Who from the british isles will do best in the world cup?

Question

World cup starts at the end of the week but a lot has changed over the last 4 years:

England have slipped from world number 1 to the lowly depths of number 7.

Ireland have been improving and are now ranked the best in the british isles.

The welsh have had some very good performances and one or two awful ones, so which team will turn up?

Finally poor old scotland who finished with the wooden spoon in the six nations and have been struggling of late

who do you think will do best overall? and how do you think your nation will do?

Answer 1

The Irish would argue that they are no longer part of the British Isles. (Hence thats why the Lions are now the British and Irish Lions) So they are out of the equation.

Of those that are left I would say the Welsh will do the best. England are hopeless and Scotland are consistant under achievers.

This will be the shortest World Cup defence of all time

Answer 2

Scotland are currnetly finding form and beating Ireland and giving South Africa a good run.

Wales cannot be underestimated, last time round they played some fantastic rugby and this time they seem more prepared, with the likes of Hook & Thomas, they are going to be hard to beat, they will make any team work for the win.

Ireland have not found the form people expect from them yet, lost to Scotland and barely beat Italy (all credit to Italy), the good thing is that we still have the luxury of two easy matches against Namibia and Georgia to get it right before they meet France and Argentina.

England will struggle in the competition yet they wil make it out of their pool in second place as they dont have that much competition below them.

I think that Wales could do very well out of the home nations

Answer 3

the mighy fightin irish will get to the quarters and will embarass someone real bad.

Answer 4

In the lights of the latest test matches and 6 nations, there is no doubt about it...It's time for a green tide!!!!

Answer 5

I think England will be the top side from the British Isles

Answer 6

It may sound biased but definitely Ireland.

Answer 7

England is on the up and up.  They have a wonderful balance of experience, youth and a strong coaching and administrative group.  They improved their performances with each warm-up game.  If they meet France again they will win!  I believe they will improve enough to make the final against the Blacks.  But sadly for them as with every other team in the competition, they will get smashed by the MEN IN BLACK

Answer 8

Wales, 'Cymru am byth.'

Answer 9

Ireland are the best side but have a very tough group so i'd have to say England.

Answer 10

I'd be surprised if any of the home teams make it beyond the quarter-finals. I wouldn't expect all of them to even make it that far.

Scotland probably won't as Italy are at least as good if not better. Ireland will have to beat Argentina or France to do it. They may of course just pull it off with a little luck or as the rest of us call it, biaised match officials.

England and Wales have an easier road and should both get there. They probably won't get any further, but when it all hangs on just one match both are capable of pulling off a surprise.

Having said that, I would realistically expect to see France as the only northern hemisphere side to be left in it by the semis and to see NZ beat them in the final, even if the All Blacks don't cheat.

Answer 11

I really hope the Irish get their she yit together and turn on some running rugby. They are magic to watch, very entertaining rugby. And as much as I loath O'Driscoll he is a twilkle toed MF that runs some of the sickest lines in rugby today. (handled his injury on the Lions tour poorly) ROG is a talented player too and I fully rate Shane Horgan - BMF!

There are a few things that count against the Irish. First is the draw, not so sweet as it is for others. Second is the leadership. If Keith Wood was ten years younger they would be styling. Third is the size. With the exception of Horgan - most of the backs are a touch light. It's a big boys game. Fourth is the depth. Games were won and lost in the tri-nations with the bench. The days of 15 guys starting and finishing every game are long gone. You need 22 guys in the game even without injuries occurring. The bench should be sitting there watching, picking wholes in the other team and knowing that not if, but when they get on, they can find a way to make an impact on the game.

Scotland have the home ground but need to beat Italy to get into the knock out rounds - I reckon they can do that. They are a big strong pack and play honest rugby - they did very well against RSA (better than the score line) and tipped the Irish over. (not the strongest Irish team but)

Wales - ????!!! I have no clue - there's no  consistency of form who knows ? Japan could beat them but they could just as easily get up and beat Australia. I hope they do something if only because they are the only other people on the planet that "really" know the value of a good sheep joke.

England - It would seem insane not to think that the world champions can defend their crown. And I think England are in a nice place right now - every man and their dog and cat have written them off. I still think England could roll RSA in the pools but whether or not "Dads Army" can come through Samoa and Tonga with out a few battle wounds remains to be seen. I hope   JW can maintain and show the world how good he is - if he is lost in the pools then I truly fear for England's chances.

Answer 12

The French will out passion any other Northern Hemisphere team, that is, if they don't self combust.

Answer 13

My heart says Wales.  However now I'm living in New Zealand and the realistic me says not the English.  Yes they are the reigning champions but now it's down to hours and seconds they better remember that thought.  Wales is blowing hot and cold - get your act together boys.  The Irish are playing well and the Scots still have some practising to do.  

For the final it will either be All Blacks v France

Spring Boks v France - For the first final I will of course back the All Blacks - after all they are gracious enough to have me live here. Spring Boks V France then it would have to be France - it seems the South Africans need a good whipping to keep em in their place!

Answer 14

Ireland are the top British team at the moment but with Argentina and France in their group, they mey not even reach the quarters. If they do reach the quarters then they've got NZ, which I can't see them winning.

Scotland have improved since the six nations so I think they should beat Italy to get to the next round where they will probably lose against France, unless France have a poor game, which they do have sometimes.

