Rugby World Cup team profiles - Pool D

Pool D

Fiji - 

Although the Flying Fijians have slipped outside the top ten in the IRB rankings they are confident of rattling a few reputations at the World Cup. Fiji have had a troubled build-up to their sixth World Cup with politics, form and injuries dropping them to a current 12th ranking behind regional rivals Samoa at 10.
Renowned for their Sevens' virtuosity, the Fijians have had a tough time matching it with their better-resourced rivals at the World Cup and have yet to get past the quarterfinal stage which they managed at the 1987 and 2007 showpieces.
It has been far from a smooth lead-up to Fiji's opening Pool D game against Namibia in Rotorua on September 10.
Fiji backed down from a political confrontation with the New Zealand government by excluding Leone Nakarawa, a 23-year-old soldier, from playing against the All Blacks in Dunedin in late July.
New Zealand have barred entry into their country for Fijians with military or government ties as part of sanctions imposed following the 2006 coup when military strongman Voreqe Bainimarama seized control of the Pacific nation.
The IRB had been trying to resolve the impasse but an accomodation was eventually found when Nakarawa agreed to resign his army commission prior to the tournament.
Fiji, unable to get a release of their players from Northern Hemisphere clubs and stymied by the New Zealand travel ban, were hammered 60-14 by the All Blacks.
The Fijians also lost the Pacific Nations Cup to Japan 24-13 to an injury-time bonus point try in Lautoka in July. They paid dearly for a lack of discipline with three yellow cards and two reds, allowing Japan to take advantage of the numerical imbalance.
This month Fiji  beat regional rivals Tonga 27-12 three tries to two in Lautoka to round off the World Cup preparations.
Fiji had a memorable last World Cup pulling off a stunning 38-34 pool win over Wales after securing wins over Japan (35-31) and Canada (29-16).
Then they clawed back a 13-point deficit against South Africa in their quarterfinal with two converted tries when down to 14 men only to succumb to the Springboks' superior tactical nous and forward power in a 37-20 loss.
High performance manager Talemo Waqa said Fiji faced a similar scenario prior to the 2007 World Cup where they made their presence felt.
Once again Fiji will look to their sizeable Northern Hemisphere contingent of stars, including captain and prop Deacon Manu (Scarlets), lock Akapusi Qera (Gloucester), flyhalf Nicky Little (Bristol), No.8 Sisa Koyamaibole (Sale) and inside centre Seremaia Bai (Castres).

Coach - Samu Domoni
The 42-year-old Domoni who played six internationals for Fiji at lock before a stint with the Waratahs, replaced Ilivasi Tabua in 2009 on the strength of his expertise in rugby technology and came recommended by the Australian Rugby Union. He has concentrated on monitoring the players' fitness levels. "They can travel from the other side of the globe but they still have to pass the fitness test. It is a very busy year and there is no room for passengers," he said.

Key players

Seremaia BaiBai, 32, is an experienced inside back with almost 50 Tests and spent four seasons with Clermont Auvergne helping them win France's Top 14 title before linking up with Castres. He was a member of Fiji's team that shocked Wales at the 2007 World Cup in Cardiff before playing at flyhalf in the quarterfinal defeat to South Africa.

Talemaitoga Tuapati This hooker's selection to the Fijian squad came in 2010 after impressing selectors on the watch at the Pacific Rugby Cup tournament which included club teams from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.

Namibia -

The lowest ranked 2011 World Cup participants, are targeting Group D rivals Fiji in the hope of achieving their first-ever victory at the tournament. The south-west African nation will also face Wales, Samoa and neighbours and defending champions South Africa in a tough group for the minnows.
Refusing to write off the title hopes of the Springboks despite poor recent results, Namibia coach Johan Diergaardt says the Fiji fixture offers his team the best chance of success in New Zealand.
The Welwitchias have retained 13 of the 2007 World Cup squad and while attention will be on Saracens flank and national team skipper Jacques Burger, Diergaardt tips 25-year-old Western Province flank Rohan Kitshoff to emerge as the Namibian star at the tournament.
Half the Namibian squad play in a local amateur league but Diergaardt is optimistic that his charges can achieve a first World Cup victory.
Namibia are the second strongest African Rugby Union nation after South Africa, having qualified for the last three World Cups in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
Other African teams that have competed at the World Cup are Zimbabwe (1987 and 1991) and Ivory Coast (1995).
The Welwitchias got direct qualification as African Cup champions - a system other nations want reviewed given Namibia's poor World Cup results, including a record 142-0 defeat by hosts Australia at the 2003 World Cup.
But Diergaardt says opponents should "write us off at their peril".

Coach - Johan Diergaardt
Chairman of the national selectors committee for the past two World Cups, Diergaardt has been in charge of the Welwitschias since 2008 and surprised Namibians when he led the national team to the IRB Nations Cup title in Romania a year ago. Diergaardt has won back-to-back league titles with local side Western Suburbs.

Key Player -

Jacques Burger - loose forward
The Namibia captain is determined to crown an outstanding season in the English Premiership with a successful World Cup. Burger was the players' player of the year at London-based Saracens and is relishing a second appearance at the World Cup. "Our squad has many local players and the level of rugby in Namibia is not as high as other countries at the tournament, but we have experience from the last World Cup and the young blood in our squad makes us dream bigger," said the 27-year-old flank.

Samoa -

When Manu Samoa swept aside Australia less than two months from the start of the World Cup they sent a clear message - to Wales in particular - they will be serious contenders come tournament time. Samoa are in arguably the toughest pool at the World Cup - with South Africa, Wales, Fiji and Namibia - where at least four teams boast credentials worthy of filling one of the two quarterfinal berths.
Wales have the most reason to be concerned having underestimated Samoa in the 1991 and 1999 World Cups and former All Blacks great Michael Jones, a Samoan, sees history repeating itself.
Samoa's quest to be recognised among the sports elite nations has been hampered by the money on offer to play professionally in New Zealand, Australia and Europe which has drawn their leading players away.
The players have the money but the union does not and it had to raise 6.5 million tala (US$2.9 million) in public donations to cover World Cup costs including the warm up game in Australia.
Outside of the World Cup the Samoans are rarely all available at the same time and when coach Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua first named a 41-man squad to be pruned to 30 for the Cup, only four of the players were based in Samoa.
Several members of the side who beat Australia were absent from the squad which finished last in the Pacific Nations Cup the previous week.
But when they are together the Samoans have forged a unit renowned for a powerful, confrontational style and Springbok captain John Smit described the first 20 minutes of his 2007 World Cup match against Samoa as "the most physical of my Test career."
Although Wallabies coach Robbie Deans may not have fielded his strongest side against the Samoans he made no excuses for the defeat and admitted his side was out-muscled up front.
The forward pack is big and experienced, led by Otago Highlanders hooker Mahonri Schwalger along with Toulouse prop Census Johnston and Ospreys loose forward George Stowers. The backs include former IRB Sevens Player of the Year Uale Mai contesting the scrumhalf role with Kahn Fotuali'i of the Canterbury Crusaders.
Former London Irish centurion Seilala Mapusua guides the midfield with Paul Williams from Stade Francais and a son of All Blacks legend Bryan Williams at fullback.
Samoa, when they played under the name of Western Samoa, qualified for the knock-out stage in 1991, 1995 and 1999, beating Wales in pool play in '91 and '99.
They struggled at the last World Cup in France with one win from four pool games, and see this tournament as a chance for redemption. Now they want to prove that was no fluke by beating Wales in pool play which could see them finish second to South Africa in Pool D and a rematch with likely Pool C winners Australia in the quarterfinals.

