Rugby World Cup Eve...

Four years after South Africa powered their way to a second World Cup in Paris we are now just hours away from the opening scenes of of the 2011 tournament which kicks off at Eden Park. I think this is as close a feeling to being a child on Christmas eve as you can get for a rugby union fan.

Tonga will ask for no sympathy but the prospect of facing the favourites at home on a ground they have not lost a game at in 17 years does not suggest that we shall be seeing an upset in the opening game of this tournament unlike what happened to France fours years ago.

Still the New Zealand team announcement was a little strange, with what seems like a re-jig of their back line which has torn apart most teams in the past couple of years. SBW is back at 12, Nonu has gone to 13 where is has had little game time and then there is Kahui being used as a make shift full back. Muliaina may not be on the best form but you want experience at 15 surely. Never the less only the most patriotic Tongan would think they stand a chance, they will be facing an expectant nation on Friday not just the 22 in the match day squad.

After Friday is done with the games come thick and fast over the weekend, with all the home nations in action and all of them with different issues to contend with. Still I believe that we could see two home nations reach the semi finals; England vs Ireland is 19/1.

England arrive looking to secure their third consecutive final and with probable opponents of France then Australia (if not Ireland) in the knock-out stages this is certainly not out of the question. The fear with England, as has been in the case since that glorious night in Sydney, is that they get the opponents 22 and then they seem to sometimes forget how to get over the whitewash. The key over the past 12 months for England has been quick counter attacking ball, keep the ball away from the breakdown and in hands of the two Saints and the Shark. But it seems as though teams have worked this out and the back three have been starved of good ball. With Ben Youngs being out over the summer England have looked stodgy at times and I'm gutted that Danny Care has missed out due to injury. Watching that games against Wales in Cardiff in August reminded me of the times I have screamed at the television in frustration over a lack of cutting edge. England’s front 5 are arguably the best in the World, as mentioned on this evenings Rugby Club, but the key to wining the big games will come from the East Midlands; Foden, Ashton, Tuilagi and Youngs need to fire. Youngs at his best scares defences to death, if he hits top form the rest of the backs will follow.

One of my best friends is Welsh and he is convinced that they are going to make the final, I love that Welsh optimism but I believe Wales have issues both in the front three, half backs, centres and the line out which may cost them. The front three is the logically place to start, Matthew Rees is a devastating lose for Wales in the scrum and line out, who can forget the 2009 Lions tours with the Welsh three establishing themselves as the best in the world. Adam Jones is now fit and Bennett is solid but the line-out can go to pieces under pressure. Priestland is 10 with Hook at 15 instead of the off form Byrne. Its been said a million times but Wales need James Hook in the team somewhere; he is a world class performer. Phillips seems to be getting some form back but Tavis Knoyle is breathing down his neck for a start. I think Roberts and Davies are too similar, Hook should be 12 and Halfpenny is a good option at 15 and if also offers flexibility. The Welsh second row looks an exciting prospect, if they can link with the backs who knows where Wales might end up?

What happened to the Ireland that crushed a shell shocked England at the Aviva in the Six Nations Finale? 4 straight loses since then have had the everyone wondering which Ireland will turn up against an emotional USA at Stadium Taranaki on Sunday. Consistency has always been Ireland’s problem, if they play to their potential they could knock off Australia in the pool stages, especially as Cooper is prone to having games where you struggle to see him on the pitch. It also the last crack for O'Connell, BOD and a raft of the so called 'Golden Generation' of Irish rugby and with a lot of talk about the hurt of 2007 surely the Irish will perform at this tournament, they have no choice. A special mention has to be given to Geordan Murphy, excuse while I have a Tiger moment, but this guy has been the most under rated full back of his generation. I have seen him do things for Leicester that defy belief and I hope he gets more than a few minutes off the bench.

Scotland have got to be up there with Wales for the hated 'Group of Death' award, having to face the teams that came 2nd and 3rd in the 2007 tournament. Argentina have lost some players and have an ageing squad but it will take a good performance from Scotland to beat them. And to beat any team at a World Cup you need to be able to do one thing that Scotland have not been very good at for years, scoring tries! Chris Patterson is a machine but Scotland need the like of Joe Ansbro and Ritchie Gray to show this team that they can be more than a kicking team. Lets not forget that Scotland have beaten Australia and South Africa in recent years, regardless of how those two teams played on those occasions it must give Andy Robinson hope that Scotland can progress, maybe like England this World Cup has come four years too early for this Scotland team.

My main hopes for this World Cup, apart from England bringing it home, are that we again see progress from the so called 'second tier nations' again. Who is the next Argentina? Another is consistent ref'ing, again mentioned on today’s Rugby Club, call me a cynic but I cannot see it happening. Sometimes the difference between the Mangers (or whatever it is called now!) and the Aviva competitions is massive. I hope the few weeks the ref’s have spent together before the tournament have allowed them to get on the same page.

This is my first ever blog ever so feedback is appreciated, hopefully I shall perfect the technique over the coming weeks.

Here's to a great World Cup, see you tomorrow.