Rugby World Cup France 2007

[Filipe_Golias]

Hey don't be hard on yourself, Portugal could knock over Scotland or Italy if you wanted to.

Mind you if NZ ever makes it into the FifaWC, we'd be saying the same thing here in NZ.

It's all checks and balances.

Have Fun at the RWC Portugal!

Scotland or Italy? But who knows? Opponents like these give a great motivation, moreover in a WC...

... but I really don't think so, lol. We got there through repechage (lost direct access to Georgia) and by a mere aggregate point!

Anyway, you're right. They're gonna have fun (while staying focused, I hope) and give some joy to the thousands of Portuguese supporters there and millions here

[arwebb]

This World Cup is going to come too soon for England, but I do feel we're going in the right direction and hopefully we can be a real force for 2011 in New Zealand.

[micheal_warren]

This World Cup is going to come too soon for England, but I do feel we're going in the right direction and hopefully we can be a real force for 2011 in New Zealand.

Yea i would agree with you. I just hope the All Blacks dont suffer too many injuries. Two of our top locks have been rulled out for the world cup after suffering knee injuries

[LinkParkFn]

The All Blacks (though I wouldn't say that name in public here in the U.S. because some will think it's racist, even though it's not at all) look to be the overwhelming favourites to win it all, but you never know in sport. On any given day, anyone can beat anyone, although there are two things that will never happen again: England winning another World Cup, and Kansas winning another NCAA basketball title.

[Faster]

Canada is screwed, we are in the hardest group, New Zealand is in the easiest. Canada's best hope is to come 3rd in the group with a win over Fiji.

[Mainad]

On any given day, anyone can beat anyone, although there are two things that will never happen again: England winning another World Cup...

Really? I didn't know you had a crystal-ball that can see all the future World Cup winners right up to the end of time??

[arwebb]

there are two things that will never happen again: England winning another World Cup, and Kansas winning another NCAA basketball title.

Why can't they?

[stevie]

Canada is screwed, we are in the hardest group, New Zealand is in the easiest. Canada's best hope is to come 3rd in the group with a win over Fiji.

Hardest group? I don't think so, Pool A and Pool D are going to be the most fiercely contested.

[arwebb]

Pool D is the most competitive on paper, as it's the only one where there are three teams who are all capable of finishing top. Pool C should see New Zealand running away with it, while Scotland and Italy should dispute second, while I can only see Samoa and Tonga upsetting the applecart in Pool A if either South Africa or England have off-days.

[micheal_warren]

Pool D is the most competitive on paper, as it's the only one where there are three teams who are all capable of finishing top. Pool C should see New Zealand running away with it, while Scotland and Italy should dispute second, while I can only see Samoa and Tonga upsetting the applecart in Pool A if either South Africa or England have off-days.

i agree. I will be interested to see how samoa does at the world cup. They have been playing some brilliant sevens rugby. They will give it all they have got

[arwebb]

They gave us an almighty scare last time, but then were comfortably rolled over by the South Africans. Dangerous, but unpredictable opponents.

[Alexjc]

They gave us an almighty scare last time, but then were comfortably rolled over by the South Africans. Dangerous, but unpredictable opponents.

The only reason why NZ has Pool C is the fact that the IRB don't want to lose TV revenue too early...The All Blacks have that much viewer pulling power. Also England is pretty much in the same situation and I can see it and France lining up in the quarters somewhere, while NZ and Australia will clash up there somewhere as well.

So far my top eight are:

New Zealand

Australia

England

Ireland

France

South Africa

Wales

Argentina,

Pretty much everybody whos anybody in Rugby Union.

[micheal_warren]

The only reason why NZ has Pool C is the fact that the IRB don't want to lose TV revenue too early...The All Blacks have that much viewer pulling power. Also England is pretty much in the same situation and I can see it and France lining up in the quarters somewhere, while NZ and Australia will clash up there somewhere as well.