Coach - Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua.
Tafua forged his coaching reputation with the Samoa Sevens side and masterminded their first win in the IRB Sevens series when they won the Wellington leg in 2007. Two years later he was appointed the Manu Samoa head coach. Tafua, a former Manu Samoa and Samoa Sevens captain, said his World Cup goal is "to go back to the quarterfinals".

Key players -

Seilala MapusuaSamoan skipper Mapusua may now be heading into the twilight of his career but he remains a potent force in the midfield from where he directs the Samoan attack. Renowned for his explosive running with the ball and rock-solid defence, Mapusua joined the Kubota Spears in Japan this year after long stints with the Otago Highlanders and London Irish. Mapusua is described by London Irish coach Toby Booth as "a guy that wants to go to war for you". In 2009 he won the Players' Player of the Year award in England

George Pisi Blues and Samoan centre George Pisi is a young, up-and-coming firebrand who will look to deliver the standard big hits and piercing runs the typify Samoan rugby.

South Africa -

Sporting history is littered with tales of great teams and individuals who did not know when to quit and suffered humiliating exits. Many South African supporters fear a similar fate awaits the 'Green and Gold' at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand as they try to become the first country to successfully defend the title.
Up to 12 of the 2007 cup-winning team could start against Wales in Wellington on September 11 with retired Percy Montgomery and Os du Randt and injured Juan Smith the only definite absentees.
While some of the side that conquered England 15-6 in the Paris final remain worthy of starting places, there are large question marks hanging over others like captain and hooker John Smit. When coach Peter de Villiers sends Du Plessis on as a replacement, he regularly moves Smit to tighthead prop with sometimes disastrous results for the team. In a home Tri-Nations Test loss to Australia this month, a Springbok scrum that had held its own suddenly fell apart in the closing stages when Smit switched front row positions.
Wings JP Pietersen and Bryan Habana, flyhalf Butch James, tighthead CJ van der Linde, lock Bakkies Botha and utility forward Danie Rossouw are others who have battled at times.
The current coach enjoyed a glorious 2009, winning a three-Test series with the British and Irish Lions and bringing the Tri-Nations trophy to South Africa for only the third time.
He promised a new, bolder approach after replacing White, but the team seems set to take its much-loved kick-chase-harass approach into the World Cup despite repeated recent failures.
Vice-captain Matfield and Botha no longer lord the line-outs, the scrum can be vulnerable and a threequarter line that favours brawn over brain struggles endlessly to find gaps.
Injuries have also taken their toll with loose forward Smith, often the unsung star of a Springbok triumph, ruled out along with two-metre-plus third-choice lock Andries Bekker.
It will also concern De Villiers that likely first-choice flanks Schalk Burger and Heinrich Brussow have been battling injuries with the former missing the entire Tri-Nations.
But the biggest worry for many is uncertainty over who fills the vital flyhalf position with Morne Steyn, the best goal-kicker in the world when on song, suffering untimely poor form.
Alternative James, who helped the Springboks win in Paris, offers more flair but his goal kicking is erratic and he has a habit of making rash challenges that bring yellow cards.
Fourie du Preez only recently returned from an injury-induced 21-month Test absence and the scrumhalf considered the best in the world two seaons ago must prove himself again.
South Africa should win a group including Fiji, Namibia, Samoa and Wales, but if they get past likely quarterfinals opponents Ireland, their nemesis the All Blacks loom large.

Coach - Peter de Villiers
"There is little difference between winning and losing except you feel better after winning," says a man more famous for his quotes than coaching prowess. Criticisms include failure to adapt to law changes, an inability to change the course of a game, badly-timed substitutions, excessive loyalty to 2007 World Cup winners and allowing some senior players too much influence. Unpopular among supporters and the media, his only hope of staying in charge is to bring the trophy home.

Key players -

Fourie du Preez -
Eddie Jones, the Australian assistant to 2007 World Cup-winning coach Jake White, believes the main reason the Springboks have been struggling is the absence of long-term casualty Du Preez, who plans to play club rugby in Japan after the World Cup. Many attribute the slump in form of flyhalf Morne Steyn to the absence of his provincial team-mate. The field-kicking and backline leadership of the 29-year-old are vital in a Springbok armoury short of lethal weapons this year.

Schalk Burger
In the mould of a tougher (if that's possible) Richie McCaw, Burger sets the field alight with his ball gathering skills, relentless runs and devastating tackles. He is fearless, and of late has had an impeccable discipline record, something that needed to be sorted out.

Gio Aplon
The diminutive Stormers winger/fullback has been an absolute revelation in 2010, making piercing runs with a seemingly unstoppable ability to find half-gaps, and despite his size is a relentless tackler in defense.

Victor Matfield
The former Springbok skipper is a man mountain in the sport – an inimitable lineout specialist, a great rucker and almost more importantly, a talisman to all South Africans on and off the field of play.

Wales -

Head to the World Cup with the omens against them, drawn in a so-called "group of death" alongside defending champions South Africa and potential South Seas banana skins Fiji and Samoa. First up for Warren Gatland's men is a game against Pool D favourites South Africa in Wellington, followed by Samoa in Hamilton, and Namibia in New Plymouth. The group phase ends with an ominous-looking match-up against Fiji.
It was the Fijians who broke Welsh hearts at the last World Cup in 2007, pipping then-coach Gareth Jenkins' men 38-34 in the western French city of Nantes.
Wales also famously lost to Samoa in the 1991 World Cup on home turf, and with Samoa having recently beaten Australia, and a whole clutch of the South Sea Islanders plying their trade in top leagues the world over, Wales will certainly have their work cut out.
The run-in to the World Cup has been anything but smooth sailing for the Welsh, injuries on the pitch compounding serious breaches of the squad's code of conduct off it.
Erstwhile captain and hooker Matthew Rees will miss the tournament for an operation on a niggling neck injury, handing Gatland, himself once a hooker, a real headache in the front row.
Also injured is Gavin Henson, the mercurial utility back who is currently without a club after hopping from Ospreys to Saracens and then departing Toulon acrimoniously after just two games and a punch-up with teammates.
Henson, whose obvious talent is sometimes shielded by his urge to seek out publicity no matter the cost, dislocated a bone in his wrist and looks set to miss out on a third World Cup.
Scrumhalf Mike Phillips also made the news for all the wrong reasons, filmed being wrestled to the ground by a bouncer at a fast food restaurant in the early hours of the morning.
A week's ban and he is now reinstated in a squad that returned from two sessions in Poland using cryothemic chambers - and looking fit.
In the warm-up games, Wales were pipped 23-19 by England and then reversed their fortunes with a 19-9 victory at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, before dominating Argentina for a 28-13 win.
There is no denying that the Welsh have some class players, the likes of utility back James Hook, centre Jamie Roberts and the up-and-coming George North lighting up the backs.
Phillips is one of the leading No. 9s in the world on his day, while Sam Warburton has emerged from Martyn Williams' shadow at Cardiff Blues and the Wales set-up to become an outstanding openside flank and leader.
Warburton leads a rejuvenated pack alongside young teammates Dan Lydiate (flank) and Tongan-born Toby Faletau (No. 8), with old hands Ryan Jones and Alun Wyn Jones always a calming and influential presence.
The weakness will likely come in the front row. Rees is out and first-choice props Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins have been battling serious injury.
It will be a big ask of their replacements to step up a level and see if Wales can improve on their best ever showing in a World Cup, when they finished third in the inaugural edition in 1987.

