Prediction time

Name who you think will be the 4 group winners.

Extra points if you show your working.

Whoever gets them all right wins brief admiration from your fellow 606v2ers

Group A
France
NZ

Group B
SA
Scotland

Group C
Australia
Fiji

Group D
Argentina
England

For me it's

NZ will top it after a brutal and entertaining game against France.

Ireland for group B i think SA are not as good as they have been (also Ireland could equally not even get out of the group.

England will top group D. They may not be flashy but they will be efficient

Group C. I want Fiji to win it, Oz could come good, but I have a.feeling Wales will annoyingly pull it out of the bag and top group C

carpet baboon wrote:For me it's

NZ will top it after a brutal and entertaining game against France.

Ireland for group B i think SA are not as good as they have been (also Ireland could equally not even get out of the group.

England will top group D. They may not be flashy but they will be efficient

Group C. I want Fiji to win it, Oz could come good, but I have a.feeling Wales will annoyingly pull it out of the bag and top group C

Thanks for your continued support

Group A: France.

First match in Paris at a home world cup against NZ. They may get some 50:50 calls going their way as well. Italy are not good enough to really worry the French last up after playing NZ the week before. NZ will join France out of the group

Group B: South Africa.

It will come down to the game between Ireland and SA. Ireland have a tricky Tonga game a week before that will inevitably be a bruising encounter. Both sides are very reliant on a particular 10 with young guns emerging behind them. SA just seem to know how to play World Cups. Scotland struggle against Ireland and South Africa so getting both was a kick in the teeth. Think Ireland will come second

Group C: Wales

Australia and Wales are getting piled on. Georgia and Fiji look to be on the up. Won't matter much, Wales should find enough to win it. Gatland will find a way past the weaker squads and Australia get Fiji the week before Wales whilst Wales has Portugal. I would love an upset but think it will end up business as usual with Australia second.

Group D: Argentina

I have saved my upset for this group. England get Argentina first up followed by Japan. Argentina lack depth, but at the start of the tournament, will be able to go full bore. Japan are maybe on a bit of a downtrend and will be hoping for hot weather and a quick game to wear out England. I think England will make it through in second.

Pot Hale wrote:
Group B
SA
Scotland

IM a scotland fan but no way are we getting out of that group

Reckon it'll be:

A
France
NZ

B
Ireland
SA

C
Aus
Wales

D
England
Argentina


Looks like no ones gone the same yet. Think I'm most unsure of A and then D. NZ look very good once some of the responsibility seems to have been lifted off Foster, France for me are the best in the world but with those 2 sets of backs could go either way.

D, both of those should go through, but England are less than the sum of their parts, should be better but who knows if Argentina make us chase the game. There's little there in our backs bar Arundell and Lawrence.

I'm going to go with:

Group A: New Zealand, France. Moving Jordie Barrett to 12 has made it all click into place for the All Blacks, while the French have a habit of starting World Cups slowly and form for being mugged by NZ in Paris.

Group B: Ireland, South Africa. South Africa don't look to know what their best team or tactics are, and I think Ireland have enough to win the group. The question is whether they can get to the knockout rounds with enough players intact to make a genuine attempt on the title, especially given how tough the group is.

Group C: Wales, Australia. Probably the toughest group to call, because neither of the front runners is in any sort of form. But I think if Wales don't slip up against Fiji they have a better shape to their pool games and will have overcome Gatland's habit of running a late taper and risking an early upset by the time they face the Aussies. Eddie does not appear to have galvanised the men in gold and it may be too late for him to turn it around.

Group D: England, Argentina. A bit of heart over head here, but there's still some reason behind it: although Argentina did relatively well in the RC, 2 out of 3 opponents were in some disarray. Meanwhile, England made a decent fist of it against Ireland until the red card, and Borthwick has had long enough in camp to establish his tactics and squad. I reserve the right to change my mind after the warm up games and squad announcement, mind...

Pot Hale wrote:Group A
France
NZ

Group B
SA
Scotland

Group C
Australia
Fiji

Group D
Argentina
England

I’m confident Ireland will top group B. I know the Boks are a great team with World Cup pedigree but quite a number of the Boks squad have actually never won v Ireland including Pollard, De Jager, Mapimpi, Am, Willemse, Arendse, Kolbe etc. and of the Boks that have won v Ireland very few of them have a winning record, only a handful, only Mostert and Malherbe. Ezebeth for example has played the most tests v Ireland and his record is three wins four losses. It will be the first time the two sides have met at a RWC and I’m backing Ireland to win.

France
NZ

Group B
Ire
SA

Group C
Australia
Wales

Group D
England
Argentina

I predict 7.5 will have an aneurysm if Max Malins is picked by Borthwick for England team.