So far my top eight are:

New Zealand

Australia

England

Ireland

France

South Africa

Wales

Argentina,

Pretty much everybody whos anybody in Rugby Union.

i would agree with the list except maybe one of the island nations could spring a major upset

[Faster]

i would agree with the list except maybe one of the island nations could spring a major upset

Unfortunately Argentina, France or Ireland will be elimanted after the first round and Italy or Scotland will replace them

[Sir Rols]

Some good internationals this weekend, with perhaps some pointers to the WC later this year. My take:

South Africa 58 _ England 10: The Springboks seem to be the form team at this point in the lead-up. That said, England seem to be in a real trough. Hard not to see South Africa getting though to the semis.

Australia 29 _ Wales 22: The scoreline flatters Australia _ they were lucky to pull this out of the fire after full time. Too many mistakes, too much ineptitude, no leadership in the Wallabies. Wales were unlucky not to get this one, but don't think either team will threaten come France.

Argentina 22 _ Ireland 20: The Pumas are really proving a surprise packet lately. Especially that I'd already pegged Ireland as a dark horse for this year's finals. I think both teams could really surprise in the WC.

Fiji 30 _ Japan 15: Not really any surprise here. It's a pity the Cherry Blossoms have not been as competitive as many would hope.

[arwebb]

Bear in mind that about 35 England players were unavailable through a combination of either illness, injury or not being considered for selection because of their involvement in European finals with their club sides.

[Sir Rols]

I really dont know. The media isnt reporting much about rugby here in Germany. It´s the same with handball in England.

I knew we'd discussed rugby in Germany recently. Here's an interesting article about the sport in Germany:

No place for rugby in sports-crazy Germany

Tue 21 Aug, 07:49 AM

BERLIN (AFP) - In sports-mad Germany, next month's Rugby World Cup will pass without barely a mention, despite the fact that the sport was once popular here until it was decimated by World War II.

There are 99 rugby clubs and about 10,000 die-hard players in Germany, but football dwarfs it in every way.

"People forget, however, that the first rugby club in Germany was founded in 1872 and the German Rugby Federation was set up in 1900," said Claus-Peter Bach, the federation's current president.

"Germany was even Olympic silver medallist in rugby in 1900 and beat France twice in the 1930s. But that all belongs to a different era."

While the 'Mannschaft' is a world power in football, its poor relation in rugby is ranked just 14th in Europe and plays against opponents such as Moldova, Ukraine and Belgium.

"The Nazis are responsible for the demise. Most of the players were killed in World War II and for a long time, too little was done to bring the level back up," Bach said.

The Nazis barely tolerated rugby. "It was too English a sport for the regime," Bach said.

As a result it lost its financial support and much of the popularity it had gained in the western and northern cities of Heidelberg, Hanover and Frankfurt.

Rugby has found a small but dedicated following today in several university cities, but the level of play is decidedly low.

Pierre Broncan, who coaches French second division club Auch, played for the German national side from 2001 to 2005 after qualifying by virtue of his German mother.

"At that time, the German federation wanted to improve its chances on the international scene and so was going around asking French and South African with German ancestry to play," he said.

Broncan said a handful of training camps and matches, including a mass brawl during one of his first matches for Germany in Ukraine, revealed to him how low standards had fallen.

"The problem is the training of teachers and club coaches. It means that a lot of youngsters give up the sport," Broncan said.

Claus-Peter Bach recognises the problems, but insisted the federation was looking to the future with hope.

"We need better coaches and we are expecting a lot from seminars that we are intending to organise with the French and the Welsh with the help of the International Rugby Board."

While German players occasionally break through into French or English clubs, such as Robert Mohr at La Rochelle or Sacha Fischer at Perigueux, most stay at home and thus miss out on the chance of improving their skills and knowledge.

"The problem is that they have no reason to go abroad in the way that Georgians and Romanians do. There is enough money in Germany," Broncan said.