Coach - Warren Gatland
Wales coach since Gareth Jenkins' departure after the Red Dragons bombed out of the last World Cup at the group stage, the Hamilton-born Gatland faces an emotional return to the country of his birth. The 47-year-old played 17 times for the midweek All Blacks team and even featured in a Waikato side that beat a touring Wales team in 1988. Since taking over as Wales coach, Gatland has insisted on organising an impressive series of November internationals against the Tri-Nations teams in a bid to toughen up his team. But consistency is a major problem and with a success rate of 44 percent in 32 games at the helm, Gatland knows that all stops will have to be pulled out to improve that ratio.

Key players 

Sam Warburton - backrow
The Cardiff-born Warburton has emerged from mentor Martyn Williams' shadow at both the Blues and the Wales set-up. A strong, dynamic player on the park comfortable with ball in hand, the 22-year-old has also established himself as a proven leader and was given Gatland's nod of approval by receiving the captain's armband during Wales' warm-up games

Mike Phillips
Welsh number 9 Mike Phillips is uncharacteristically large for a scrum-half, and uses this to his advantage to make darting runs and bring big hits to bear. He is also renowned for aggravating opposition with chit chat, often resulting in them retaliating and conceding penalties.

Shane Williams
Arguably the best winger in world rugby in 2008, Williams is tenacious, incredibly fast and with a great awareness of space and gaps.

Rugby World Cup team profiles - Pool C

Pool C

Australia -

The Wallabies have undergone massive changes under Robbie Deans since their traumatic exit to England in the quarterfinals of the last World Cup, and they have set their sights on a record-breaking third title. Possibly only six of Australia's starting XV that succumbed to England's forward supremacy and the unerring goalkicking of Jonny Wilkinson will remain when the Wallabies open their campaign against Italy at North Harbour on September 11.
Former Canterbury Crusaders' coach Deans has reshaped the Wallabies, bringing together an exuberant attacking backline revolving around the sleight-of-hand ball skills of flyhalf Quade Cooper and his Queensland Reds halfback partner Will Genia.
Although it has been far from a smooth ride for Deans - with just a 55 percent success rate and few trophies - he has fashioned an exhilarating attack, an improving forward pack and a committed defence.
Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Digby Ioane and Adam Ashley-Cooper relish the time and space conjured by the unpredictable Cooper and are a match for any backline in world rugby.
But Australia's chances of securing a third Webb Ellis Trophy hinge on whether the backline can get enough front-foot ball from a forward pack, derided in the past for its suspect set-piece technique and physicality.
Deans has been working hard to inject some steel into the forward pack, led by Reds captain James Horwill who lifted the Super Rugby title earlier this year and recently replaced former skipper Rocky Elsom.
The Wallabies' Achilles heel has been their front row, but Deans has addressed that weakness with the strength of Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper and Salesi Ma'afu.
Australia are ranked second to New Zealand and are expected to top Pool C where they have a 20-8-1 record over likely group rivals Ireland and are seeded to play either Wales, Fiji or Samoa in the quarterfinals.
The Wallabies have a rich record at the World Cup, winning the 1991 and 1999 finals, and finishing runner-up to England at home in 2003.
Given the improved depth of the squad in the three years under Deans, Australia are timing their run perfectly for a record third World Cup crown in the backyard of their fiercest rivals New Zealand.

Coach - Robbie Deans - New Zealander Deans became the first foreigner to coach the Wallabies when he was appointed in December 2007 on the back of a dominating coaching record of four Super rugby titles from six finals appearances with the Canterbury Crusaders. Deans was coveted by the Australian Rugby Union after he was by-passed for the All Blacks' coaching job when Graham Henry was reappointed in the wake of New Zealand's quarterfinal exit at the 2007 World Cup in France. Deans, who turns 52 next month, has transformed the Wallabies, blooding new young stars and looking to play an expansive 15-man game, centred around the ball-playing skills of flyhalf Quade Cooper and scrumhalf Will Genia.

Key player -

Quade Cooper - flyhalf
Much depends on Cooper if Australia are to land their third World Cup title in New Zealand. The 23-year-old New Zealand-born playmaker has had a meteoric rise to rugby fame since his international debut in Italy in November 2008 and has played 26 internationals since then. Cooper is a quirky playmaker, often mesmerising opposing defences with his unpredictability and ability to put teammates into gaps with defence-splitting passes. Cooper's glaring weakness is his defensive technique and is often hidden at fullback or on the wing when the Wallabies are called on to defend.

Nathan Sharpe
Sharpe in name, sharp in nature for this lock forward, who is strong and versatile.

James O'Connor
Lightening fast feet and a great boot give O'Connor the unique ability to play at fly half, full back or centre comfortably, and he has shown that he can literally run circles around most defenders.

Ireland -

Will travel to New Zealand with high hopes of redeeming themselves after their worst ever performance in a World Cup four years ago, in what should be a swansong for many of their senior players

Having not made it out of the pool stage in France in 2007 they can dream realistically of reaching the semifinals for the first time given their charitable draw - though they will have to discover a consistency that has been lacking since their 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam.

Their pool this time round does not hold the same dangers they fell victim to last time when they had hosts France and a superb Argentina, for while Italy have improved under Nick Mallett the Irish should have enough ammunition to see them off. A runners-up spot behind Australia would probably see them play world champions South Africa in the last eight and a top-form Ireland would have a strong chance of beating them.
Whilst there is no doubt that this squad is a more unified group under Declan Kidney, who replaced Eddie O'Sullivan after the 2007 debacle, they have an infuriating habit, if you are an Irish supporter, of going to sleep in matches. Turnovers put the defence under pressure and this has been evident in their trio of warm-up matches which have resulted in two defeats against France and one against Scotland.
Ireland have all the ingredients this time to write a more pleasant chapter in their World Cup history - provided they keep their eye on the ball.

Coach - Declan Kidney - A qualified mathematics teacher who will hope his sums add up in New Zealand. The 51-year-old quietly spoken Irishman has a record to die for in the northern hemisphere with two European Cup wins as Munster coach - plus two other final appearances - and delivered the holy grail of the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009 in only his second season in charge of the national side and as a result garnered the IRB coach of the year award. Results since then have been patchy as have been the performances but as he has shown in the past he is capable of summoning great displays out of his sides when it matters.

Key player- Brian O'Driscoll - Remarkably it is now 12 years that he has been the player Ireland has looked to after looking a star in the making even as a replacement in the 1999 World Cup squad. Now the 32-year-old centre has a final chance of securing the one major trophy to have eluded him. He may lack the speed of old and injuries are never far away but his tackling is first rate, his understanding with centre partner Gordon D'Arcy telepathic and his vision and eye for a break peerless. Most players wouldn't mind retiring with two European Cups, a Six Nations Grand Slam, over 100 caps and the try scoring record for the Five/Six Nations but O'Driscoll's appetite will only be sated with a World Cup.

