Opinion | Rugby World Cup 2019: who will win and why it’s good for New Zealand and South Africa to be in the same pool

The final countdown to the Rugby World Cup is upon us. All the auditions are over and now the show begins. It is the most open tournament in the competition’s history, with more genuine contenders than ever before. But who will win? Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa This is perhaps the hardest pool of all to call, not because it is packed with the best teams, but because the best teams in it blow hot and cold. With Scotland you never know which team will turn up. Scotland lost to France 32-3 in August, and beat them 17-14 the next week. Nothing is more indicative of Scotland’s complete inconsistency than the final game of the Six Nations. Scotland were 31-0 down to England, and ended up drawing 38 all. One consistency is that Scotland are very good at home, and often appalling away. Perhaps it is being at someone else’s home that hinders them, so fortunately, it is a neutral ground for most of their matches, but they have Japan in their group. Download your free printable Rugby World Cup 2019 wallchart with all the fixtures in Japan Prediction: Scotland to surprise the bookies and top the group. And lose in the quarter-final to South Africa. Japan’s miracle victory over South Africa in Brighton to be turned into movie featuring Jango Fett as Eddie Jones Ireland were among the favourites a year ago, with a Six Nations grand slam and a victory over the mighty All Blacks to their name. Since then, they have struggled in the Six Nations, and not been impressive in the warm-up games. They have the players and experience to push for the cup, but something will have to change for them to find their form. Last time they met Scotland, they won 22-13 in Scotland in an uninspiring game. They were destroyed by Wales in the Six Nations and suffered a record defeat by England in a warm-up. Bizarrely, despite the recent run of poor form, they are number one ranked team in the world heading into the tournament, after a victory of Wales in their final warm-up game. Prediction: Ireland to finish second in the pool, and lose in the quarter-final to New Zealand. Wake up Japan, ditch the protocols and let your hair down Japan are an emerging force in rugby. Their fate is likely to come down to the final pool game against Scotland. It was one of the quickest games to sell out in the tournament as the home fans long for an upset. It would be typically Scottish to beat Ireland and lose to Japan. But as Japan do not have many tier-one games, it is hard to gauge where they are in their development. A raucous home crowd hungry for blood could tap into Scotland’s away frailties but a lack of experience at the top level will leave them tired by the time their final game starts. Prediction: Japan to come third in the group Samoa to win one game. Russia to lose at least one game by more than 70 points. Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada The best possible draw for New Zealand and South Africa is that they are in the same group as each other. They are the two form teams coming into the tournament, and playing each other early means they will not meet in the knockout stages. So, unfortunately for everyone else, one of the heavyweights wont knock the other out until the final. New Zealand will be the favourites for every World Cup from now until the sun explodes and engulfs us all. They are still the bookies’ favourites, but seem more fallible than ever before. They recently suffered a record loss the Australia, and a draw at home to South Africa. They’ve lost to Ireland away and scraped past England. Argentina ran them close too. The caveat is, they were mixing up their game plan, taking drop goals in November and by playing their superstar Bauden Barrett at full back in the Rugby Championship, which is an unlikely set up if they were to play the final tomorrow. If they have their full team out, all playing in position, very few can match them. They proved as much by beating Australia 36-0, just a week after their record defeat. Prediction: Win the pool. Defeated finalists. Back door to Japan now wide open for Hong Kong men as repechage beckons South Africa have been going from strength to strength. They have a young team that look to be peaking at the perfect time. In fact, it’s so young, that even if they win the World Cup, they’ll probably peak afterwards just in time for the 2021 Lions Tour. Since a record 57-0 loss to New Zealand in 2017, South Africa have improved exponentially and the pair have met four times. The biggest points margin has been just two points – South Africa have won one, drawn one and lost two narrowly. It’s anyone’s game. Prediction: Second in the pool but winners in the World Cup final. Italy to win two games, Canada to win one, Namibia to win none. Hong Kong coach vows to select his side on HKRU Premiership form Pool C: England, France, Argentina, USA, Tonga For the second World Cup in