So the time has come to find out who will be clashing with who at the 2011 RWC.
Sharksworld brings you the draw as it happens.
This is the first time the draw will be based on actual world rankings.
Read all about it here
The teams in the top three bands are as follows:
Band 1: New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Argentina
Band 2: Wales, England, France, Ireland
Band 3: Scotland, Fiji, Italy, Tonga
And here are the pools:
Pool A: New Zealand, France, Tonga, Americas 1, Asia 1
Pool B: Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1, Playoff Winner
Pool C: Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2, Americas 2
Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1, Africa 1
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Poms and Kiwi’s in the same pool will be so cool. 😎
Let me get some popcorn. 😎
Opening game has to be France v NZ 😆
can I have some, please?
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 3) : oh, that would be cruel!
But not as cruel as France knocking them out again in the quarters
@robdylan (Comment 4) : Salt or sweet?
The only thing that would top the AB’s not even making final in NZ would be the Boks klapping them in the final. 😎
I are seeing the pictures but no sound. But probably for the better as I’m at work. 😎
@McLovin (Comment 6) : salt, please. I don’t believe in sweet popcorn.
BTW, I don’t have sound either. Hoping it will come on at 15h00
@robdylan (Comment 9) : toffee popcorn is not to bad, but gets very sticky. salt is how nature intended.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Forgot it only starts at 3. Was wondering why the hell they’re just standing there. 😳
@McLovin (Comment 11) : wow – they’re all being very patient
it’s live
going through all the teams that have qualified now…
Asia 1 – Pool A
Playoff Winner – Pool B
Americas 2 – Pool C
Africa 1 – Pool D
now for Band 4:
Americas 1: Pool A
Europe 1: Pool B
Europe 2: Pool C
Oceania 1: Pool D
now for Band 3:
They should’ve used little rugby balls instead of the round ones. 😈
Tonga – Pool A
Scotland – Pool B
Italy – Pool C
Fiji – Pool D
he he….
Now for the interesting parts. Band 2 coming up
Pool A: France
Pool B: England
Pool C: Ireland
Pool D: Wales
Eng and Scot in the same pool!
Band 1 coming up
Pool A: New Zealand!
Pool B: Argentina
Pool C: Australia
Pool D: South Africa
we got a PEACH of a draw!
ok – so let’s sum up here:
Pool A: New Zealand, France, Tonga, Canada(?), Japan(?)
Pool B: Argentina, England, Scotland, Europe 1 (Georgia?), AN Other (Spain, perhaps?)
My picture froze. 👿
Pool C: Australia, Ireland, Italy, Europe 2 (Spain?), Americas 2 (USA?)
Pool D: South Africa, Wales, Fiji, Oceania 1 (Samoa), Africa 1 (Namibia?)
actually, our draw might not be that ideal, give that we have both Fiji and Samoa to contend with. Fiji probably won’t be particularly bruising, but as we learned last time around, we certainly can’t afford to underestimate them. Samoa will try to break us in half, the way they always do.
Wales will want to exact some revenge on BOTH Fiji and Samoa. Fiji caused Wales to miss out on the quarters in 2007, whereas Samoa knocked them out in 1991!
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 3) : Sauce, you bugger! I think you may have just called it
Winner pool A play winner pool B?
Our POOL is good but that then means we play a decent side in the 1/4s.
let’s hope thw winner of our pool doesn’t have to play 2nd in Pool A. England probably
@McLovin (Comment 33) : nah, I doubt it…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : Pool B sorry.
@robdylan (Comment 35) : Yeah, of course not… 😳 Winner plays runner-up. 😕
@KSA Shark © (Comment 34) : shit – I missed that part… yeah, let’s hope first in D plays second in C.
Quarter Final 1: Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
Quarter Final 2: Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
Quarter Final 3: Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B
Quarter Final 4: Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
So we’ll see Aus or Ire in the quarters.
Semi-Final 1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
Semi-Final 2: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
@McLovin (Comment 39) : where did you find that?
@McLovin (Comment 39) :
Well That’s cool then. SA v Ireland 1/4 Final
ah shit – New Zealand in the semis!
and Australia in the final
@McLovin (Comment 41) :
NZ v SA. OUCH!!!!!!!!!!
Okay I am going to go for a run.
Back in a bit.
Quarter Final 1: Eng v Fra
Quarter Final 2: Aus v Wales
Quarter Final 3: NZ v Arg
Quarter Final 4: Boks v Ire
Semi 1: Fra v Aus
Semi 2: NZ v Boks
Final: Boks v Whoever.
@robdylan (Comment 42) : Keo.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) : enjoy it! I’m being lazy again.
@McLovin (Comment 48) : BTW, what makes you think England are going to beat Argentina and top Pool B? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 53) : hehehehe
it’s obviously pretty difficult to predict what each team’s form is going to be like in 3 years’ time. Still, Wales are a pretty togh ask at the moment. The Aussies will concur 🙂
NZ gonna be at their best with all their top players coming back in 2011 eg-nick evans,luke mcallister
@Bok-Clyde-Kiwi (Comment 56) : they’ll still choke 🙂
Imagine how good we’re going to be by 2011
@McLovin (Comment 51) :
Full report also on the IRB website.
Morning…
It’s an OK draw…I guess…but not as easy as it looks…
Wales don’t look like they will take a few steps back between now and the WC- they are steadily progressing.
What are the chances of seeing off the Islanders without any casualties?
Ag, I’m moving this to the back of my brain…it’s a bit far…
there’s still too much to worry about before 2011.
@McLovin (Comment 48) : I see youve put Wales in a Quarter… just a reminder, Fiji beat wales in the last world cup to put them out.
IMO i think we got the worst of them all. Fiji & Samoa in New Zealand (Lots of support) could be tricky (We saw what tonga did with support), and wales a pretty good side too. We will still go through i guess, but its going to be a bumby ride.