Rugby World Cup 2019: Pool B preview – New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
Pool B will Begin with a bang as heavyweights New Zealand and South Africa clash 21, on Saturday September in Yokohama.
It’s a swimming pool which also contains Italy, Namibia and also Canada along with the question is whether or not any of them are able to pull off a significant shock and stone the All Blacks or that the Springboks? It appears impossible, but recall Japan?
Here we have a look at each nation’s 31-man squad, pick a key participant to concentrate upon, undergo present form and bring you all of the pool’s fittings…
Head coach: Steve Hansen
Captain: Kieran Read (121 caps)
Past Rugby World Cup best: Rugby World Cup winners (1987, 2011, 2015)
Key player: Beauden Barrett. The guy pulling the strings to the reigning champions. The spotlight will be on his own goal-kicking when it moves to the latter stages of this tournament, but across the playground he is expected to excel and take his game into the world-class degree it often reaches.
Form: Not ideal from an All Black perspective. Since winning the championship New Zealand have failed to triumph in eight Exams – an extremely strange figure for them. They finished second in the reduced 2019 Rugby Championship, with drawn with South Africa and lost to Australia, although they also have lost to Ireland (double ), the Lions (and attracted another Evaluation ), Australia (double ) and South Africa because the final World Cup. However, who wouldn’t bet on them to lift some third consecutive crown?
31-man World Cup group:
Forwards (17): Dane Coles, Liam Coltman, Codie Taylor, Nepo Laulala, Joe Moody, Atu Moli, Angus Ta’avao, Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Samuel Whitelock, Sam Cane, Luke Jacobson, Kieran Read (c), Ardie Savea, Matt Todd.
Backs (14): TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Brad Weber, Beauden Barrett, Richie Mo’unga, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Jordie Barrett, George Bridge, Rieko Ioane, Sevu Reece, Ben Smith.
Fixtures:
Head trainer: Rassie Erasmus
Captain: Siya Kolisi (42 caps)
Previous Rugby World Cup best: Rugby World Cup winners (1995, 2007)
Key player: Faf de Klerk. The pocket rocket who induces opposition and sets their pace defences a variety of problems to consider. The 27-year-old has skyrocketed over the last few seasons and joins a strong fighting game with vision and also the confidence to’go‘ when it is on.
Present form that the Boks will be the favorites heading right into the World Cup. From their form under Allister Coetzee in 2016 and 2017, 2018 and 2019 has established that a redemptive interval for South Africa, as they’ve defeated Scotland, France, England, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Their opening match against the All Blacks, and a path to the pool and averting New Zealand puts them in great form.
31-man World Cup group:
Forwards (17): Schalk Brits, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (c), Francois Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.
Backs (14): Damian de Allende, Lukhanyo Am, Warrick Gelant, Elton Jantjies, Herschel Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Makazole Mapimpi, Sbu Nkosi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Willie le Roux, Frans Steyn.
Fixtures:
Head trainer: Conor O’Shea
Captain: Sergio Parisse (140 caps)
Past Rugby World Cup best: Pool stage (1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015)
Key player: Sergio Parisse. Italy’s final talisman would take to the field in a record-equalling fifth Rugby World Cup in Japan and he personifies the term’determination‘. No 8 will work himself to the ground in what is highly likely to be his last World Cup contest for the Azzurri and still has an engine to combine it.
Form: The enduring conundrum of northern Biology. Results for the national team have stayed the same because Conor O’Shea arrived Even though the performances of Zebre and club sides Benetton has dramatically improved. Even the Azzurri’s only successes over the past two years have come against Russia, Japan (that they lost to in a different Evaluation ) and also Georgia. One must return into November 2016 for the last time Italy beat a Tier 1 country.
31-man World Cup squad:
Forwards (18): Luca Bigi, Dean Budd, Oliviero Fabiani, Simone Ferrari, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lovotti, Maxime Mbanda, Sebastian Negri, Sergio Parisse (c), Tiziano Pasquali, Jake Polledri, Nicola Quaglio, Marco Riccioni, Federico Ruzza, David Sisi, Abraham Steyn, Federico Zani, Alessandro Zanni.
Backs (13): Tommaso Allan, Mattia Bellini, Tommaso Benvenuti, Giulio Bisegni, Callum Braley, Michele Campagnaro, Carlo Canna, Jayden Hayward, Matteo Minozzi, Luca Morisi, Edoardo Padovani, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tito Tebaldi.
Fixtures:
Head coach: Phil Davies
Captain: Johan Deysel (24 caps)
Previous Rugby World Cup best: Pool point (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015)
Key participant: Eugene Jantjies. The veteran scrum-half is the only surviving member with that tournament and initially looked in 2007 back in a World Cup. Four players remain Rohan Kitshoff who featured in the 2011 World Cup: Darryl de la Harpe and PJ van Lill. This experienced back of their squad will be crucial in trying to attain a first-ever win.
Current form: Still searching their very first Rugby World Cup victory, Namibia will find it incredibly tough going to get a W inside this pool. They did beat against Uruguay from the build-up to the World Cup, but lost to Russia – whose results have been very poor.
World Cup group:
Forwards (18): Andre Rademeyer, Nelius Theron, Desiderius Sethie, AJ de Klerk, Johannes Coetzee, Obert Nortje, Louis van der Westhuizen, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Tjiuee Uanivi, Johan Retief, Thomasau Forbes, Rohan Kitshoff, Max Katjijeko, Prince Gaoseb, Wian Conradie, PJ van Lill, Adriaan Booysen, Janco Venter.
Backs (13): Cliven Loubser, Helarius Kisting, Damian Stevens, Eugene Jantjies, Darryl de la Harpe, Johan Deysel (c), Justin Newman, JC Greyling, Johann Tromp, Chad Plato, Lesley Klim, Janry du Toit, PJ Walters.
Fixtures:
Head trainer: Kingsley Jones
Captain: Tyler Ardron (33 caps)
Past Rugby World Cup best: Quarter-finals (1991)
Key player: DTH van der Merwe. Keep an eye out for the winger who’s currently making his appearance. If you provide him an inch he’ll take a mile with his superb footwork and that he has the pace to match. Van der Merwe has a hit-rate of all 38 attempts in 57 Tests.
Form: Pretty poor. Truly, their buildup for the World Cup has witnessed a run of beats which will have caused the squad considerable distress. The summer has seen them lose to the USA (twice), Fiji and Tonga, while additional defeats came against Uruguay and Brazil earlier in the year. They’ve won seven World Cup games ever, but may only add one more to that total within this pool.
World Cup squad:
Forwards (17): Tyler Ardron (c), Kyle Baillie, Justin Blanchet, Hubert Buydens, Luke Campbell, Matt Heaton, Eric Howard, Jake Ilnicki, Cole Keith, Conor Keys, Evan Olmstead, Benoit Piffero, Andrew Quattrin, Lucas Rumball, Djustice Sears-Duru, Mike Sheppard, Matthew Tierney
Backs (14): Nick Blevins, Andrew Coe, Jeff Hassler, Ciaran Hearn, Ben LeSage, Phil Mack, Jamie Mackenzie, Gordon McRorie, Peter Nelson, Shane O’Leary, Patrick Parfrey, Taylor Paris, Conor Trainor, DTH van der Merwe.
Fixtures:
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