a row, England find themselves in the pool of death. There are three big teams in here, one more than any of the other groups. Pool C will produce the tournament’s first casualty. England are much improved after a fifth-place finish in the 2018 Six Nations. They have size, power and dynamism in the forwards and backs that is unmatched by any other team in the world. When their huge men get rumbling, and they physically dominate the opposition, they are a force to be reckoned with. However, there are still question marks over their mental frailty. There are many familiar faces in the team who crashed out of the pool stages of the 2015 World Cup. There are even a few names that capitulated against Wales in 2013 with a grand slam on the line, losing 30-3. This last season, time and again, they seem to build a huge lead and then struggle to hold it. France have big men too, and if they nullify England’s power game, it could be panic stations. Prediction: Win the pool, exit in the semi-final to New Zealand. Ten reasons you should go to Japan (yes, beer is one of them) France have not been their best for some time. Their away record is dreadful. Of the 15 away games they’ve played since the start of 2017, they have won just two, both against Italy. Like Scotland, they may benefit from a neutral venue. What’s more, France’s clubs hold great sway over the national team, so the squad does not get much time together between tournaments. The build-up to the World Cup is a rare chance for them to spend time as a group. Perhaps we could see the talented group of individuals finally hit their strides as a team. Prediction: Second in the pool, defeated in the quarter-final by Wales. Rugby World Cup 2023 with an expanded 24-team line-up will boost Hong Kong’s hopes of qualifying Argentina suffer from playing in the Rugby Championship. With no easy games, they get beaten a lot, but their recent narrow loss against New Zealand (20-16) shows they are on the up. Their club side, Jaguares, which closely mirrors the national team’s personnel, reached the Super Rugby final for the first time. There are no other tier-one rugby teams near South America, so all their away games are half a world away. The World Cup, which they seem to perennially peak for, is their one chance to play without suffering from jet lag. It is so hard to call between them and France, but with the latter’s group of players, despite their form, the bookies are backing the French. Prediction: Knocked out of the pool stages. USA to beat Tonga. Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay Australia beat New Zealand with a record score of 47-26. Everyone delighted in the fact Australia were back from the doldrums. They lost 36-0 the following week. Australia have been fairly average for some time now, despite having a team packed with talent. Off-field issues have distracted them, like the Israel Folau saga, which saw their best player have his contract torn up for homophobic posts on social media. Perhaps with Folau gone, they can now concentrate on their game and Kurtley Beale can play in his preferred position at full back or perhaps we will see more of the same directionless rugby. They have a habit of peaking at the right time, so a strong performance despite a poor track record would be no surprise. Prediction: Second in the pool. Defeated in the quarter-final by England. Hong Kong rugby writer Lindsay Varty plays with words while also playing rough Wales became the number-one ranked team in the world after beating England in the warm-up games. They have a Six Nations grand slam at their backs, and have recently come off a 14-game winning streak, the most Wales have ever achieved. All looks well for the Welsh. But they lost their key man, Gareth Anscombe, to injury. Fortunately, they have British & Irish Lion Dan Biggar to replace him, but now they are very thin on depth. Fly half is arguably the most crucial position on the pitch and with only Rhys Patchell on the bench now, they are one twisted ankle away from trouble. Patchell is a fine player, but the step down from the other two is notable. What’s more, the coach has chosen not to take two of their best props, Samson Lee and Rob Evans, amid concerns about their “durability”. The scrum is as vital as the number 10 these days, and it is a decision they may come to regret. Australia are not renowned for scrummaging, but when Wales come up against a strong and technical pack, they may be found wanting. What a gamble. Prediction: Top the pool. Defeated in the semi-final by South Africa. A clash of styles for the big Georgians and the flying Fijians in the battle for third. Uruguay to be winless.

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Being drawn in the same group is the best thing for the All Blacks and Springboks, and bad news for everyone else

Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa

Being drawn in the same group is the best thing for the All Blacks and Springboks, and bad news for everyone else