VARIOUS RUGBY UNION: Hosts New Zealand face World Cup nemesis France in pool play but Japan and Canada will be keen to impress while the Pacific Island nation of Tonga will bring a huge amount of physicality to the group

Record ID: 715657

  • Title: VARIOUS RUGBY UNION: Hosts New Zealand face World Cup nemesis France in pool play but Japan and Canada will be keen to impress while the Pacific Island nation of Tonga will bring a huge amount of physicality to the group
  • Date: 26th August 2011
  • Summary: LONDON, UK (FILE NOVEMBER 2010) (REUTERS) CARTER RUNNING SONNY BILL WILLIAMS
  • Embargoed: 10th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: New Zealand
  • Country: New Zealand
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA45903KN0X500N2EC34JDQ6Q5G
  • Story Text: New Zealand and France are heavily favoured to progress from Pool A to the knockout stages at the Rugby World Cup, although physical and proud Pacific Island nation Tonga do have the potential to cause an upset or two.
    Japan, hosts of the 2019 World Cup, are desperate to improve as they prepare to welcome the rugby world in eight years time and have showed recent signs they are developing under the leadership of their New Zealand coach, 1987 World Cup winner John Kirwan.
    On paper, Canada are the weakest team in the group but successive wins over rivals the United States of America in the build up to the tournament will have left them confident of pushing Japan and Tonga in particular.
    However, New Zealand and France are the big guns of Pool A and the September 24 meeting at Eden Park will be much anticipated.
    All Blacks coach Graham Henry has selected a vastly experienced team for the World Cup, boasting some 1,133 caps.
    He hopes that experience will guide the team to its first World Cup triumph in 24 years but New Zealand is the tournament's great underachievers.
    Despite being consistently ranked the number one side in the world, the All Blacks have won the World Cup only once, the last time they hosted it in 1987.
    While Australia and South Africa have lifted the Webb Ellis Trophy twice each since then, New Zealand have stumbled, leaving the rugby-mad nation hugely disappointed.
    While Graham Henry will rely heavily on the experience and class of captain Richie McCaw and fly half Dan Carter, he has gambled on some younger outside backs with Hawke's Bay Israel Dagg one such player, included despite having played just one Test this year after a lengthy stint out injured.
    Veteran Mils Muliana is expected to be the All Blacks first choice fullback during the tournament but Henry has hinted Dagg's pace and power could see him given the nod ahead of a man who is poised to play his 100th test during the tournament.
    "Obviously, he's (Dagg) a bloody good athlete but it speaks volumes about how he can get himself into that state to play at that level in that period space of time, which is amazing," Henry said after naming his 30-man World Cup squad.
    "Is he (Dagg) a starting winger? Maybe a starting fullback."
    Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick is in no doubt that the All Blacks have all the ingredients required to win the Cup, with home advantage significant and something that cannot be understated as they seek to end their tournament drought.
    "We've got arguably the best captain and coach in world rugby at the moment so with the blend of youth and experience we have I'm very confident they can deal with the pressure," Fitzpatrick told Reuters.
    "And being in New Zealand is a huge advantage, playing on your home grounds, knowing where you're going (and) what you're doing and the support in New Zealand will be phenomenal for the All Blacks."
    Fitzpatrick added he expected big things from midfielder Sonny Bill Williams.
    "He's (Williams) an important player. He's played really well in the Super 15 and he adds something a bit different and in this World Cup I think will be won with teams who can break down defences and that's something he does very well.
    "And so I'd love to be sitting here in a few months' time that Sonny Bill Williams was the star of the World Cup because he potentially could be."
    New Zealand will once again be heavily favoured to win the Cup but the All Blacks need not look very far to be reminded of past failures.
    The top ranked team on the planet will meet World Cup nemesis France in Pool A on September 24, in what is shaping up as one of the key matches of the group stages.
    Current form says New Zealand should prevail but history tells another story.
    In the 1999 World Cup semi finals, France produced one of the great comebacks in international rugby when they turned around a 24-10 half time deficit to beat the All Blacks 43-31 at Twickenham.
    The match is widely regarded as the greatest ever World Cup showdown.
    But it is not the only time France has inflicted World Cup misery on New Zealand with history repeating itself in 2007 when France again, given no chance of victory, won a pulsating quarter-final 20-18 in Cardiff, handing the All Blacks their earliest ever World Cup exit.
