My final review, focuses on Wales group, Group D. We are drawn with familiar foes Australia and Fiji. We are also drawn with Uruguay for a second consecutive World Cup, Georgia will also pose stiff competition for Alun Wyn Jones and his team.
Australia: World Ranking: 6th Official Twitter
World Cup History: Having won the competition in 1991 and 1999, and losing in Finals in 2015 and 2003, Australia have an incredible World cup pedigree and seem to peak at the right time to challenge every four years.
How are they looking?
A mixed bag over the summer, where they have recorded a close victory over Argentina following a comprehensive defeat to South Africa. Australia then reintroduced a plethora of old faces and introduced ‘ballers’ to their backline, which resulted in them thwarting New Zealand 47-26 in a pulsating encounter, before then being whitewashed by a Kiwi team looking for revenge a week later. Australia have called up the veteran Adam Ashley Cooper and welcome back James O’Connor back into their backline, O’Connor teams up with Kurtley Beale in a backline capable of producing entertaining Rugby and they have more nouse and strength than many nations in their back row with David Pocock lining up alongside Michael Hooper. But Australia have served up some pretty stale Rugby over the last 18 months and come into the tournament in spluttering form.
Key Man: There are a host of players who can be seen as Key for the Wallabies, They need direction at Outside half in order for their talented outside backs to flourish. Therefore I would identify Christian Lealiifano as their key player. A man who has battled Leukaemia to return to the Wallabies starting XV. Lealiifano is a good tactical player who distributes the ball well, he will be targeted in defence but needs to control the tempo of their game well.
One to Watch: Again a veteran player but the Rugby nause in me cannot ignore the returning David Pocock, The Zimbabwe born back row has battled injury to make his return and his breakdown work is second to none. Pocock has announced his intention to step away from the international game following the tournament and he has one last chance to display his talent on the world stage. He will form a formidable back row tandem with Michael Hooper who captains the side in Japan and is a highly talented player in his own right.
‘The Single hardest player i ever faced. Not so much a thorn in the side of the opposition teams as a Human JCB’
Sam Warburton describing David Pocock in his XV of toughest players he faced in his career. (The Times, 7.9.19)
Key Game: Australia V Wales 29.9.19, Wales got the better of Australia in their last meeting in Cardiff in November 2018 in a game for the purists. Prior to this Australia had been the victors in the previous 13 games between the sides. The simple outcome of this game is the winner avoids the team who finishes top of the very strong Pool C (England, France. Argentina et al).
Honest prediction:
If they can strike a balance with their backline Australia can continue their tradition of featuring in the last four of the competition, I can’t see them winning the competition but if you drew Australia in a sweepstakes you would have half an eye on some prize money.
Fiji: World ranking 9th Official Twitter
World Cup History: Quarter finalists in 1987 and 2007 Fiji have failed to progress from the group stages in their other campaigns. Teams have come unstuck to Fiji’s dangerous nature, most notably Wales in 2007.
How are they looking? Fiji have managed to bring players like Toulon’s Josua Tuisova into the squad who was otherwise lost to Fijian Rugby, veterans like Vereniki Goneva as well as Viliame Mata and Leone Nakarawa still pose a threat to the tier one teams. A solid summer has seen Fiji beat Canada, Samoa and Tonga in the Pacific nations competition. A loss to Japan blotted their copybook in that competition, but there were encouraging results against New Zealand Maori earlier in the summer. Talk of Fiji having prolonged access to their players in the build up to the world cup has been a breath of fresh air, but this does not address the imbalance in the game and Fiji as a nation have suffered more than most in losing their most talented players to the tier one nations in the Southern Hemisphere.
Key man: Leone Nakawara is a mercurial talent, a supreme athlete who can also add the necessary steel to his pack. Nakawara poses all sorts of problems for the opposition and can pop up anywhere on the field with ball in hand.
One to watch: Viliame Mata has had a tremendous few years with Edinburgh, his performances have gained him admirers from across the world and Edinburgh did extremely well to renew his contract last season. Mata has a fantastic engine and he carries well and also shifts his weight in defence. A combination of Mata and Nakawara can cause havoc for any opposition.
Key Game: Wales V Fiji 9.10.19
Fiji have upset Wales in the group stages in the past, there was a nervy affair in Cardiff in 2015 as well where Fiji looked dangerous and it took Wales a lot more effort to secure the win than expected. Fiji will want to draw Wales into a shootout, If Wales fall into this trap Fiji have the ability to dazzle and could cause another upset.
Honest prediction: I think Fiji will finish third in the group after securing wins against Georgia and Uruguay, I think Wales will establish enough control to see them through their potential Banana skin and secure the win over them. Do not underestimate Fiji though.
Georgia: World Ranking 12th Official Twitter
World Cup History: Georgia have featured in the group stages in 2003, 2007, 2011 and in 2015. A passionate celebration following their opening win against Tonga at Kingsholm in 2015 will live long in the memory for me.