Deprived of the media exposure dominated by football and handball, which is riding a wave of popularity since Germany won the world championship this year, rugby looks set to continue its decline.

"Qualification for the 2015 World Cup is not out of the question," Bach insists.

Pierre Broncan is not so sure. "It will be hard, very hard. It was hard enough in 1987 in the first World Cup, but with the professionalism of the game now...

"There's some top talent and a passion which rivals that of the southwest of France. But there are so many holes."

[stevie]

It's kinda funny when you think here in NZ, on the other side of the world, a day doesn't go by where there isn't something about the world cup mentioned in the media. Yet most of France's neighbours probably don't have a clue it going on.

[Tanaka_Ray]

in indonesia, rugby is very not popular games, yesterady i just watched it in star sport, and i think rugby is very funny sport, hahahaha, i can't stop laughing at that time, they bring the ball to the bunch of opponent players, they hope they can break that baricade ? are they don't have any strategy ? passthe ball to another free player ? why they always force to the wall of opponent players ?

[stevie]

in indonesia, rugby is very not popular games, yesterady i just watched it in star sport, and i think rugby is very funny sport, hahahaha, i can't stop laughing at that time, they bring the ball to the bunch of opponent players, they hope they can break that baricade ? are they don't have any strategy ? passthe ball to another free player ? why they always force to the wall of opponent players ?

I don't think you were watching a very good match then if they wern't passing the ball and just running into each other.....sure it wasnt Aussie Rules?

[Tanaka_Ray]

I don't think you were watching a very good match then if they wern't passing the ball and just running into each other.....sure it wasnt Aussie Rules?

Mmh... the games that i watched it's was australia vs france.... , I enjoy watch american football, but not for rugby...

[Filipe_Golias]

A (translated) piece of news about the presence of the Australian rugby team in Portugal (Algarve) to prepare for the RWC:

Rugby: Australia advises Portugal to create basis for the sport's growth

"Wallabies" chose Algarve for training camp

The Australian rugby team chose the Algarve to prepare their Rugby World Cup (RWC) campaign and took the opportunity of being in Portugal to advise the Portuguese to take advantage from their debut - the tournament will be held in France from September 7th to October 20th - to lay foundations for rugby's growth in the country.

"Portugal can do what every team does on their first participation in a RWC: develop a base for the future", said John Muggleton, an assistant coach of the Australian team which is on a training camp at Vilamoura's Browns sports complex, since Friday.

Muggleton, the responsible for the "Wallabies" defensive section, believes the Portuguese team can show "their people and every rugby fan that Portuguese rugby is growing and has something to offer".

"The young Portuguese who usually play football can find out that there is another sport to practice and, who knows, one day can reach the highest level".

Asked about Tomaz Morais's team chances to win a match at the RWC, Muggleton said: "It would be nice and I hope that happens, because it's sad to leave the World Cup without at least one victory. Anything can happen".

Also the Australian sub-capitan, Phil Waugh, advised the Portuguese to enjoy the experience: "Portugal's presence will be one of the most interesting things in France, it will be an awesome experience for their players."

In pool C, besides Scotland, Italy and Romania, Portugal will face that which is, currently, considered the strongest team in the world, New Zealand.

For Stephen Moore, also debuting in the competition, "playing with the 'All Blacks' will be overwhelming". "Give your best, you got nothing to lose", he said.

Australia has the most victories in this competition (two, in 1991 and 1999), so it is regarded as one of the favourites for the title, which slipped from their hands in 2003 after a home defeat with England.

"Physical and mentally, we're doing fine. We have to perfect our technical and tactical movements until the tournament begins, but we'll improve with every match until the decisive ones", stated Muggleton.

He added: "New Zealand is the strongest team in the world, due to its results. But in the tournament things will be different: playing away from home, in an unknown place, with several teams in a short time. Above all, we won't kneel before the 'All Blacks'"

[micheal_warren]

The All Blacks are flying out to france tonight (New Zealand Time!)