This time it's Pool B, it's not exactly looking like a strong pool. South Africa look best but stumbled a fair amount during the Rugby Championship, meanwhile Scotland are faltering as they always have. Meanwhile Samoa will be competing fiercely for that quarter-final spot too.
South Africa
All but certain to qualify for the quarter finals, probably without really breaking a sweat. They're coming into the tournament with a couple of big names returning from injuries, and in the meantime they've built considerable strength in depth, none more so than at centre. With world class captain Jean De Villiers returning, they have since found the perfect partner to him at inside centre with Damian De Allende, who has been putting in continued man of the match performances over the last year for both club and country. Jessie Kriel however has proven to be a real find, even if he's more used to playing fullback, at outside centre. His lines of running could prove the difference in multiple games, able to spot even a tiny gap, and then through a combination of speed and strength burst through the line. As he proved against the current greatest centre partnership Nonu and Smith against New Zealand during the summer. Looking at the rest of the backline, Willie Le Roux provides the X-Factor to the side, able to produce from nothing, and also provide good support lines to score himself. Out wide the 'Boks possess plenty of talented wingers to make use of the excellent creators in the side.
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| De Allende and Kriel combined to lethal efficiency during the Rugby Championship |
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| Pollard |
At half-back, Ruan Pienaar is currently in the drivers seat at scrum-half, but veteran and world-class Du Preez is also in the squad, so they really don't lack talent or experience, which is helpful considering the two first choice fly-half's both possess a lack there of. Pollard is my preferred pick at 10, the total player able to run, see the gap, kick skilfully, kind of reminds me of a young Dan Carter, but has been prone to lapses in decision making which could lead to Coach Meyer selecting the more calm and steady Pat Lambie to run the game. Also available is Morne Steyn, another perhaps past his best, but unparalleled in the squad for being able to control a game, and defend a small lead, which could be crucial in the knock-out stages.
Up front South Africa are looking as strong as ever. The front row is infamously powerful and with no injuries is bound to dominate up front during the pool stages, and against almost ever team at the World Cup too. The locks contain the apparently immortal Matfield and the new enforcer in Etzebeth, who still rule the lineout like the South Africa of tradition. In the back row the first choice is one again available for selection with the hulking bear shape of Dwyane Vermeulen back at No. 8, alonside Willem Alberts providing another huge ball carrier, and the Bath based Francois Louw at openside. Louw is a highly under-rated player, looked over by most pundits especially at the breakdown, where he is one of the best operators in the Aviva Premiership, and with his strength up there with the Pococks and McCaw's of the world.
Star Player: Dwayne Vermeulen
Player to Watch: Jesse Kriel
Samoa
Samoa are another wild-card akin to Fiji in Pool A, possessing the same 7's like ability to throw the ball around, although they are more akin to try and break their opponent as they are to run around them. They are a behemoth of a team, who is willing to fling their bodies about with reckless abandon. With a vast majority of their players playing in big leagues now, they also have the skill set and the fitness to last at the top level. With the likes of Kahn Fotuali'i and the Pisi brothers outwide, plus the newly Samoan (formerly New Zealand 7's) Nanai-Williams, they have the skill to unlock defences. While upfront they have a rock at tight head which should provide them some set-piece platform, although maybe not against the South Africans, plus also the bullocking Sanele Tuilagi who was running through people for fun during the Pacific Nation Cup.
They don't possess a world-class goal kicker, which could haunt them against Scotland, as they try to fight their way into the knock-out stages, especially since Scotland are no longer weak in the contact area so Samoa could struggle to make in roads with their generic smashing game-plan.
Star Player: George Pisi
Player to Watch: Tim Nanai-Williams
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| Nanai-Williams has switched allegiance, could he be what Samoa need to get out of the pool? |
Japan
One of two outsiders for this pool, but not as much as they would have been last World Cup. In previous years Japan have showed glimpses of what they are capable of, especially if they can get their wingers in a little bit of space, because they possess some incredible speed which can cut teams apart. However they always struggled at the set piece, specifically the scrum, they never seemed to have the bulk to really compete on an international stage. However over the last four years they seem to have found some truly strong players, maybe they converted some less than successful Sumo wrestlers into props, and have actually started using their scrum as a weapon against the lesser nations.