 

Italy -

Will as-ever be relying on their pack when they tackle one of the toughest groups at the World Cup in New Zealand next month but their Achilles Heel remains the lack of a top-class flyhalf.

Italy has one of the most respected packs in the world with tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni and No.8 and captain Sergio Parisse considered amongst the very best in the world in their respective positions. Add to that the ever-improving Alessandro Zanni, fellow flank Mauro Bergamasco and veteran lock Marco Bortolami and Italy are certainly not short on talent and muscle in their front eight. But while the the Azzurri's pack is their undoubted strength it is not capable of carrying them to the world crown, and it is their failings in the backline which are most apparent.
Italy's backs in general are good players; Gonzalo Canale, Andrea Masi and Mirco Bergamasco have all played for years in France. But they have several problems. One is that most of their backs are naturally centres and hence converting a pair of them into wings is not ideal. Then there is their lack of pace as there really isn't a single flyer in the team.
The main problem is the halfback pairing. Italy have been searching for years to replace Alessandro Troncon and Diego Dominguez and have so far failed to do so. Coach Nick Mallett has had the good fortune to discover a pair of promising young scrumhalves in Edoardo Gori and Fabio Semenzato who both look capable of enjoying long international careers, although they are far from being the finished product.
But it is at flyhalf that Italy really struggle.
Mallett thought he had found a temporary solution when former Australian Rugby League international Craig Gower, who has an Italian grandfather, came to Europe to play Rugby Union for Bayonne.
Mallett gave Gower the No.10 shirt and handed him his debut in June 2009 on tour in Australia. But after just 14 starts for Italy and one Six Nations season under his belt, Gower injured his knee against Argentina last November and never played for the Azzurri again.

Coach
Nick Mallett - It is hard not to feel sorry for the South African who is held in high esteem by his players and has taken the team forward in great strides but already knows the World Cup will be his Italian swansong. Mallett has turned Italy into a highly competitive side, able to match top level opponents physically for 80 minutes. The pack is now among the most respected in the world and despite a lack of genuine quality and talent in the backline, they are steadily improving. And yet the former South Africa and Stade Francais coach has been ruthlessly discarded by the Italian Federation who could be accused of have designs above their station. It is hard to see how his replacement Jacques Brunel will do any better.

Key player - Martin Castrogiovanni - prop
So much of the reason Italy's pack is respected the world over is down to the impact of the Leicester Tigers tighthead. Considered by many to be the best in the world in his position his scrummaging expertise is the source of many a penalty for Italy. He has his detractors with several opposition coaches accusing him in the past of bending the rules beyond breaking point. Castro, as he is affectionately known in Italy, is one of the main reasons the Azzurri are no longer a pushover for anyone as they will always cause opponents problems up front in the contact zone.

Russia -

For 75 years the most famous Russian rugby player has been Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky, an escapee from the purges of the Soviet revolution who famously ran in two tries for England in their win over the All Blacks at Twickenham in 1936.

Russia making its first appearance at the World Cup, that may be about to change. Nicknamed - The Bears are the only new boys at this edition but that is not to say that rugby is new to the country. The first recorded match was in the 1880s although it was frowned upon by the Tsarist police to such an extent that there was next to no activity until the 1920s with the first Soviet championship taking place in 1936. Outlawed again by the Soviets for a decade, it struggled to compete alongside football and the state-sponsored Olympic sports. The Soviet Union turned down an invitation to compete in the inaugural event in 1987. But they are through to the 2011 tournament after qualifying second from Europe behind Georgia - their big rivals and former teammates in Soviet days.
Drawn in the same pool as Australia, Ireland, Italy and the United States, there has been a great deal of focus placed on the opening game against the American Eagles, something their national team director Kingsley Jones has tried to play down.

The Georgians, who have successfully parked a large number of players at French clubs, are known for the strength and power of their forwards but Jones says the Russians have more flair.
The World Cup marks an exciting time for the game in a country which has been chosen to host the World Cup Sevens tournament in 2013.

Coach
Nikolay Nerush/Kingsley Jones - Nerush is the man at the helm, the titular coach, but the spotlight is likely to fall more on Kingsley Jones, who succeeded Steve Diamond as director of rugby. The Welshman was coach of Sale Sharks when they won the English Premiership in 2006, but has taken a step back from the front line to help the Russians - he is contracted through to the end of next year. As a defence coach specialist he has made them a tighter unit. "They work well together, giving us better organisation and understanding," says Ostrikov.

Key player - Vasili Artemiev
The English-speaking world use he is a blindingly good wing. Educated at that great rugby academy Blackrock College in Dublin, Artemiev became the first Russian to sign to with an English Premiership team when he joined Northampton in March.

USA -

The United States head to New Zealand for their sixth crack at the World Cup knowing that there is little to no chance that they will make it through to the last eight of the tournament

With Australia, Ireland and Italy in the group - currently ranked second, sixth and eleventh in the world - the best the Eagles can hope for is a morale-boosting win over tournament rookies Russia. A recent documentary about the game in the United States is entitled "A Giant Awakens: the rise of American rugby". Sadly, this is based more on wishful thinking than on the cold reality of results. The United States certainly have some top players, notably their captain and flank Todd Clever, who made his mark with the Lions in Super Rugby last year before moving to Japan, and the lightning fast wing Takudzwa Ngwenya whose try against South Africa - one of the the highlights of the 2007 World Cup - landed him a contract with top French side Biarritz.
First, the Eagles will be looking to shoot down the Irish and then the Russian Bears.

Coach
Eddie O'Sullivan - One of the most experienced international coaches around having had a seven-year stint in charge of Ireland which included the 2003 and 2007 World Cups. Now back with the Eagles for a second spell, having been assistant to Jack Clarke at the 1999 World Cup. "It will be very strange to be up against Ireland but it isn't the first time," he says. "My first game in charge of the Eagles in 2009 was against Ireland in Santa Clara and back in 1999 when I was assistant coach, we also played against Ireland," he said.

Key player

Todd Clever - flank - Even if you have never seen the Eagles play you will be able to pick out Todd Clever; he is the one with the hair. As captain of the side he is also the face of US rugby and in O'Sullivan's opinion one of the really world class players in the side. "He is an explosive player, capable of producing some great moments. He was the first American to play Super Rugby, he is an excellent captain," he says. The 28-year-old is an all action loose forward who has honed his skills for North Harbour in New Zealand and Golden Lions in South Africa. Currently at Suntory in Japan, he lives up to his nickname "Captain America".

Rugby World Cup team profiles - Pool B

Pool B

Argentina - Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British Isles team. It is today considered one of the top rugby nations in the world and the best in the Americas by a considerable degree, and has competed at every Rugby World Cup staged since the first in 1987.

Although rugby union is nowhere near as popular as football in Argentina, the impressive results by Los Pumas since the 1999 World Cup, have nonetheless seen the sport's popularity grow exponentially. Argentina has managed from its appearance in the international arena to accomplish several upset victories, are tough contenders when playing in Buenos Aires, and are fully capable of regularly defeating Six Nations sides. An upset victory over the hosts France in the first game of the 2007 World Cup, took Argentina to fourth in the IRB World Rankings. The team were undefeated in their pool, and reached the semi-finals for the first time, beating Scotland 19-13 in their quarter-final. Despite being beaten 37-13 by South Africa  in the semi-finals, they defeated France for a second time in the tournament to claim third place overall. In March 2008 the team reached an all-time high of third in the IRB World Rankings.

