GREIG LAIDLAW ON LIFE AT NINE
ANDY NICOL
TIPS SOUTH AFRICA I think Scotland will reach the quarter-finals. It will be a bumpy ride but I believe we will get there. The first game is too close to call, which is strange when you consider Ireland are the top ranked team in the world. They haven’t been at their best but they will still be very good, so we will need to be at our peak to have a chance. Even if we were to win all four games, we could still face New Zealand in the quarterfinals, which doesn’t seem fair! I think the quarters will be as far as we go but we could be knocked out by the eventual winners. I find it strange not to back the All Blacks to win the World Cup but, this time, I think South Africa will emerge as winners on November 2.
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD
TIPS ENGLAND It’s a very open tournament but I’m tipping England. The timing is right. They have proven big-match players like Owen Farrell and Maro Itoje, a group of key men hitting their peak in Billy Vunipola, Jamie George, George Kruis, George Ford, Jonny May, Elliot Daly and Anthony Watson, plus some exceptional new kids on the block. I expect them to meet and beat New Zealand in the final. JOHN GREECHAN TIPS SOUTH AFRICA The Springboks may well be the fiercest, most ferocious team on the planet. Again. And that reversion to type, along with a rediscovery of form, makes them better than dark horses to upset bookies’ favourites New Zealand. It would be nice to think that Scotland will do better than their standard run to the quarter-finals. But the draw effectively puts paid to that. Look on the bright side, though. If they were to get past either the All Blacks or the Springboks in the last eight, they would fancy their chances of winning the whole shooting match. CHRIS FOY TIPS NEW ZEALAND There has been a recent stampede of pundits shifting their backing away from New Zealand — but the All Blacks are still the favourites. England and the Boks are likely to be in their path in the closing stages and would pose major threats. But the All Blacks have reliable staples and are still unsurpassed when
it comes to suddenly finding another gear.
CALUM CROWE
TIPS SOUTH AFRICA No team has ever won the World Cup after losing a game in the Pool stage, but this is where South Africa can make history. Tomorrow’s showdown with New Zealand is likely to be a dress rehearsal for the final. I expect the All Blacks to edge the first meeting but a fired-up Springboks side to then go all the way in the rest of the tournament. As for Scotland, they’ll have enough to get out of Pool A in second place. The All Blacks would then await in the quarter-finals. With tries and entertainment assured, it would probably be one of the games of the tournament, but I can’t see the Scots progressing any further.
ROB ROBERTSON
TIPS NEW ZEALAND The All Blacks will beat England in the World Cup final. They will be given a run for their money by Eddie Jones’ men but Kiwi captain and back-row forward Kieran Read is a hugely influential figure — a possible player of the tournament — and will lift the trophy. Scotland have a tough group but can finish second in Pool A behind Ireland and make the quarter-finals. Their tournament will end there as they will play either the All Blacks or South Africa. I can’t see them getting close to either of the two.