Resigned that he'll make some selection howlers. The fact that Youngs will start brings into context Malins.

Pool A is France after a close game on opening night against the ABs. Yellow cards cause NZ to play a quarter of the match with 14, and a late Penaud try seals it for France. NZ will then crush everyone else in a horror show of tries and domination.

Pool B will be Ireland's. Their match against SA will be attrition city, with 3 Irish players off with injuries. South Africa will destroy Scotland as their physicality dominates.

Pool C is Australia's, but only just. They struggle against Fiji and it's a humdinger with Wales, being won with a try in the last few minutes. Wales have a nightmare and are put to the sword by Fiji after an inconsistent display. Fiji go through.

Pool D The 2 to go through will be Argentina and England, but a major spanner is thrown in the works as their match ends in a draw. Japan are unfortunate in losing to both, but Argentina top the pool in points difference due to being able to score more tries.

Group A; NZ, France - the pressure of being the first pool game will be too much for France.
Group B; SA, Ireland - SA will go after the irish set piece, which in Dublin the irish got a fair few 50/50 calls last time. Not sure which Scotland side will show up in France.
Group C; Australia, Wales - just can't see EJ losing to Wales in France.
Group D; Argentina, England - England will inevitably suffer a card and lose narrowly setting up a Australia Q/F, which England will win

The other QFs will be fascinating- NZ to beat Ireland,  France to beat SA and Argentina to beat Wales.

Ultimately NZ look like the team to beat.

3 of the world top 5 in one pool. Scotlands pool. The pools are extraordinarily lopsided top 3 teams in each pool world rankings
Pool A 2nd, 3rd, 14th
pool B 1st, 4th and 5th

Pool C 8th, 9th, 10th

Pool D 6th, 7th, 12th

mountain man wrote:I predict 7.5 will have an aneurysm if Max Malins is picked by Borthwick for England team.

Well I'm going to have to back down on my thoughts on Malins. Looked really accomplished yesterday. Just didn't think he looked international class at first but shows perseverance is key. Look the crackle of the crowd as he receives the ball as you just know he's going to do something special. Can't wait for the WC now.

Anyhow can I actually change my predictions or you holding me while I was optimistic?

Pool A New Zealnd 1st - they don't loose World Cup pool games and France will crumble under the pressure of being the home team.  France to finish 2nd in the group.

Pool B South Africa 1st - they have been playing around with their team in the Rugby Championship but come the World Cup will go full bore.  Ireland to finish 2nd in the group and choke in the quarters yet again.

Pool C Australia 1st - they just have too much talent to not win this pool and as someone likes to say "Judge me on the World Cup mate".  Wales to finish 2nd.

Pool D England 1st - despite the rubbish gameplan surely even we can't throw away the opportunity presented to us by the seedings.  Argentina to finish 2nd.

I think Argentina will beat England. They have been almost there is the recent games against SA and NZ and they will beat England on raw passion. A skillful team with a dead eye kicker and full of warriers.

You're almost starting to play the game and offer your predictions TJ. You can do it.

No 7&1/2 wrote:You're almost starting to play the game and offer your predictions TJ. You can do it.

My record predicting rugby games is a pretty impressive 85% wrong :-)

TJ wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:You're almost starting to play the game and offer your predictions TJ. You can do it.

My record predicting rugby games is a pretty impressive 85% wrong :-)

'I think Argentina will beat England.'

Thank god for that.

No 7&1/2 wrote:

TJ wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:You're almost starting to play the game and offer your predictions TJ. You can do it.

My record predicting rugby games is a pretty impressive 85% wrong :-)

'I think Argentina will beat England.'

Thank god for that.

Well, they are next to each other in the World Rankings. So on neutral soil I don't think it's a massive stretch for either side to win. Wouldn't be a shock either way, would it?

No. Why?

Pool A - I think New Zealand will win the pool followed by France, before the RC I would have tipped France for the pool win but the AB's seem to be hitting form at the right time.

Pool B - Ireland to win the pool with South Africa runners up. I think there is a real chance that the top 3 could win one game each against each other so I think it may be tight with Scotland just missing out.

Pool C - Wales then Australia, could go either way really & Fiji will be dangerous but I hope we go fully loaded for all games.

Pool D - Cant see anything apart from the big 2 sides qualifying here, I think Argentina will beat England in their match so they progress as pool winners.

A: NZ, France
B: Ireland, SA
C: Wales, Fiji
D: Arg, England

I keep going around and around on the predictions.

Pool A:  This ain't 2007 when France crashed at home to a mediocre England team, then lost again in that silly third place game.  France just edges NZ as top qualifier.