Of late, they have suffered poorer performances, and have slipped to 8th in the overall rankings, possibly due to the fact that they spent 5 months in 2007/2008 looking for a new coach after the-coach Marcelo Loffreda resigned.

The key to their improvement is playing against the stronger Southern hemisphere teams of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and this opportunity will formalise in 2012 when the Pumas are included for the first time in the annual Tri-nations tournament – long believed to be the most elite of its kind in rugby. The Pumas have set themselves high goals, aiming for the first time to win against the Springboks and the All Blacks at some point in the 2010s, but they have a long way to go

Coach: Santiago Phelan, Fabián Turnes
Key Players:

Patricio Albacete - Lock forward who plays his club rugby in Toulouse, and is a fearsome competitor. With 35 international caps, he has good experience, and is capable of taking on the best in the world.

Felipe Contepomi - Captain, flyhalf and tactician, Contepomi is widely regarded as a truly exceptional footballer, with his club side Toulon grateful to have his skills.

England - The history of the team extends back to 1872 when the English rugby team played their first official Test match, losing to Scotland by one try. England dominated the early Home Nations Championship (now the Six Nations) which started in 1883. Following the schism of rugby football in 1895, England did not win the Championship again until 1910. England first played against New Zealand in 1905, South Africa in 1906, and Australia in 1909.

England have contested every Rugby World Cup since it began in 1987, reaching the final three times and winning it once in 2003.

In the inaugural tournament they finished second in their pool before losing to Wales in the quarter-finals. They again finished pool runners-up in 1991 but recovered to beat France in their quarter-final, and then Scotland in their semi-final, en-route to a 12–6 final defeat to Australia.

In 1995 England topped their group and defeated Australia 25–22 at the quarter-final stage before being beaten by the All Blacks in the semi-final. Their third-fourth place play-off match against France was lost 19–9.

The 1999 competition saw England again finish second in the group stage. Though they proceeded to win a play-off game against Fiji they went out of the tournament in the quarter-finals, losing 44–21 to South Africa.

England exacted revenge over South Africa in the early stages of the 2003 tournament, winning 25–6 to qualify for the knockout stages as winners of Pool C. They defeated Wales in their quarter-final, before a subsequent semi-final victory against the French earned them a place in the final in Sydney. After a tense match and a 20 minute period of extra time after Jonny Wilkinson kicked over the magic drop goal, England triumphed 20–17 over Australia to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.

The 2007 defence of the cup in France got off to a poor start, with a below par victory over the United States and a heavy 36–0 defeat to South Africa leaving the holders on the brink of elimination at the group stage. Improved performances against Samoa and Tonga saw England again reach the knockout stages as pool runners-up, before a surprise 12–10 defeat of Australia in Marseille and a narrow 14–9 victory over the host nation France carried England to a second successive final appearance. The final was played in Paris on 20 October against South Africa, who won by 15 points to 6.

England's Jonny Wilkinson became the highest overall points scorer in World Cup history when he kicked all 12 points in England's quarter-final victory over Australia in 2007. He kicked a further 9 points (including a 40-yard (40m) drop goal) in the semi final and 6 in the final defeat to South Africa.

Their prospects for 2011 success are mixed – they have a good mix of youth and experience, but have not had the same impact players on top form that they had earlier in the decade. Much will depend on who gets the number 10 jersey, and how they perform, as well as whether or not they will be able to compete effectively at the breakdown.
Coach: Martin Johnson
Key Players :

Simon Shaw
It's not certain the Shaw will make the final squad for 2011 based on his age (37) but if selected, he will look to bring his lineout and ball carrying skills to the fore in what will be his last World Cup.

Mark Cueto
Vastly experienced, very quick and with a great step, Cueto will be a spearhead of the England point-scoring machine if they are to have success.

In the Six Nations tournament of 2007, Jonny Wilkinson returns to action after three years of injuries and bizarre accidents - he even succumbed to appendicitis. But he has apparently lost none of his enthusiasm or famous work ethic, and Brian Ashton reckon he is playing better than ever.

Georgia

The small, ex-Soviet state of Georgia, although participating at their 3rd World Cup in 2011, are  currently considered a third tier rugby union nation. The Lelos (derived from the Georgian word for “try”) participate in the European Nations Cup, and won the tournament in 2001, 2007-08 and  2008-10 season. Famously, the Georgians, lacking the resources of the major nations, made scrum machines from old Soviet tractors.

Rugby union is one of the most popular sports in Georgia. The Georgian national sevens team became the first national side from Georgia to compete in a major tournament, playing in the IRB Sevens World Cup in Argentina. However, the full national team would go onto qualify for the 2003 Rugby World Cup - playing against rugby powers such as Ireland and France.

In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Georgia performed strongly, holding Argentina 6-3 at half time, and in the next match did even better, losing to Ireland 14-10, which included a disallowed try, three missed drop goals, and spent the last 5 minutes just metres from the Irish line, allowing Ireland to scrape through. Georgia secured its first World Cup win with a convincing 30-0 victory over Namibia. Georgia's final try in the match came in injury time with an interception by Davit Kacharava.

In 2008, Georgia cemented its place at the top of the European hierarchy (beneath the Six Nations), and augmented its claim to be ranked the seventh best European national rugby union team, when it won, for the second time, the 2007-8 FIRA-AER European Nations Cup, with nine wins and a single loss, to perennial rival Romania, over a two-year campaign.

Since there is no system of promotion and relegation between the Six Nations Tournament and the ENC, Georgia remains in Division One for the 2008–10 campaign.

Captain: Irakli Abuseridze


Key Player:

Merab Kvirikashvili

One of Georgia's most experienced players, with two World Cups under his belt, flyhalf  Kvirikashvili will hope to create some dynamism for his back line in the 2011 campaign 

Romania - The Romania national rugby union team, nicknamed The Oaks (Stejarii), have long been considered one of the stronger European teams outside of the Six Nations.

They have participated in all six Rugby World Cups, and currently compete in the first division of the European Nations Cup, where most recently in the 2008-2010 competition they finished third.

Rugby union in Romania is administered by the Romanian Rugby Federation. The team plays in yellow and blue stripes.

France first played Test rugby against Romania in 1924, when they tried to establish a rival to the Five Nations championship.

At their best during the 1980s, Romania defeated Wales (twice), Scotland (the 1984 Grand Slam side) and France (twice). In 1981, they lost to the All Blacks 14-6 but had two tries disallowed.

At this height of their powers, many felt Romani should have been invited into top-flight competition. There were, however, rumours that the Oaks were invited to join, but refused because the championship took place during their winter break.

Subsequently, with the deterioration of the domestic political and economic situation in the country, rugby in Romania suffered. The country has of late experienced an economic recovery, and it's hoped local rugby will once again soar to the heights of the 1980s and beyond.

Romania played in the first six Rugby World Cups from 1987, with their best result being a win during the pool stages.

Of late, the likes of Georgia have challenged Romania for top spot below the Six Nations, and Georgia, along with Portugal have both won the European Nations Cup (or Six Nations B).

