 1,000/1
Pool stages
12
Mamuka Gorgodze When ex-England prop Graham Rowntree became forwards coach he said he was more excited than he had been for any job. That’s because the Lelos live to scrummage. With Gorgodze out of retirement, the Six Nations second tier champions will expect to trouble Fiji and Uruguay.
John McKee Dominiko Waqaniburotu 250/1 Quarter-finals (1987, 2007) Vereniki Goneva Finest World Cup hour in 2007 when they beat Wales and reached quarter-finals. Last season beat France. However, with Wales a different proposition to 2007 and Australia also in their pool, they will likely fall short.
Coach: Esteban Meneses Captain: Juan Manuel Gaminara Odds: 5,000/1
Best: Pool stages
Dangerman: Agustin Ormaechea Verdict: With Fiji and Georgia first up, Uruguay must start well if they are to have anything to show. Kept 12 of their squad from 2015, where they lost all four games, conceding 50-plus points to each of England, Wales and Australia.