I love World Cups. The football (soccer for those in Nth America) World Cup was awesome… the Cricket World Cup, a shambles - but I’m an Aussie so I loved it (for those not in the know, Australia pretty much thrashed everyone they played)… but by far my favourite is the Rugby (hell… I managed to talk my wife into buying a brand new wide-screen/flat-screen TV for this - she doesn’t know that’s the reason we bought it now… so shhhh…). And it’s nearly here… first game kicks off 8th of September: France versus Argentina (and that match will be a blinder - first of many).
Thing about most World Cups is that there invariably minnows (and yes, the USA is a ‘minnow’, so’s Canada!), who will receive absolute stompings from the traditional powerhouses. Still… part of the fun, huh?
Here’s a look at the pools, with some predictions (2 from each pool get through to the knock-out stage):
- Pool A: England, South Africa, Samoa, USA, Tonga - England & South Africa to get through here. Sorry guys, USA to get smacked around. A lot.
- Pool B: Australia, Wales, Fiji, Canada, Japan - Australia & Wales. No brainer. Still, I love the way Fiji play rugby & Japan should improve under new coach John Kirwan (ex-All Black). Canada, you’re in trouble.
Pool C: New Zealand, Scotland, Italy, Romania, Portugal - Basically a battle for second spot. New Zealand are going into this Cup favourites, and rightly so. Italy are good, but I’m going to go with Scotland here.- Pool D: France, Argentina, Ireland, Georgia, Namibia - Man… group of death in my opinion. One very good team is going to miss out - France, Argentina & Ireland… I’m going to go with the French & the Pumas (Argentina)… hurts to say that ’cause of my Irish ancestry.
Now I’m a rugby fan… but I know a few guys who are absolutely nutsoid about Union… I hope to have a few of them write a few thoughts down… but more on that another day!
And what’s a rugby post without a haka? Here’s a traditional one… fantastic stuff!.
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
:: 
Pool A is a tough one.Samoa and Tonga are pretty decent teams and it seems both will miss out on a place in the quarter finals.
Yeah… but I still think that the Group of Death is Group D.
Looking forward to the World Cup and a showcase of the best.
Yes, Scotts for me in pool C.
I already have my tickets to Pool A-B semis and finals! If the ALlBlacks don’t make the finals I will be PISSED
[...] Here comes the Rugby World Cup. [With Malice] • Jay Cutler, looking stoned. [Cats And Beer] • It really is fun to read these Matt [...]
I disagree on Pool D. Ireland will most likely come out on top of Argentina in the pool play round. Then get their asses handed to them in the knockout round.
I’m one of the few, the proud - the Americans who play rugby. It’s such a great sport, I wish it would take off here. People would love it, I defy anyone to go to a game and not get hooked.
And if the US goes 2-2, I will be ecstatic.
You should be ecstatic if they were to go 2-2, but they will be 0-4 and hard-pressed to score a try (baring another fluke like the kick off the posts that went directly to hand). SA, England and Samoa are in an entirtley different class of skilland experience, and I very much doubt that USA can compete with Tonga, either.
I like your enthusiam and hope that someday it will be otherwise. But in the world of professional rugby, as much fun as we may have in our local unions, we just do not have the horses. See Churchill Cup and the last sequence of games with Canada, who thrashed us badly.
Shithawk - I agree that maybe Ireland finishes in front of Argentina… then again maybe it’ll be France that misses out (tho’ more unlikely). Pool D… hard to pick. But I’ll still stand by my call of Argentina/France. The Argies have been playing some damn fine rugby.
[...] Rugby World Cup - And ye gods, am I excited! [image]I love World Cups. The football (soccer for those in Nth America) World Cup was awesome… the Cricket World […] [...]
One of my friend’s brothers played Rugby when they lived in England. He says it’s really fun. But, I’ve never seen a game of Rugby before! I remember hearing something about a ‘tube’. Is there really a tube in the game? Also, how do you play Cricket. I’ve never seen that game played either. Bye!
Also, that Haka is very interesting. Weird, but interesting. Are they speaking in a real language?
Hi there Kelly… welcome!
For cricket - I’d suggest you go to http://www.therulesofcricket.co.uk/
The Haka…
Yes indeed, it means something:
Here is a rough translation of the more famous ‘Ka mate’ Haka:
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora! I die! I die! I live! I live!
Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora! I die! I die! I live! I live!
Tenei te tangata puhuru huru This is the hairy man
Nana nei i tiki mai Who fetched the Sun
Whakawhiti te ra And caused it to shine again
A upa … ne! ka upa … ne! One upward step! Another upward step!
A upane kaupane whiti te ra! An upward step, another.. the Sun
shines!!
Hii…
I’m sure if I’ve mucked it up, one of our NZers will correct me…
boo
http://www.coaks.wordpress.com
I am so glad the USA is fielding a team. Now we need representation at the cricket world cup… When is the cricket world cup?
Cricket World Cup? Not for another 4 years…
The Cricket Twenty/20 World Cup is in September (starts the 11th).
[...] But the timing was purely for the RWC)… Not so long ago, I published an article titled “Rugby World Cup - and ye gods am I excited“ - well, nothing’s [...]