With one week to go, the final countdown to the Rugby World Cup is upon us.
All the qualifications are over and it’s time for the 20 countries to face the real deal. This year’s edition is the most open tournament in the competition’s history, with more genuine contenders than ever before. But who are the favourites? Will the All Blacks retain the title?
These are the four pools:
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
Pool C: England, France, Argentina, USA, Tonga (considered the pool of death)
Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
Each pool will be a single round-robin of ten games, in which each team plays one match against each of the other teams in the same pool. A win earns you four points, a draw two, and a defeat by eight or more points scores you nothing. A team scoring four tries in a match is awarded a bonus point, as is a team that loses by fewer than eight points – both bonus points are awarded if both situations apply.
As you would expect, given they have won the last two Rugby World Cups, New Zealand are the unquestionable favourites heading into the tournament.
However, their dominance is being thoroughly questioned by teams like South Africa, England, Ireland and Wales who follow closely behind as the next four teams with the best odds of being crowned world champions.
The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup - Japan vs Russia - will take place at the Ajinomoto Stadium in Chōfu, Tokyo, and the final match will be held at the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture on 2 November 2019.
Who do you think will win the Rugby World Cup 2019? Enter the British Chamber of Commerce’s competition and win fabulous prizes.
All Blacks eye third consecutive World Cup as title pretenders lurk
Rugby World Cup 2019 competition
Rugby World Cup - the last hurrah for five of the best
