With the greatest rugby show in the world nearly upon us, it’s time to assess who will swerve, side-step and drive their way to victory and who will be dump-tackled out in the group stages.

Holders England and former winners South Africa are the favourites for Pool A, with the only likely challenge coming from Samoa. The USA and the big-hitters from Tonga make up the rest of the group but both will be brushed aside. Expect Samoa to put up a fight for 60 minutes but run out of steam, leaving England and South Africa to slug it out for top-spot. The Springboks demolished England in the recent Test series and look likely to win the group - but expect it to be a closer game.

Pool B promises to provide spectators with some pulsating rugby. Australia, Wales and Fiji are likely to play a wide expansive game at this stage and expect some thrilling passages of play. Canada and Japan are among the rugby world’s poorer relations and are likely to offer little resistance, while Fiji will thrill and infuriate their supporters in equal measures, leaving Australia and Wales to occupy the top two places. The Australian defence will leak less than the Welsh, allowing them to top the group.

'The French, on their day, are capable of matching the All Blacks' slick handling and incisive running'


Expect the All Black machine to steamroller through Pool C and New Zealand to top the group. The real intrigue will come when Scotland face Italy, with the Italians looking to make the quarter-finals for the first time. The Scots look lightweight up-front and the Italians have a powerful front five that should swing the contest their way, leaving Scotland the only major causality of the early stages. Portugal and Romania are the other teams in this group.

Pool D will see another three-way fight, this time between holders France, Ireland and Argentina, while Namibia and Georgia provide the cannon fodder. Expect the Argentinian forwards to provide a stern test for the European nations, but they are poor travellers and don’t have the quality behind the scrum to make it through. Ireland should have won the Six Nations and are the Northern Hemisphere's form team of the past year (not including their second-string tour to Argentina). They are more consistent than the French but then the French have home advantage. It’s difficult to call but Ireland will edge a tight contest.

With the pool games out of the way, the real contest begins. The first quarter-final should see England take on Australia with the green and gold the much stronger side. England’s line-up has too many weaknesses and this time the laser-eyed accuracy of Jonny Wilkinson won’t be enough.

If New Zealand are to be beaten, then this will be the most likely stage for them to fall. The French, on their day, are capable of matching the All Blacks' slick handling and incisive running. However, this is unlikely to be their day, so expect New Zealand to progress in what could well be the most exciting game of the tournament.

South Africa will extinguish the Welsh when they meet in the last eight, with Wales providing little opposition to the Springboks dynamic forwards. Wales have injury concerns and their squad looks to have little depth. This is not the same team that nearly upset the All Blacks and England at the last World Cup.

In the last of the quarter finals, Ireland will take on Italy in an all Six Nations encounter - and as was the case in the spring, expect Ireland to triumph easily.

The semi-finals will see the tournament's two best sides meet as New Zealand take on Australia. The Wallabies showed in the Tri-Nations that they are capable of competing and indeed beating the All Blacks, but when the crunch came it was New Zealand who won and we should see the same again.

Ireland and South Africa will meet in the other semi-final and this game will be very close. South Africa have a stronger pack but Brian O'Driscoll's men have an electrifying back division and I just fancy the luck of the Irish to prevail leading them to their first World Cup Final.

The final will see New Zealand take on Ireland and the All Blacks' superior forward power should see them lift the trophy. With Richie McCaw and Co starving the Irish of possession and exploiting defensive flaws around the fringes, the men in green won’t be able to use their considerable talents in the centre and out wide.

Injuries and fatigue will be taking their toll by now and New Zealand’s strength in depth is considerably greater than Ireland’s. All the signs point to an All Black triumph and it would be a braver man than me to bet against them.

Win a press pass to the Rugby World Cup!