In the 2011 World Cup, Romania will play in Pool B with Argentina, England, Georgia and Scotland.
Coach: Romeo Gontineac

Key Players :

Sorin Socol - Lock and captain Sorin Socol was voted player of the tournament in the 1996 Under 21 Rugby World Championships, where he also captained Romania. Socol has played club rugby in France since 1998, and is considered to be a fearless leader and experienced tactician.

It is significant that Romanian forwards are in greater demand than their backs. That is how their game has largely been - tough, unimaginative forwards who do tight phases well - much as the Pumas used to be. They are more expansive now but have not had development to equal the that of the Pumas. But then the captain Romeo Gontineac is a centre who plays for Aurillac and fly-half Ionut Tofan plays for the Paris Racing Club 

Scotland - Since the change to Six Nations, Scotland have yet to win the competition. Their Rugby World Cup record is fairly average, although they have competed in all five competitions, their best finish came in 1991, where they lost to the All Blacks in the third place play-off.

Their best form of late has come since the appointment of former England coach Andy Robinson as coach in time for the 2009 Autumn Internationals. Scotland's form picked up with a 23–10 victory over Fiji and a memorable 9–8 win against Australia (the first win over the Wallabies for 27 years) at Murrayfield.

Scotland went into the 2010 Six Nations with a renewed confidence, hoping to build off the successes in the autumn. After losing their first match to a superior French side, Scotland looked to turn the corner against Wales in Cardiff. They scored two tries in the opening quarter of the match and held a 24-14 lead with seven minutes remaining. However, two players were sin-binned in that period, and Scotland strangely opted not to kick the ball into touch after Wales had tied the game just short of the 80 minute mark. The resulting passage of play saw Wales score the winning try and leave Scotland frustrated. The frustration continued in a loss to Italy and a draw with England. However, in the final rugby match at Croke Park, Scotland stole the occasion, dominating the set pieces and continually attacking. They won the match against Ireland 23-20 on a last-minute penalty by Dan Parks, denying the Irish the Triple Crown and assuring they themselves would avoid the wooden spoon.

The championship was highlighted by Parks' influential return to the international foray, and the outstanding play of the 'Killer B' back row: Kelly Brown, John Barclay, and Johnnie Beattie.

In the 2010 Summer Internationals, Scotland toured Argentina and recorded their first ever away series victory, beating the Pumas in two tests, 24-16 (all points kicked by Dan Parks)and 13-9

Coach: Andy Robinson
Key Player : Flyhalf Dan Parks has been and will continue to be a pivotal player for the Scots, with his decisive boot and willingness to run or feed the line when the time is right.

Rugby World Cup team profiles - Pool A

Pool A

Canada - Canada is classified by the International Rugby Board (IRB) as a tier two rugby nation, of which there are seven, the others being Fiji, Japan, Romania, Samoa, Tonga and the USA. Canada competes in competitions such as the Churchill Cup and the Rugby World Cup, and the sheer size of the country means that talent is scattered across a vast area, making the job of coaches and selectors very difficult. The climate is also unfavourable for playing rugby union for much of the year in most parts of the country.

Canada has been playing international rugby since the early 1930s, making their debut in 1932 against Japan. They have competed at every World Cup since the tournament was first staged in 1987, and are the only North American team to do so. They have had, in the modern era, some excellent results. They famously beat Wales 26-24 on November 10, 1993 at Cardiff Arms Park; and beat France 18-16 on June 4, 1994 at Twin Elms Rugby Park in Nepean, Ontario. They also battled to a 27-27 draw against Ireland on June 27, 2000 at Markham, Ontario; and chalked up a 26-23 win against Scotland in Vancouver, British Columbia on June 15, 2002. The win over Scotland was the start of a streak of seven victories before losing to Wales (in Cardiff.)

Like all second and third tier nations the Canadians have had problems having players available for important games. As a consequence Canada has slipped out of the top 10 rugby union nations, but has never-the-less provided top class players such as Dan Baugh, Rod Snow, Mike James, Colin Yukes, Dave Lougheed and Jamie Cudmore to teams in England, Wales and France.

Canada achieved their best result at the World Cup in 1991, where they reached the quarter-finals. They are the dominant power of North American rugby and considered second only to Argentina in the Americas. Canada is currently ranked fourteenth by the IRB, and beat the United States in a two-legged playoff game in July 2009 to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. They will enter the tournament as Americas 1.
Coach:Kieran Crowley
Key Player:

Justin Mensah-Coker - This Canadian winger, originally from Sierra Leone, is a powerful runner, and has massive size and weight complement his pace.

 

France - After another disappointing World Cup in 2007, that time on home soil, the French have had a resurgence of Northern Hemisphere form of late, counterbalanced with some heavy defeats in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the inaugural World Cup  in 1987, France have qualified for the knock-out stage of every tournament. They have reached the final twice, losing to the All Blacks in 1987 and to Australia in 1999. France hosted the 2007 Rugby World Cup, where, as in 2003, they were beaten in the semi finals by England.

Traditionally, France is and has always been one of the strongest rugby nations in Europe, and are currently the highest ranked Northern Hemisphere team, being fourth in the world as of 19 July 2010. Despite this, they suffered at the hands of the Springboks in South Africa in 2010, losing two Tests and displaying nothing of the running flair that won them the Grand Slam Six Nations title earlier in the year, as well as losing to the All Blacks in 2009, and Australia in 2008 and 2009, confirming the gulf of quality between the two hemispheres.

They undoubtedly have some amazing players, with captain and flanker Thierry Dusautoir, flyhalf David Skrela, winger Vincent Clerc and fullback Clément Poitrenaud a real danger when on form. But they lacked cohesion and vision in their most recent foray southwards, and will look to rectify the situation in 2011.

Coach: Marc Lièvremont

Key Player:

David Skrela
The wiry flyhalf has great tactical kicking skills, and will be a key factor in the French strategy in 2011 as he looks to exploit space behind opposition defence.

Aurélien Rougerie
Immense pace, and vast experience make winger Rougerie a danger to all opponents – his 57 caps and 110 points for France make him a key figure.

Japan (often known as "The Cherry Blossoms" or more recently Brave Blossoms) are traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup and the Asian Five Nations. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987. However they have only ever won one game at the tournament, against Zimbabwe in 1991.

Rugby was introduced to Japan in 1899 and Japan's first international was a match against a Canadian team in 1932. Notable games for Japan include a victory over the Junior All Blacks in 1968, and a narrow 6-3 loss to England in 1971. Japan's most famous victory so far is a 28-24 victory over Scotland in 1989. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan drew 12-12 against Canada, their second best result in the tournament.

Under ex-All Black John Kirwan , who declared his intention from the outset to pursue a Japanese brand of rugby which expresses the "Samurai Spirit", Japan beat Hong Kong 52-3 and Korea 54-0 in November 2006 to secure its place in Pool B with ease at the RWC 2007. On April 9, 2007 the national team was featured at their first training camp since Kirwan's appointment in the NHK national news, a sign of the growing expectation and interest in his team. He said in front of the camera: "We want to be the world's fittest team". He added that he wanted Japan to play to its strengths which he said were speed and agility, and to play rugby that "big men don't like."

