Pool C preview: New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga, Georgia, Namibia
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Updated 16/09/2015 at 10:36 GMT
With the World Cup starting on Friday, Kevin Coulson runs the rule over the teams in Pool C.
New Zealand's Malakai Fekitoa takes a selfie with team mates during the welcome ceremony
Image credit: Reuters
NEW ZEALAND
The team to beat. Again. They have strength and class in every position and the complete fly-half in Dan Carter. However, they gave up their unbeaten run of 22 games to South Africa in October and were beaten by Australia in the Rugby Championship. But they have pace, power and tactical awareness in abundance and have only lost one match in the northern hemisphere since the 2007 World Cup - to England in 2012.
Coach: Steve Hansen
Captain: Richie McCaw
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New Zealand All Black's Ma'a Nonu (L) and Dan Carter celebrate winning against Australia after their Bledisloe Cup rugby match at Eden Park in Auckland
Image credit: Reuters
World ranking: 1
World Cup best: Winners, 1987, 2011
Strength: Ruthless ability to convert even half chances.
Weakness: Some might point to their world-class players perhaps playing on for slightly too long and being past their peak. The other sides must hope that is true.
Odds: 11/8
Try this trivia: In 2005 New Zealand performed a different version of the Haka – their traditional pre-match war dance - for the first time. It’s Maori name was “Kapa O Pango” and means “team in black”.
ARGENTINA
Coach: Daniel Hourcade
Captain: Agustín Creevy
World ranking: 8
World Cup best: Third, 2007
They beat South Africa in Durban last month so are rightly considered a threat. They have class across the board, with Juan Martin Hernandez at fly-half, Leicester’s loosehead Marcos Ayerza and Saracens centre Marcelo Bosch. Their traditionally strong scrum has now been supplemented by a decent back line. Hourcade’s men should follow New Zealand out of the group and will be dangerous opponents for whoever they face thereafter.
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New Zealand All Blacks' Dan Carter (L) tries to tackle Argentina Los Pumas' Juan Martin Hernandez during their Rugby Championship match in La Plata September 29, 2012. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci
Image credit: Reuters
Strength: Powerful scrum.
Weakness: Lack of depth to their squad.
Odds: 50/1
Try this trivia: The win in Durban was Argentina’s first ever over South Africa.
TONGA
Coach: Mana Otai
Captain: Nili Latu
World ranking: 11
World Cup best: First round, third in pool, 1995, 2007, 2011
A powerful, brutal, team in contact which is searching for consistency. They beat France last time around and can’t be written off by Argentina as rivals for the second spot in the Pool. They have 10 England-based players including Gloucester flanker Sione Kalamafoni.
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Tonga perform the Sipi Tau at Murrayfield
Image credit: Imago
Strength: Muscle.
Weakness: One of the older squads, with an average age of nearly 29, might lack the legs in final stages of games.
Odds: 750/1
Try this trivia: Tonga, like New Zealand, have a pre-game war dance call the Sipi Tau. At the 2003 World Cup, the Tongans replied to the Kiwi Haka by doing their own version at the same time and the teams ended up within metres of each other.
GEORGIA
Coach: Milton Haig
Captain: Mamuka Gorgodze
World ranking: 16
World Cup best: First round, one win, 2007, 2011
Some mammoth forwards ensure that the clash against Tonga, potentially for the second spot in the Pool, will be a hard-hitting encounter. Gorgodze, the 18-stone Toulon forward, puts the team on the front foot and will be backed up by props Davit Kubriashvili and Davit Zirakashvili who also play in the Top 14. So they have some top players, just not enough. But if their defence can hold firm they have a shot of reaching the knockout stages.
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Pavel Butenko of Russia (2nd R) attempts to evade the tackle of Mamuka Gorgodze of Georgia (C) during their European Nations Cup rugby union match in Tbilisi March 14, 2015. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili
Image credit: Reuters
Strength: Front row.
Weakness: Lack of penetration in backs.
Odds: 1000/1
Try this trivia: Gorgodze was known by team-mates at former team Montpellier as “Gorgodzilla”.
NAMIBIA
They are approaching 1,000 points conceded after 15 matches at the World Cup. In captain Jacques Burger they have their only shining light, but even if he repeats his Saracens heroics, they simply do not have enough quality to make an impression on the tournament.
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Saracens' Jacques Burger is tackled by Northampton Saints' Ken Pisi
Image credit: PA Photos
Coach : Phil Davies
Captain: Jacques Burger
World ranking: 20
World Cup best: Bottom of pool, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Strength: Burger.
Weakness: Stringing any sort of phases together.
Odds: 5000/1
Try this trivia: Burger made a record number tackles – 36 - in a Premiership match against Exeter. That’s nearly one every two minutes!
All odds courtesy of Coral.
GARETH THOMAS SAYS...
While Argentina have progressed since joining the Rugby Championship, and their win against South Africa this year showed that they can beat anyone on their day, they won't have the attacking threat to take on the All Blacks in a group stage match. They'll qualify comfortably, but in second place.
Gareth Thomas will be writing exclusive columns for Eurosport throughout the 2015 Rugby World Cup
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