Pool B:  SA by a hair over Ireland.  Only caveat is if SA loses another 10 and Ireland somehow manage to keep Sexton on the pitch. If either slip up or have a few key injuries, Scotland is right there.

Pool C:  Fiji, Wales.  I suppose I am slowly buying into how poor Australia are at the moment.  Some of this is wishful thinking because of the damage done by EJ (leaving out for now the responsibility by his supposed bosses at the RFU).  I think Fiji will have a good tournament which helps with a weaker pool.

Pool D:  Argentina, Chile (OK, might be Japan or Samoa)

I suppose all the above predictions are wrong, Arg could win it outright with Cheika-ball.

NZ - coming onto form
France -missing Ntamack and underburden of expectation

Ireland - don't think they will mess it up this time, very efficient
Scotland - on form, will shock SA

Australia - have enough depth for a good run in a weaker group, but out at quarters
Fiji - will beat Wales as per 2007 (Wales have gone through too much transition too quickly)

Argentina - looking good
England - out of sorts, should be better but not, beware Japan beating prediction

Prediction?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E

Mr Bounce wrote:Pool A is France after a close game on opening night against the ABs. Yellow cards cause NZ to play a quarter of the match with 14, and a late Penaud try seals it for France. NZ will then crush everyone else in a horror show of tries and domination.

Pool B will be Ireland's. Their match against SA will be attrition city, with 3 Irish players off with injuries. South Africa will destroy Scotland as their physicality dominates.

Pool C is Australia's, but only just. They struggle against Fiji and it's a humdinger with Wales, being won with a try in the last few minutes. Wales have a nightmare and are put to the sword by Fiji after an inconsistent display. Fiji go through.

Pool D The 2 to go through will be Argentina and England, but a major spanner is thrown in the works as their match ends in a draw. Japan are unfortunate in losing to both, but Argentina top the pool in points difference due to being able to score more tries.

I have completely changed my mind having seen Borthwick's total lack of international gameplan.

Pool D- Argentine thump England by 3 scores. And thanks to a red card, Japan beat England for the first time. Argentina win the pool and Japan go second. Borthwick steps down. PLEASE.

Pool A
NZ
France

Pool B
SA
Ireland

Pool C
Australia
Wales

Pool D
England
Argentina

Pool A: France and New Zealand
Pool B: South Africa and Ireland
Pool C: Australia and Fiji
Pool D: Argentina and England

QFs: England to beat Australia; South Africa to beat New Zealand; Argentina to beat Fiji; France to beat Ireland
SFs: South Africa to beat England; France to beat Argentina
F: France to beat South Africa

Bold call on Pool D considering Samoa's performance today ...

NZ and France
Ireland and SA
Australia and Fiji
Argentina and England.

A disaster in the WC might be just what Wales need, although obviously Gatland has already been rewarded with a contract past the tournament. It happened in 07, when it was a good choice to have Gatland then. I don’t think it is now at all.

It would appear that Jonathan Dante has been injured and will miss the match against NZ. If true then I think NZ may get the upper hand and thus finish top of the group.

If Ireland are to qualify, then I think they will favour playing NZ in a QF despite their QF history up to this point. A France V SA quarterfinal would be a thundering clash and knockout one of the favourites.

It would be quite something if the other quarterfinalists featured teams such as Argentina and Fiji with the semifinals containing 2 or more non-cup winners.

Pot Hale wrote:It would appear that Jonathan Dante has been injured and will miss the match against NZ.  If true then I think NZ may get the upper hand and thus finish top of the group.

If Ireland are to qualify, then I think they will favour playing NZ in a QF despite their QF history up to this point.   A France V SA quarterfinal would be a thundering clash and knockout one of the favourites.  

It would be quite something if the other quarterfinalists featured teams such as Argentina and Fiji with the semifinals containing 2 or more non-cup winners.  

If France starve New Zealand of the ball in the manner that the Springbok's did last week then there is nothing that the All Blacks will be able to do.

mikey_dragon wrote:A: NZ, France
B: Ireland, SA
C: Wales, Fiji
D: Arg, England

I'm changing some of these so I end up with less egg on face.

A. France, NZ
B. SA, Ire
C. Fiji, Aus
D. Arg, Eng.

Time for reappraisal.

Group A France NZ

Group B Ire SA ( or Ireland out completely and Scotland 2nd)

Group C Fiji Wales

Group D Arg Samoa ( mainly as I have money on this being the result)

Group A: NZ, France

Group B: SA, Ireland

Group C: Wales, Australia

Group D: Argentina, England

I do have one prediction.

We will have the widest winning margin in a SF since the first World Cup.
Wales got stuff then but since the biggest margin has been 24 points

Group A. France, New Zealand

Group B Ireland SA

Group C Australia, Wales

Group D England Argentina