Pool A: England, USA, Australia, Samoa
England: red-hot favourites, but could they be oppressed by thoughts of another failure, when they possess all the trump cards?
USA: they are desperate to make their mark again (last win 1991).
Americans prefer winners. World Rugby needs them to prosper to advance the spread of the global game.
Australia: Rugby Union close to crumbling, say the pessimists. It struggles against rival sports and public apathy. At least the Wallaroos are buoyant, winners of WXV2.
Samoa: like Fiji they suffer dreadfully from underfunding and lack of regular competition.
The move of stars like Tui and Vahaakopolo to New Zealand doesn’t help.
KEY MATCH: Oz v USA, Round 2
Pool B: Canada, Scotland, Wales, Fiji
Canada: way ahead of the pack. They have the final and the pot firmly in their sights. They fight several levels above their weight. A marvel.
Scotland: they’ll want to give Bryan Easson the best possible send-off, but can they maintain the needful consistency? I doubt it.
Wales: the best known case of a broken union falling apart. How far will that affect the people who matter, the players?
So much depends on Sean Lynn’s skills to instil confidence and cohesion.
Fiji: as for Samoa above; they fight bravely against the tide.
At least they beat Samoa 24-20 in the Oceania Cup.
KEY MATCH: Scotland v Wales, Round 1
Pool C: New Zealand, Japan, Spain, Ireland
NZ: very anxious to regain the ground lost since the last RWC at home. No longer automatic winners of every game, but they have an easy run-in to the knock-outs. Can the pack hold up?
Ireland: the one squad badly hit by injury (King, Wafer, Wall); they didn’t deserve that bad luck. They’d been looking at another semi-final after 2014. Will still show up well.
Japan: well funded and well followed, but those advantages aren’t enough to bring success. They resemble the Boks, by far the best in their continent – and yet.
Spain: The “love locked out” of European rugby. Until they are brought back into the 6N fold, success remains unlikely. Great enthusiasm and some fine players.
KEY MATCH: doesn’t apply here. The finishing order mirrors the sequence above.
Pool D: France, Italy, South Africa, Brazil
France: can they play consistently at their best? They haven’t yet done so at an RWC. They are certs for the later stages, but a first title still looks unlikely.
Italy: improving under the new boss, but their reserve strength is still lacking. More needed than a few great backs.
South Africa: a long way to go; two RWCs perhaps? Forward power isn’t enough.
Brazil: wild outsiders, but a delight to welcome. NZ make a habit of sticking 100 points on teams in their position.
KEY MATCH: the nearest we can get is the Azzurre beating les Bleues. That would be fun.
