The Rugby World Cup starts tonight with an opening ceremony and the first game of the series to be played at the Sydney Olympic Stadium (now named Telstra Stadium).
The first game is between Austalia (Wallabies) and Argentina (Pumas). Australia would normally beat the Pumas but there are plenty of reasons they will struggle tonight. The Wallabies should get home. I will be going to the game and will post some pics on Monday.
Everyone should be able to find a team to support - the USA and Canada :c: have both qualified. For Skel, Uruguay and Argentina have qualified (though given the way rivalries work you will probably want to support their opposition). Gatherace has Ireland in, and there are 20 countries in all.
The favourites are England but I think they will falter in the final after six weeks of games on hard Australian fields - they are used to slower, softer fields in England and they have an ageing line up. No northern hemisphere country has ever won the world cup. The second favourite is New Zealand and they are my pick (yeah yeah all right JNL). They have a younger, improving side. Their biggest test is likely to come from Australia in the semi-finals (if Australia make it that far - they have drawn the toughest group with three leading countries fighting for two spots in the play off rounds). Other countries I expect to surprise with their success are France and Ireland.
It's exciting for me, and probably JNL, so I think it only fair that I go out of my way between now and the final on 22 November to bore you with details. Something like the baseball, ice hockey and American football discussions we otherwise have here.
If you want the unbiased version, try here
Cheers and let the games begin :b:.
The first game is between Austalia (Wallabies) and Argentina (Pumas). Australia would normally beat the Pumas but there are plenty of reasons they will struggle tonight. The Wallabies should get home. I will be going to the game and will post some pics on Monday.
Everyone should be able to find a team to support - the USA and Canada :c: have both qualified. For Skel, Uruguay and Argentina have qualified (though given the way rivalries work you will probably want to support their opposition). Gatherace has Ireland in, and there are 20 countries in all.
The favourites are England but I think they will falter in the final after six weeks of games on hard Australian fields - they are used to slower, softer fields in England and they have an ageing line up. No northern hemisphere country has ever won the world cup. The second favourite is New Zealand and they are my pick (yeah yeah all right JNL). They have a younger, improving side. Their biggest test is likely to come from Australia in the semi-finals (if Australia make it that far - they have drawn the toughest group with three leading countries fighting for two spots in the play off rounds). Other countries I expect to surprise with their success are France and Ireland.
It's exciting for me, and probably JNL, so I think it only fair that I go out of my way between now and the final on 22 November to bore you with details. Something like the baseball, ice hockey and American football discussions we otherwise have here.
If you want the unbiased version, try here
Cheers and let the games begin :b:.