Rugby World Cup 2007

OK I've left it as long as possible before taking a pumphouse detour for seven weeks!!
The Wallabies will open their campaign this weekend to BRING BACK BILL [The William Webb Ellis Trophy] in France and Wales!! Cricket, football, netball whatever... it doesn't get any better than the Rugby World Cup. It's a relatively new competition since its beginning in Australia/New Zealand in 1987 and its invention happens to coincide with a golden era in Australian Rugby!!

We lost a killer Semi Final to France in 1987 with eventual champs New Zealand
We won the 1991 World Cup in the UK with Nick Farr Jones as captain
We imploded in South Africa in 1995
We won again in the UK in 1999 with John Eales 'Nobody' as captain

Given our poor lead up form very few gave us a chance in 2003 and despite my prediction we'd beat NZ in the semi's I was surprised how well we went in the cold and slippery Final. Down by a last gasp field goal in extra time. It was like a champion team saying to England "OK you've been the best performed team for 2 years but if you want the Cup you'll have to prize it from our dead fingers!!"

I love that the All Blacks only have one Cup to our two and would love that to be 3-1!! Though in truth they are always deserved favourites.

Predictions:
Wallabies to win

Surprises... South Africa, France, Ireland, NZ maybe having peaked early...
BUT you need focus and an ounce of luck to win it!!

I would not have picked Berrick Barnes and one or two other players in the squad but I guess we'll see.

Australian heroes will be:
Stirling Mortlock
Rocky Elsom
David Lyons

I am avoiding comment about George Gregan.
Maybe another day...

What wins World Cups? Defence
Why would I suggest we can win despite patchy form in 2007?

I believe we ran dead in the Super 14 because of key injuries BUT also because the Wallabies were in heavy base fitness training instead of tapered weekly processes. Similarly in the early trials we experimented BUT in the Tri Nations what changed to give us success was not our attack BUT our defence... it went up several cogs... so lets hope that continues!!

Plenty of time for more...

This weekend:

Date AEST
8/9 5am France v Argentina
9.45pm NZ v Italy
11.45pm Australia v Japan
9/9 2am Eng v USA
10pm Wales v Canada
midnight Sth Africa v Samoa
10/9 2am Scotland v Portugal
4am Ireland v Namibia

Enjoy!!