Rugby's World Cup is far more predictable than the football equivalent, but it still poses a few headaches for punters trying to forecast results and pick the eventual winners. The round-robin games should be relatively straightforward, with the top two going through from each group ...

Pool A – England and South Africa should decide this one between them. It's all down to their match in Paris on September 14 when I suggest the Springboks will just beat England. Of the lesser teams, Samoa will be too strong for both USA and Tonga. 

Pool B – Australia will have this section to themselves, with Wales providing the stiffest competition. The Wallabies should brush aside the Welsh onslaught to qualify top, while Wales will get through in close clashes with Fiji and Canada, who will attempt to run them off the park. Wales have been early casualties in the past at the expense of the Manu Samoa team, but Fiji and Canada will not quite manage to topple them.

‘The French will be so tough to beat at home where they will grow a leg’


Pool C – The All Blacks will dominate, taking the first place with ease. It is probably to their detriment that they have such an easy pool, as it may soften them up for the knockout stages. Like Wales, Scotland will have the advantage of playing a couple of their games at home and this should help them into second spot. I actually think they will not disgrace themselves against the All Blacks. Despite a top Six Nations showing, Italy will only be able to finish third in this pool, ahead of Romania and Portugal.

Pool D – This is the most interesting, with France, Ireland and Argentina battling for the quarter-finals. The French will be so tough to beat at home where they will grow a leg. Ireland will lose to the French in a great game in pool play. Argentina will get close, but will just go down to both rivals. Other teams would rather Ireland and Argentina go through, but it won't happen. Georgia and Namibia will both only have one game worth playing and Georgia will win over the Africans.

Quarter-final 1 – Australia v England
This will be the best quarter-final, with both sides so evenly matched. Like England's earlier game against South Africa, it will be close and could go either way, but I take the Wallabies just to have the edge over the English. The power and size of the England forwards won't be quite enough against the guile and experience of the Australians.

Quarter-final 2 – New Zealand v Ireland
A highly-anticipated match between the dark horses of the tournament and the top seeds. Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks and will do their best to change that. I believe they will just come up short, but will not disgrace themselves. The power and speed of New Zealand, with their big, powerful ball-running forwards, will win the day.

Quarter-final 3 – South Africa v Wales
The South Africans will reap the reward of winning their pool. There will be two tough quarter-finals, but this won't be one of them.  Expect the South Africans to win take this in the most one-sided game of the last eight. 

Quarter-final 4 – France v Scotland
Scotland are going to give the French a run for their money. It is a local rivalry and the Scotland team have a World Cup history of pushing France close. They will give the French side a hurry-up, but yet again will come up short.

1st semi-final – Australia v New Zealand
This sounds familiar, with these two sides meeting in the semi-finals of the last World Cup. Expect the All Blacks to be smarting after the defeat four years ago.They will grind the Wallabies to a standstill and will not give them the opportunities they need to remain competitive.

2nd semi-final – France v South Africa
France will continue the tradition of a host nation making the final. Despite some poor lead-up form, the French will get over the line with the home crowd turning them into World Cup finalists. It will be a role reversal from 1995 where South Africa just beat the French 22-18 in the semis.

World Cup Final – New Zealand v France
The All Blacks will weather the storm and the deafening roar of the French crowd to lift the William Webb Ellis trophy for the second time in 20 years. Watch for them to get off to a good start and not take their foot off French throats. It will be clinical All Black play rather than flashy.

3rd / 4th place play off – Australia v South Africa
Does anyone care? These games are always bitter, dour battles between two disappointed teams. Watch for the Wallabies to get home against the dispirited Springboks.