Rugby World Cup Draw

[Puja]

Is now imminent. Currently lots of fluff and buildup, including some comedic attempts to justify a draw 3 years in advance based on rankings from 4 years in advance. Apparently it's because of the specialness of the sport and how volunteers want to have 3 years buildup so they can make it their life.

All I want is not France, please not France.

Puja

[Puja]

Reminder, if they took the current rankings, France would be in the top seeds rather than second, and Wales would be third seeds rather than first.

Puja

[Puja]

Gods, how have they only just started drawing the balls? And they appear to be having special guest drawers for each tier, all of whom require a little interview beforehand. What the actual f*ck World Rugby? This is interminable.

Puja

[Puja]

Oh no, my mistake, they had someone come on just simply to draw one ball and now they have someone else on who is now getting interviewed. He's an architect and he's twlling us about what buildings we should see in France. Come back box-kicking, all is forgiven.

Puja

[Puja]

Oh thank f*ck, the architect is drawing four whole balls. I was terrified that they were going to have someone new for every team. I don't think even snarky commentary would've got me through 20 different French "luminaries". Mind, this guy only drew band 5, so we're trying to drum up interest in "Ooooh, Africa 1 have been drawn in Pool A which is France's pool. Oooh."

Now we have a French photographer. I am rapt by his interview, as you may be able to tell by the fact that I'm typing through it.

Puja

[Puja]

Pool A
X
France
Italy
Americas 1 (Uruguay or USA)
Africa 1

Pool B
X
X
Scotland
Asia/Pacific (the loser of Tonga or Samoa)
Europe 2 (Russia/Spain/Romania)

Pool C
X
X
Fiji
Europe 1 (Georgia)
Repechage (Canada maybe?)

Pool D
X
X
Argentina
Oceania 1 (winner of Tonga vs Samoa)
Americas 2 (USA or Uruguay)

[Puja]

Ooh, yaay, it's a ballet dancer. This is what I've tuned in for.

Pool D is looking tasty. All it needs is Ireland and NZ to properly finish it off.

Puja

[fivepointer]

And now a ballerina who appears to be wearing a pair of Dr Martins boots. Those French do like to do things just a touch differently.

[Puja]

Pool A
X
France
Italy
Americas 1 (Uruguay or USA)
Africa 1

Pool B
X
Ireland
Scotland
Asia/Pacific (the loser of Tonga or Samoa)
Europe 2 (Russia/Spain/Romania)

Pool C
X
Australia
Fiji
Europe 1 (Georgia)
Repechage (Canada maybe?)

Pool D
X
Japan
Argentina
Oceania 1 (winner of Tonga vs Samoa)
Americas 2 (USA or Uruguay)

[Puja]

And now a ballerina who appears to be wearing a pair of Dr Martins boots. Those French do like to do things just a touch differently.

Oh thank gods, I'm not suffering alone.

Puja

[fivepointer]

I'm gripped. We now have a chef (naturally) who has the best restaurant in the world.

[Puja]

I think I'd prefer B or C, although I wouldn't hate D. Nothing really setting up as a Groupe de Morte as of yet.

Puja

[Puja]

Pool A
New Zealand
France
Italy
Americas 1 (Uruguay or USA)
Africa 1 (Namibia, barring Kenya or Zimbabwe springing a massive shock)

Pool B
South Africa
Ireland
Scotland
Asia/Pacific (the loser of Tonga or Samoa)
Europe 2 (Russia/Spain/Romania)

Pool C
Wales
Australia
Fiji
Europe 1 (Georgia)
Repechage (Canada maybe?)

Pool D
England
Japan
Argentina
Oceania 1 (winner of Tonga vs Samoa)
Americas 2 (USA or Uruguay)

[Puja]

Wales, Australia and Fiji inseparable again!

Pools A and B look hard and the reward is to get to play the qualifiers from the other group. Ireland not getting past the quarters again?

If you were Uruguay and USA, you'd be hoping to lose the qualifier for Americas 1 - go in with NZ and France or in with Argentina and Japan for an outside chance of a quarter final?

Puja

[fivepointer]

Avoiding France is a big plus. Pretty pleased with that draw.

[twitchy]

A decent group for once. Excellent.

[Puja]

Avoiding France is a big plus. Pretty pleased with that draw.

Absolutely. Argentina are a threat, but it's mitigated by getting the weakest second seed and a quarter final against Wales, Australia or Fiji is about as good as could be hoped for.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

All four groups are pretty well balanced IMO. No obvious ‘group of death’, but no very weak ones either.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

All four groups are pretty well balanced IMO. No obvious ‘group of death’, but no very weak ones either.

I think Wales may have the toughest draw of the Home Nations.

[Puja]

It's Italy I feel sorry for. Place in any of the other groups and they'd've had something to build towards - they look like they're on the rise and you'd give them a puncher's chance of upsetting Farrell's Ireland, Wales/Australia, or Japan to reach their first ever quarter final. Having the draw 3 years in advance might be great for allowing the volunteers to get hyped, but it mean Italian rugby now have 3 years of knowing that they'll go out in the group stages and their only ambition is to make sure they avoid providing an upset for Uruguay or Namibia.

Puja

[Puja]

All four groups are pretty well balanced IMO. No obvious ‘group of death’, but no very weak ones either.

I think Wales may have the toughest draw of the Home Nations.

Not Scotland?!

Puja

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Wales, Australia and Fiji inseparable again!

Pools A and B look hard and the reward is to get to play the qualifiers from the other group. Ireland not getting past the quarters again?

If you were Uruguay and USA, you'd be hoping to lose the qualifier for Americas 1 - go in with NZ and France or in with Argentina and Japan for an outside chance of a quarter final?

Puja

Puja whats the draw for the QF's onwards? Who plays who from what groups etc etc?

[Scrumhead]

Avoiding France is a big plus. Pretty pleased with that draw.

Absolutely. Argentina are a threat, but it's mitigated by getting the weakest second seed and a quarter final against Wales, Australia or Fiji is about as good as could be hoped for.

Puja

Hard to say where Argentina will be in 3yrs time given what’s happened with the Jaguares.

Japan are the intriguing one for me. Quite a few of their better players like Horie or Tanaka will be too old and I don’t know anything about the next generation coming through.

[Danno]

That's a cracking group to be in, I was really looking forward to us playing Japan this year. Hopefully they can turn Arg over and reach the QFs(at least) again

[Puja]

Wales, Australia and Fiji inseparable again!

Pools A and B look hard and the reward is to get to play the qualifiers from the other group. Ireland not getting past the quarters again?

If you were Uruguay and USA, you'd be hoping to lose the qualifier for Americas 1 - go in with NZ and France or in with Argentina and Japan for an outside chance of a quarter final?

Puja

Puja whats the draw for the QF's onwards? Who plays who from what groups etc etc?

I would imagine the same as last year - Top of A plays 2nd in Pool B, vice versa and Top of C plays second in D, etc. etc. Not sure on the semis though.

Puja