How are they looking? Georgia have dominated the tier two Six nations championships, and there is a growing opinion that they should feature against the tier one nations more frequently. They have invested in their coaching staff for this championship and have been bolstered by Englishmen Joe Worsley and Graham Rowntree joining the staff as defence and forwards coach respectively. Scotland became the first tier one nation to visit Tbilisi in the Summer and came away with a victory and backed this up the following weekend in Edinburgh. Georgia have a very strong pack with Georgian Props being sought across Europe, Graham Rowntree admits they struggle at second row but then have lots of back row options. Georgia will look to add to the progress they made in the last world cup.
Key Man: Mamuka Gorgodze, the veteran makes a return from International retirement. Gorgodze has been the poster boy for Georgian Rugby throughout his career. Gorgodze is an abrasive player who takes some stopping when he has built up a head of steam. He is the emotional leader of the team who plays with passion and determination.
One to Watch: This may seem lazy, but I genuinely find it impossible to look past their entire front row. All of their props are employed in France where scrums are a big deal, they will want to tear into all of their opposition at scrum time and as an ex front row I am excited about seeing what their scrum can do.
Key Game: Georgia V Fiji 3.10.19
Georgia will look to strangle Fiji up front and use their set piece expertise to win an attritional battle, Fiji will want to keep the game as open as possible. A win over Fiji would see Georgia build on their wins over Tonga and Namibia in 2015 and add more fuel to the fire for their desire to feature in the tier one six nations.
Honest prediction: Georgia will start off by giving Wales a fright at scrum time but won’t have enough to beat Wales. They will pick up a win over Uruguay and can push Fiji very close if they can get the desired stranglehold on the game. Australia will have too much for the Georgians.
Uruguay: World ranking 19th Official Twitter
World Cup History: Pool Stage exits in 1999,2003 and 2015.
How are they looking? Uruguay defy the odds to be here, they beat Canada in a double header to qualify and pushed an Argentina XV close in their warm up game.
Key Man: Felipe Berchesi- Half backs are key for teams like Uruguay, Berchesi has plenty of experience playing in the French second tier for Dax. Uruguay will need Berchesi to steer the ship when they do have possession and his goal kicking will be needed to capitalise on any chances they have to score.
One to watch: Agustin Ormaechea- The son of the Uruguay Rugby legend Diego Ormaechea, is another player who has experience in the Pro D2. The Scrum half who has scored 150 points in his 45 appearances for Uruguay will be looking to keep adding to his tally in this competition.
Key Game: Georgia V Uruguay 29.9.19
A chance for Uruguay to show how much they have improved this year, after securing victory over Canada this year they will try and impress against Georgia who are another up and coming nation.
Honest prediction: I don’t think Uruguay will get a win this year and are set to be the whipping boys of the group. I hope they show how much they have progressed since 2015 and are able to take part in some entertaining fixtures.
Wales: World Ranking 5th Official Twitter
World Cup History: Semi Finalists in 1987 and 2011 (Where we missed our golden chance to get to a final). Wales bowed out to a Fourie De Preez inspired South Africa in 2015 after they were decimated by injury. Wales also have some stinkers in the World cup album with them failing to get out of the group in 2007, which will famously be remembered for their gung ho game against Fiji which they lost.
How are they Looking? Well a Grand Slam in the 2019 Six Nations which came during Wales unprecedented 14 game unbeaten run. The summer training camp started negatively with Taulupe Faletau breaking his collar bone, ruling him out in the Autumn. The first game against England saw Wales being overpowered and more importantly they lost Gareth Anscombe with a torn ACL, just as he had secured the starting 10 jersey. A win six days later against England was followed by two losses to Ireland. Wales flirted with the number one ranking in the World and many of the Welsh Rugby public will be relieved that we have now lost this status. Wales have struggled at the Scrum and also struggled to score try’s through the summer.
Key Man: Alun Wyn Jones. The captain is possibly Wales best ever player, he has been in fine form over the last 18 months but was slowed down by a knee injury which he picked up in the final Six nations game against Ireland. Wyn Jones is the talisman for Wales who relishes the physical battle and is able to wind his opposition up whilst keeping his cool. His fitness is paramount to Wales for them to stand a chance of progressing.
Ones to Watch: Aaron Wainwright has been colossus in his short International career so far, he makes huge hits and carries well. He is a good lineout target and has not taken a backward step in the Test arena. In the Backs Liam Williams can be scintillating attacker, on his day he is up there as one of the best Full backs in the world. He has won everything possible so far in the last 12 months with Wales and Saracens. He struggled with injury in 2015 but secured his place in the Lions test team in 2017 and he has continued to improve since.
Key Game: Wales V Australia 29.9.19
Wales finally ended their long losing streak against Australia in 2018, since then Australia have introduced some old faces back into their lineup, Wales will want to lay down a marker and rebuild some confidence following their summer. Australia will head into the game in a confident manner after beating New Zealand in August. The Players Australia have brought back are part of the cohort of Wallabies who did not lose to Wales.
Honest prediction: Wales will qualify from the pool, more than likely in second place. The game against Australia will be tight. In the Quarter finals it’s a coin toss to whoever progresses as Wales and England seem to be trading victories these days. Wales have less depth in the squad than others, avoiding the injury curse they experienced will be the most important factor for Wales as they bid farewell to the Warren Gatland era.
The Armchair and Beyond 