England haven't got a very good team but tacticaly they have the knowhow to beat one of the big teams so I could see them either surprising Australia or South Africa but I wouldn't put money on it. They may even struggle against Samoa, who always raise their game for the world cup.

I have no idea about Wales. A year ago, I would have said that they had a chance of beating Australia in Cardiff and then England in the quarters but the way they have been playing lately, I can't see this happening.

As it is, I'd say that England and Wales have the best chance of getting to the semis but it's more likely that all the home nations will go out in the quarters.

Answer 15

I'm picking an upset in Pool B, Wales to beat our Trans Tasman cousins at their home base in Cardiff.

While I'm at it might as well go for an even bigger upset, England to do a job on the Boks. The game will be won by penalties and the Boks will incur the usual yellow cards!

Answer 16

I am not from the British Isles but I think England and Ireland have the best chances, although I don't give either one much of a chance.  England will easily make the Quarter Finals and have the best chance of making the Semi's but they are going to need to TOTALLY control the pace of their likely QF against Australia.  If they can keep the ball tied up in the forwards for 60-80% of the game, they may be able to sneak a win since ALL their strength is in the forwards.

Ireland are probably a better team but their draw is BRUTAL.  They will have to fight tooth and nail to make it out of their pool only to likely meet New Zealand in the QF.  A miracle there and they have to get through Australia/England and then beat South Africa/France in the final... BRUTAL.  Having said that, they could win their pool just as easily as not qualifying for the QF.  If that happens, they have a good QF and anything could happen in the Semi.... then it's all on the final. On any given day....

Wales are not going passed the QF.  They'll finish well behind Australia in the pool and South Africa will knock them out in the QF.

Scotland will do well to beat Italy and make it out of their pool.  If they do that, France will knock them out in the QF.

Answer 17

England!

Answer 18

My heart says Wales; my brain says Ireland.

Answer 19

i think england have the best chance

Answer 20

Ireland

Answer 21

Being from Wales originally,i am used to people writing off the welsh all the time but we have suprised a few teams on occassions! we even worried the All Blacks one year,at the start of their season and we pushed the english in one world cup ,plus we recently swept the six nations with the grand slam and the triple crown.They are A jekell and hyde team.

The only thing stopping them playing well is self belief.They have always been like that but if they get off to a good start against the auzzies at Cardiff Arms park,the welsh supporters will breathe fire down there!! I am picking Wales to topple the auzzies but after that,im not so positive.They just need a few good performances to gel.Cymru am Byth.If the supporters get a sniff,they will get in behind their team more than any other supporters i know.Been there,done that.

Answer 22

Possibly Wales and england playoffs in the quarters...which wales will win..If not and wales face south africa, and england face new zealand (i think) then both will probably go out..

Ireland have a very tough group, that I cannot see them progressing from... if they do...well hats off to them. But for me wales or england has the best chance to go far...and reach the semi's...with possibly wales edging it.

Answer 23

England and Wales will lose in the quarter-finals, unless they meet in which case Wales will lose.

Scotland will lose their quarter-final against either France or Ireland. France or Ireland will then lose to South Africa in the semi-final.

South Africa will then beat New Zealand to win the World Cup! (My heart says South Africa, my head thinks New Zealand are too experienced to choke again!)

Answer 24

It will be the Irish

Answer 25

Hey! Does it matter? The AB's are the boys who will bring the cup home to NZ!!!!

Answer 26

i think England, wales, Ireland and Scotland have an equal chance of making it to the quarter finals. i think England is sure to make it out of the group stages and wales to. but Ireland and Scotland could be held back. Scotland will have to fight for a place with Italy who have been showing some good signs lately and Ireland will have to give it their all against an Argentinian side that wont hold anything back. so England and wales more likely to move out group stages but then they both could fall against the big southern hemisphere teams England could face Australia that play a very clever rugby and have beaten the all blacks recently. wales will probably face south Africa and they are a very strong and confident team. i think England have more a chance of beating Australia then wales beating south Africa my guess England could make it the furthest but i dint think they will beat Australia. but then it all depends on the team that comes out on the day.

Answer 27

This is going to be a fascinating World Cup. The bookies have all but ignored the British Isles teams and have placed their faith in New Zealand bring back the tinware. The poor old ABs are under huge pressure of expectation and although they clearly are the top team in the contest, they've managed to blow it for the last twenty years. So an upset is quite possible, particularly by France who are highly motivated and have the huge home ground advantage.

The Springboks are great on paper and have some very exciting young players coming through, which probably justifies their position as second favourites. However, they are big game chokers and can often forget some of the more complex rules of the game while under pressure (ie It's illegal to punch and kick the opposition in a ruck). By contrast, the Wallabies are a bit long in the tooth yet have a wonderful big match temperament.

Of course this may seem a bit off the question, but in order to establish how the Brit teams will do, it's necessary to examine their opposition. And the opposition are good, but certainly not unbeatable.

Wales, and even Scotland have lifted their games recently. Ireland has been good for quite a while. But I think England are going to certainly be the best performing British team. My reasons are:

1. h**l, they won four years ago. OK, they did have Martin Johnson then, but I still think they have a vast pool of talent to draw from. Besides, the defending champions can never be written off.

2. There is relatively little pressure on them. No-one seriously expects England to win the Cup so they will not bear the aweful burden of expectation and can simply get out there and play rugby.

3. Their draw  is not too bad although of course there are no easy paths to the final.

In fact, I think England are the dark horses of the tournament.