In the first game under Kirwan against Korea on April 22, 2007 the Cherry Blossoms won easily, 82-0 and seven new players were introduced. James Arlidge scored two tries of the fourteen, and converted ten out of ten. However in their performance at the 2007 Rugby World Cup they failed to win a match: a second-string team lost 91-3 to Australia, although they did draw 12-12 against Canada and lose by just 4 points (31-35) to eventual quarter finalists Fiji. They also lost 74-18 Wales in Cardiff, but in the process scored a spectacular length-of-the-field try through Kosuke Endo that many regarded as the best in the tournament. They came fourth in their pool ahead of Canada and behind Wales, thanks to the bonus point earned against Fiji.

In the 2008 HSBC Asian Five Nations Japan won all four of its games to become the first Asian Five Nations champions on May 18, 2008. They will look to continue building their brand of rugby and secure their first win in World Cup competition in 2011.
Captain: Takashi Kikutani
Key Players:
James Arlidge
Born in New Zealand, Japan's flyhalf/fullback Arlidge is a prodigious placekicker and try scorer, and was the top scorer in the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup.

New Zealand - The legendary All Blacks, with their wardance Haka, and invincible players, continue to strike fear into the hearts of all opponents. Current Tri Nations champions, and number 1 ranked team in the world, they will look to lay the ghosts of the past 5 World Cups to rest, especially seeing as they're playing on home soil for the first time since the inaugural World Cup in 1987.

Their statistics are impressive – they are the leading points scorers of all time and the only international rugby team with a winning record against every test nation they have ever played. They have the highest win ratio of 75 percent and rank as the number one team in the world for the most period of time in IRB World Rankings. Only 5 of the top 20 ranked rugby union test nations have ever beaten New Zealand in over 100 years of international competition.

Not only are they the current Tri Nations title holders, but they also hold the Bledisloe Cup which they contest annually with Australia, the Freedom Cup annually contested with South Africa and have three times completed a Grand Slam (in 1978, 2005 and 2008) defeating all four Home Nations during one tour.

They were named the International Rugby Board (IRB) Team of the Year in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Fifteen former All Blacks have been inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame, one into the IRB Hall of Fame.

But the one thorn that remains painfully in their side is their form at World Cups. It's not that they can't reach the semi-finals or finals, and at very least put themselves in contention to win – it's that they cannot seem to come good on the day in crunch matches. Beaten by newcomers South Africa in 1995, ousted by France in 1999 in the semis, Australia in 2003 in the semis and finally France again in 2007 at the quarter-final stage, the All Blacks are developing somewhat of a reputation for being the “Best side in the world between World Cups”.

But this may change in 2011, on home soil and with an impetus that hasn't been felt for a few years.

Coach: Former headmaster Graham Henry first made an impression as a coach with Auckland, where he won the NPC four times between 1992 and 1997. He then coached the Blues to Super 12 titles in 1996 and 1997 and made the final again the following year. He made his international coaching debut in 1998 with Wales, where he stayed for four years. His major achievements in that role included wins over England and South Africa. In 2001, he became the first non-British or Irishman to coach the Lions on their tour of Australia.

Key player:

Richie McCaw
There has, in the modern game, probably not yet been a better scavenger for a loose ball than All Black skipper Richie McCaw. He is like a jackal, and no ruck is safe if he is lurking around.

Dan Carter
The man with the mechanical boot has struggled for form in 2010, but is undoubtedly one of the best number 10s New Zealand has ever produced, and it won't be long before he's back to slotting kicks like clockwork.

Josevata Rokocoko
A devastating attacking and defensive winger, Joe Rokocoko is a world-class try scorer and has run circles around every Test nation on earth. 

Tonga - Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance - the Kailao (aka the Sipi Tau). And like their Polynesian neighbours, these islanders are as tough as nails, and ready to make the sort of tackles that break bones.

Tonga were drawn to play Wales again in the inaugural 1987 Rugby World Cup  in New Zealand. The previous meeting, plus the decision to rest some of the leading players, led to a poor Welsh performance though they managed to win 29-16. Tonga lost its other two games to Ireland (32-9) and Canada (37-4).

They failed to qualify for the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In 1994 they won the South Pacific championship on try count and so qualified for the Super 10, they finished bottom of their pool with only one point.

They qualified for the 1995 World Cup ahead of Fiji on points difference. Tonga managed only two victories in the next two World Cups, against the 29-11 Ivory Coast in 1995 and Italy in 1999. The win over the Ivory Coast brought tragedy when Ivory Coast winger Max Brito was left prone on the turf and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since.

June 1999 brought their greatest home victory, a 20-16 defeat of France in Nuku?alofa over a touring France but in 2000 they were humiliated 102-0 (including 15 tries) by New Zealand.
After losing their first four matches to Fiji and Samoa, Tonga finished third in the Oceania qualifying group. As a result they had to play home and away matches against Papua New Guinea, which they won 47-14 and 84-12, followed by a play-off against South Korea, who finished as runners-up in the Asian section. Tonga thrashed them 75-0 and 119-0.

At the 2003 Rugby World Cup Tonga lost all their games and finished bottom of their pool. Despite keeping Wales to 20-27, they were again thrashed by New Zealand 91-7.

In 2007 Tonga participated in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, winning 2 of their pool matches and nearly defeating the eventual champions, South Africa, in one of the most memorable and exciting games of the tournament, eventually going down 30-25. However, Tonga finished 3rd in their pool and failed to advance to the Quarter Finals when they lost to England in another hard-fought match

Coach: Isitolo Maka
Key Player:

Samiu Vahafolau
Tongan skipper and eighthman Vahafolau is a powerful ball carrier, a great rucker and is noted for scoring tries at his club side Biarritz.

2011 Tri-Nations winners - Australia

This match decided the 2011 Tri-Nations champions. Somehow it did not seem as exciting as it should've been with the World Cup being around the corner.

 

Both sides wanted it and chose nearly their best sides.

 

All Blacks coach Graham Henry wasted no time in bringing back all his big guns for the Tri-Nations decider against Australia after last weekends loss in PE against the Springboks where he left several of their best players at home to avoid travel fatigue. This weekend was no different for them as they suffered their second successive Tri-Nations defeat, just a fortnight out form the World Cup, when they lost 20-25 to the Wallabies in Brisbane

 

For New Zealand they only had a few great moments:

 

Adam Thomson he was great at line-out time, but was on the wrong end of the Samo hand-off and then left the field injured late in the first half

 

Richie McCaw who was back at openside had the highest workrate of the All Black forwards, attending 13 rucks. However, he was pinged at an early ruck and also missed a crucial tackle on Samo.

 

Piri Weepu's kicking game was invaluable to New Zealand and he has now emerged as their best No.9.

 

Daniel Carter also had a good game, His good decision making and clearances under pressure was a stand-out feature in the All Black backline.

 

Then midfield Conrad Smith, was great defence and secured a steal when Australia looked good for another try. He also played a crucial role, with a great pass, for Nonu's try.

 

Ma'a Nonu, looked strong with ball in hand. He was also penalised for tackling man without the ball. Scored a crucial try in the third quarter with a great weaving run. Also worked hard off the ball.