While Japan are unlikely to cause the Springboks any serious concerns, they stand a good chance against the USA, and could even scare Samoa and Scotland if they have a bad day. They will have to play seriously well to make the knock-out stages, but they could steal a third place finish. Even if they don't need to qualify for the next world cup.
Scotland
The Scots are looking forward to this World Cup with some hope, they had an amazing series of tests last autumn, before suffering a cataclysmic failing during the 6 Nations, including a routing by Ireland, at Murrayfield. However the warm-up games have gone well, they ran Ireland close in Dublin, completed a double against Italy and almost stole a win in Paris (they could have easily claimed a draw). The set piece is looking stable and the backs are scoring tries, and they have some good looking strength in depth.
The pack while not fearsome possesses some talent, the Gray brothers especially in the second row, and David Denton who is back to his best running around the park and having serious effect on the gainline battle. They have also added the Glasgow No. 8 Josh Strauss to the squad who has been effective for them for years, before qualifying for Scotland on residency. In the front row however they are lacking any major players, and it could end up hurting them, especially against the juggernaut that is the South African scrum.
Meanwhile the backline lead by the brilliant Finn Russell is based of the PRO12 champions Glasgow patterns, seeing as so many of them play under Townsend. Stuart Hogg provides a bit of excitement with his pace, strength and nuclear missile of a left boot - he reminds me of former Lion Lee Byrne in his style of play, although perhaps a little faster. In the centre's they are painfully without Alex Dunbar who was both a rock in defence, and a dangerous attacker too. Instead they will likely go with the combination of Bennett and Scott who aren't the strongest defensively but like to play with width in attack, there is also the consideration of former flanker Richie Vernon who is in a similar mould to the missing Dunbar. At wing Tim Visser seems to have finally found his feet on the international stage, alongside other quality players like Sean Maitland, interception master Tommy Seymour, and the stalwart Sean Lamont.
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| Can Visser show is try scoring ability at the World Cup? |
There is still one major decision that has to be made by Coach Cotter, and that is who plays at scrum half, squad captain Greig Laidlaw logically is in possession of the shirt, however Edinburgh half-back Hidalgo-Clyne has been playing far better than the captain all season. While he may lack test experience which could be needed for the tighter games, there is no doubt that he plays at a much higher tempo and is much sparkier around the fringes which could give Scotland an edge in the crunch match against Samoa.
Star Player: Stuart Hogg
Player to Watch: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
USA
Arguably the weakest team of the pool and most likely to end up at the bottom, which is a shame as the sport is just starting to find its feet "across the pond". They do at least have some big names in their roster, but it is more a matter of a sprinkling of talent rather than an underlying basis of good players to provide competition against the bigger teams.
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| Manoa has been a revelation, can he do it for the USA? |
In the pack they'll be looking to the aggressive mountain of Samu Manoa - freshly signed for Toulon - to provide the basis of their go-forward and lineout security. Meanwhile the remaining top flight players are sitting out wide in America's back three. Saracen's Christian Wyles rarely has a bad game in the Premiership can he light up the field for the Eagles? Then there is Blaine Scully of Leciester Tigers, and also can't forget Takudzwa Ngwenya who so memorably embarrassed Bryan Habana eight years ago by out sprinting him to the try line.
The surprise package is the relatively unheard of AJ MacGinty, previously based in Ireland, he has found his feet in the US and has shown some talent with good decision making and a nifty boot too. He might just give the American's some control and direction around the pitch and set up some tries.
Star Player: Samu Manoa
Player to Watch: AJ MacGinty
Predicted Final Standings
South Africa
Scotland
Samoa
Japan
USA
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