Tag Archives: RWC Preview

One of the success stories of the expansion of RWCs from 16 to 20 teams has been Georgia. The former Soviet Republic debuted in RWC 2003 and, despite being winless, would give South Africa a freight. Three years later the Lelos would finish third in their pool. In their second …

As two-time Rugby World Cup Champions, South Africa are among the giants of rugby both past and present. The Springboks have the means of defeating all opposition and are one of the few teams to have the longevity to get through the marathon that is a World Cup tournament. Unable …

In many past World Cups, France has been a great enigma. The elimination of New Zealand at the hands of Les Bleus in RWCs 1999, and 2007 continue as main features on the highlight reel of World Rugby videos promoting the sport. Among other things that prior World Cups demonstrate …

The physical powerhouses that are Samoa are a well-respected international competitor. All but one World Cup involving Samoa has either seen them causing an upset or coming very close to doing so. In 1991, and 1999 Samoa shocked Wales; in 2003 Samoa pushed champions England for 70 minutes; in 2011 …

A resurgent Wales has long been talked about in hopeful yet optimistic light. This year is different as Wales in 2019 are the real deal. While people can debate how it compares to all Welsh sides historically it is certainly the strongest since the introduction of the Rugby World Cup. …

Namibia have a demonstrated ability at qualifying for RWC tournaments. The South-West African country has competed at the past five RWCs and is back again for this year’s tournament in Japan. The goal of winning a match will be hot on the agenda and a more sporting fixture list this …

Four years on from hosting RWC 2015 a superior England team and overall roster has been established for Japan. As hosts last time around England crashed out early as they were beaten by both Australia, and Wales in the pool phase. Will a similar fate await them this year? The …

Fiji are the masters of spontaneity, and are quite simply mandatory viewing in RWC tournaments. When they get it together they are highly competitive and capable of magical performances. For 2019 the probable roster will be packed with big-name players from leading professional leagues, providing the Flying Fijians with the means …

A constant in Rugby World Cup tournaments but a competitor yet to get beyond the group stage, Italy is a rugby country to always follow closely. The central Europeans have the drive and the potential to make RWC 2019 a breakthrough tournament for Italian rugby. For a variety of factors …