Mils Muliaina at fullback was a great try-saving defence, when Adam Ashley-Cooper was already over the line

 

Wallabies managed to scrap their way to a deserved win that ended a 10-year Tri-Nations drought thanks mainly to a couple of huge heroes:

 

Rocky Elsom who did great on defence and had a good all round game.It was interesting to see what effect removing the captaincy had on him 

 

Radike Samo There was a great run inside the first quarter and some great work at the breakdown. Then came the moment of magic - a massive hand-off on Thomson for his try

 

Will Genia was top notch again and he scored the game's opening try when he caught the Kiwi defence napping. He dictated terms behind the pack to go along with the brilliant and very crucial break for Beale's try

 

Quade Cooper produced the usual boquet of magic along with some brilliant tactical kicking.

 

Kurtley Beale He produced a great early touchfinder and scored the winning try for the Wallabies, but his off-loading skills let him down on a number of occasions

 

It was a famous victory, made visible when Horwill held the Tri-Nations Cup aloft in Brisbane's excited night air.

So much for New Zealand playing their "B" team

So much for New Zealand playing their "B" team, the question still remains can New Zealand win without Dan Carter and Richie McCaw? The Springboks restored the countries pride by winning their final Tri-Nations game of the season, giving them a much needed boost ahead of the Rugby World Cup.  

It was clear that the Boks played with a lot of passion. The All Blacks had six opportunities to score and only took one of them.

The Boks, lead by stand-in captain Victor Matfield admitted that victory was vital to restore the faith of the fans after some dissapointing performances the past couple of weeks. He admitted that  "we haven't been good in the last three weeks and we just wanted to show our fans today that we can go to the World Cup and defend it".

Already a lof of damage has been done to the Boks confidence levels. Victor Matfield added "you don't beat the All Blacks if you are not ready for a World Cup, so we are very happy with where we are as a team but we know that there is still a lot of hard work. It wasn't our best yet and we can still improve,"

Compared to last weeks game against the Aussies, this was a much better performance. If this is how they'll improve after each game... bring on the the World Cup.

The Boks were superb on defence and although there were some breaches, the covering defenders made some crucial tackles. There was a lot of things to be pleased about for the South Africans.

Heinrich Brüssow : was outstanding, he was kicked in face early on and covered in blood for most of the game, while he turned the game on its head. Few players are capable of having such a great influence on a match, but Brüssow is one of them. He tackled well knocking down runners twice his size and did everything you could ask of him and then some more.

Jannie du Plessis: the good doctor proved that there is at least one top class tighthead props in South Africa. An incredible scrumming performance against the fearsome All Blacks front row.

Bismarck du Plessis: is one of the best hookers around. He is mobile and he brings a lot of physicality. The muscular hooker was menacing with ball in hand is just so strong that he is difficult to stop when he was some momentum going forward. A few missed line-out throws did take a little of the shine off of an otherwise excellent performance. His appetite more game time was evident in his obvious displeasure when he was replaced

Bakkies Botha: He was in the thick of things doing what he does best in the engine room and cleaning out rucks to keep the Kiwis honest. Launched himself into a few massive tackles and was a mountain of strength in every physical exchange

Tendai Mtawarira: Who came on for Gurthrö Steenkamp at half time gave a fantastic performance at scrum time and few props are able to brag about forcing Ben Franks to buckle

Jaque Fourie: Made two crucial interceptions on defence in the first half and was the general organising the defence brilliantly to close down several of the All Blacks' best scoring opportunities. Didn't have as much work to do on attack, but he is worth his weight in gold in the Bok midfield

Bryan Habana: Started with a fantastic cover tackle on Jimmy Cowan to stop the All Blacks scoring inside the first five minutes and built his game from there. Looked more like the Habana of old than he has for some time.

The Springbok defence at this stage was magnificent.

Springboks improved but match finess still a concern

I totally support this statement by former Springbok centre Pieter Muller believes that South Africa can win the Rugby World Cup even if they have to face the All Blacks in the semi-finals. After watching last weekends Tri-Nations game between the Springboks and Australia, considering the length of time some of the players had been out of the game, the team did well.

 

The first half was great for South Africa, the team looked stronger, more organised and had better defence, they looked like they were ready to avenge a humiliating loss to the Wallabies last month. The only problem was match fitness and the second half showed that, the Springboks completely lost momentum.

 

All seemed to be going our way as flyhalf Butch James he calmly slotted his first penalty kick, even when he missed his second penalty attempt and South Africa centre Jacques Fourie was denied a try by the television match official, who judged he had knocked on as he battled with Quade Cooper to bring a high kick under control. A few drop-goal attempts were missed by James, O'Connor and Steyn.

Australia turned the match on its head early in the second half but South Africa could not maintain the momentum and lost some crucial breakdowns while their scrum came under pressure as the game progressed. Three penalties from James O'Connor and a well-worked try from Pat McCabe, all in the second half, did the damage. Then later an infringement by Tendai Mtawarira at a ruck allowed O'Connor another penalty. In the last few minutes O'Connor stretched the lead to five points with a penalty and, despite desperate attempts by South Africa for a try, the Wallabies held on.

 

But with all the critisism the Springboks suffered we knew coming into this that the Tri-Nations were not their tournament this year. The Super 15 was brutal and quite clearly the players who competed in it can benefit from having a break before the World Cup. The team cannot be ruled out because of their experience.

Essential items for the ladies this Spring

Essential items for the ladies this Spring:

 

After being bundled up during the cold Autumn and Winter, its time to strut your stuff this spring!

 

Trends come and go but some pieces never go out of style. Here are some Classic items you will need to survive this spring that will have you looking chic rather than being a fashion victim.

 

Dresses

 

A versatile Day to Evening dress: that can have you looking professional at the office and good to go for that hot date later. A sleeveless dress that can be paired with jackets, cardigan sweater or a variety of shawls and wraps. It can range from a well-fitted Little black dress, the bold print dress, the floral dress or the simple white dress. These are good for all seasons, make sure it flatters your best assets. The ideal dress is in a cotton or silk blend so that it can look dressy with the right accessories, easy to clean and comfortable.

 

 

Maxi dresses: they are easy to wear when out doing errands and flatters most body types. They can be paired with a belt, chunky necklace and worn with sandals and big sunglasses

The Lace dress : its the latest dress to be in fashion, it combines lace cloth in French style sleeves

Vests and Tank tops : they can be worn together or paired with a cool scarf, they look good with Jeans 

Flirty short dresses with bold prints

Cotton sweaters

The Sailor style comes to our closets when summer arrives. We love nights sitting outside bars. These colorful cotton sweaters will help us in those chilly spring nights and can be paired with Jeans or shorts

Jeans: be it Skinny or boyfriend fit, they can be dressed up or down, good for both day and night. They can be paired with a shirt, tank top, cardigan or jacket

Accessories

Floppy hats are always trendy in spring and can complete an outfit as seen above. They can can be paired with an appropriate classy scarf for that 70's look

 Chunky bangles

We all love bangles don't we? Well, most of us women anyway. Spring accessories include using chunky bangles of various colors and designs. You might even want to check your mother's old jewelry case for some priceless items! These can complete a simple outfit 

Sandals and wedges 

As see above they complete any outfit and  look cool with most outfits

Cool Shades

Everyone wants to sport a pair of awesome drool-worthy looking shades.  Sporty Aviators and girly Jackie O's are your best bet for all seasons.

Lastly

 

Leather jackets We usually wear this kind of jacket in autumn/winter season, but leather items can be part of our wardrobe other seasons to.