Do the last weekends results show the Southern Hemisphere will dominate the World Cup again?

Question

I know we all want our own Nation to win and everyone not from England or Australia wants them to lose (monkey see, monkey do, but haven't a clue!), but does anyone not see Australia, South Africa and New Zealand making it into the Semi-finals unless South Africa happen to meet Australia in the Quarter-finals.

Answer 1

NO! not one of the northern hemisphere teams had anything close to a full team out. and if the southern hemisphere thinks that thats the best we can offer then your in for a surprise not one of irelands starting team were on that team and we didnt have a place kicker, england were just ripped apart by injuries and illness, wales didnt have their full team out, and france had nothing to come within a million miles to their world cup team. i dont think australia will get to the final and depends who they meet in the quarters. new zealand as always will choke under their own pressur, south africa are the best bet for a southern hemisphere team to win. in northern hemisphere with full teams ireland and france could win but theyll face each other anyway, we'll beat argentina easily, our third team destroyed their scrum which had at least one of their starting props.

Answer 2

I don't think Australia are as good as people think. They did hammer Wales' second team last weekend but they only just managed to sneak a win the week before and last time they played in Wales, they were lucky to get away with a draw.

South Africa aren't that good away from their home high altitude pitches. They did run up big scores against England but this is one of the poorest England teams in a while and most of the tries were scored in the last quarter, as the English were coming off the end of their season and couldn't last 80mins in those conditions.

In the world cup, I don't think there's much between Ireland, Wales, England, France, South Africa, Australia and Argentina. New Zealand on the otherhand, look unstoppable.

Answer 3

Southern teams always do well, but don't write off all Northern teams, it is being played in the Northern Hemisphere...Fancy France to close, but sorry England...Bye, Bye

Answer 4

The Southern Hemisphere will prove again to be far superior at the World Cup ! As long as NZ live up to their abilities and don't choke as per usual, than yes. Australia V SA final ! Go Wallabies !!

Answer 5

You are right... France is probably the only northern hemisphere side that has a chance at the world cup and that chance is very slim...

The dark horse is Argentina... they most likely won't make the final however I wouldn't them out for a semi-final birth, especially with the form they showed to beat Ireland twice in as many weeks...

Top four sides: New Zealand, South Africa, Australia & France.

Answer 6

Northernlad has got it spot on. (OMG I'm agreeing with a South African!!!! ;-))

NZ will meet Australia in the 1st semi final, (they'd bl00dy well better as I have my ticket already!!) and to be truthful I don't see the Wallabies beating them for a spot in the final.

However, saying that, we all thought the same thing in the last RWC and the Wallabies ended up rolling the Kiwis in the semi, going on to be narrowly beaten in the final. Anything can happen!!!

Ireland's best chance wil be to come 2nd in their group, thus avoiding playing NZ in the quarters. They're the team to watch this time around.

France, on their day, can beat anyone. What they lack is consistency.

England, Wales, Argentina, Scotland not a chance!!!!

Teams fighting for a semi final berth will be:

NZ, South Africa, Australia, France and Ireland.

NZ - SA or NZ - Ireland final IMO

Answer 7

The only Northern Hemisphere team to do well will be France as the Tournament is held in France.

I think that Ireland will be the surprise team of the tournament & if they are kept free from injury & suspensions then they could go far.

I know I am Welsh & all the bitching that goes on beating us & England but I think that somehow England will be lucky to get out of the group, as if they carry on playing like they have done in the past year.

Wales will get to the Quarter Finals but I think that Austrailia will beat Wales but not by much.

Scotland well I'm sorry but they will not get out of the group and I see Italy claiming the second place & a place in the Quarter Finals.

But as somebody else said on here.  Lets wait & see.

One thing for Sure I cannot wait for it to start.

Less that 100 days to go now. :))

Answer 8

I am not sure how the seedings affect who will play who - but don't be surprised to see Ireland and dark horses Scotland reaching the semis !

Answer 9

There's only one answer: wait!

Answer 10

Hi I am a South African I know how you feel it is not a good thing for rugby if the Southern hemisphere dominate all the time because yes  I for one like to watch our side win but not a whitewash I think everybody looses interest there is no game like a close game   on the British side rugby loses following its a case of "OH!! NO!! we are going to play New zeal and we cannot win" and yet the population of Great Brittani (by the by I think Brittani is great ) is so much more I personally think that the British need to get more children into the game as long as there is a perception by parents  that rugby is dangerous and children should not play rough games and football which is also a good game will all ways win out in the player stakes and it is indeed a shame thank you for a good question by the way (We will win the world cup) surprisingly enough i wish the British would win more games

Answer 11

I guess you are English, or an Aussie?

Fed up with the we support whoever is playing England or Australia mentality then eh?

Monkey what? I assume this is some clever remark about people hating England and Australia because everyone else does, but they have no idea why? i.e. Lemmings? I sort of agree, I support South Africa and whoever is playing Australia so I am guilty!

Anyway:

I think that South Africa and Australia will top their groups meaning South Africa will beat Wales and Australia will beat England in the quarter-finals.

New Zealand will top their group and it is between France and Ireland for who will top the final group, but France in France - very strong!

Either way New Zealand will beat their opposition in the Quarter-final so whichever of them tops the group will get through to the Semi-final as they will be playing Scotland in the last Quarter-final.

So Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and either Ireland or France in the Semi-finals. Only one big game in the whole of the Group Stages and that is France Ireland because that will determine who makes it to the Semi-final.

It will probably be a South Africa and New Zealand final and then anything can then happen!

Answer 12

No I don't think anyone should read to much into the current beatings the Northern hemisphere teams are taking. A bunch of their A list players are not on tour and things may well look different comes the WC. New Zealand however are still my favourites to win. With South Africa in second place. Argentina, Ireland and France all have a outside chances.

I've omitted Australia because they really have been strugling the the last few months - I dont see it happening for them.