    France's 30-man squad includes veterans such as prop Nicolas Mas and scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili.
    "It's the most beautiful competition in our sport," Yachvili said of the World Cup.
    "It's a great honour, a great satisfaction to participate and, above all, we play it to win it."
    France will be led by impressive loose forward Thierry Dussautoir, who plays in his second World Cup.
    Les Bleus will again be hard to predict but Dussautoir was quick to point out they could not afford to think too far ahead of themselves as each game in the group stage would be important.
    "Of course we think about it, of course," Dussautoir said of winning the tournament.
    "But you can't go too quickly. It will be essential during the competition to first of all think about the game against Japan, then Canada and so on.
    "You can't already think about the final as there are steps to follow."
    These comments were echoed by France coach Marc Lievremont, who has confirmed he will step down from the job after the tournament.
    "It's been 24 years, there have been quite a few editions already," Lievremont said, reflecting on the World Cup.
    "Players and coaches have been nursed by this rhythm, every four years, a competition which is now well installed in the world of rugby. I remember very clearly the first world cup in 1987 and, although I've already experienced it as a player, it's today a particular excitement.
    "But today, as Thierry was saying, we're not ready to play the final. Work stills needs to be done.
    "So yes, some see themselves at the top already, some dream about lifting the trophy but there are things to go through until then."
    France have been at their erratic best in recent years with Lievremont's seemingly random selection process often questioned.
    But they remain a serious threat in New Zealand and former England prop Jason Leonard can see them going all the way, particularly if they can perform against New Zealand in their pool match.
    "France to me are capable of winning that big game and surprising everyone," Leonard told Reuters.
    "If they ever turn that into consistency, that they could play that way all the way through the competition I think France could be the winners of the World Cup."
    Japan will not aim that high but with a host of foreign-born players in their squad, have pace and skill to call on.
    Coach Kirwan has targeted the matches against Canada and Tonga as the "Brave Blossoms" as they have become known, try to add to their one previous win at World Cups, having participated in every tournament.
    "It's the time of your life. It's an important time as a sports person, you never know if you're going to make another one so it's important that we go down there and perform," Kirwan told Reuters.
    "I think Japan, we have some very clear goals, two wins at this World Cup, make the top eight in the next one and then the finals in our own World Cup in 2019.
    "For us it's a very important tournament and we'd like to have two wins which would be a first for Japan but would also like to play against the first two sides being incredibly competitive.
    FACTBOX ON POOL A TEAMS: New Zealand: - Haven't won the tournament since the very first Rugby World Cup in 1987 when they beat France at Eden Park.
    - Form team but have underachieved badly with 2007 quarter final exit worst result.
    - Key player: Dan Carter, 29, record holder for points in test rugby, although England's Jonny Wilkinson not far behind him and still an active player. Carter has recently been recovering from a hamstring strain injury but has fired New Zealand to wins over South Africa and Australia in Tri Nations. Chose playing for country over multi-million euro move to France.
    - Key player: Richie McCaw, 29. Most capped All Blacks of all time (equal with Mils Muliana). Has been the world's premier openside flanker for the past five or six years, although Australia's David Pocock now seen as his equal, if not superior. McCaw led the All Blacks in 2007 but has developed significantly as a leader since then and is now regarded as one of the best around and an inspiration to his team mates.
    New Zealand World Cup Squad: Backs - Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Cory Jane, Zac Guildford, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Sonny Bill Williams, Richard Kahui, Daniel Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Piri Weepu, Andy Ellis.
    Forwards - Kieran Read, Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw (captain), Jerome Kaino, Victor Vito, Brad Thorn, Sam Whitelock, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore, Corey Flynn, Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Ben Franks, John Afoa.
    France: - Twice finalists, 1987 and 1999 and despite dramatic wins over New Zealand in the semi finals in 1999 and the quarter finals in 2007, have generally under-achieved in the tournament.
    - Have been plagued by strange selection decisions since March Lievremont took over as coach in 2008 but with home and away wins over Ireland in the build up, will be a threat.
    - Key player: Thierry Dussautoir, 29. Pacy, big tackling backrow forward, taking over from big ball carrier Sebastian Chabal who failed to make French World Cup squad.
    France World Cup Squad: Backs: Vincent Clerc, Patrice Estebanez, Cedric Heymans, David Marty, Maxime Medard, Maxime Mermoz, Alexis Palisson, Morgan Parra, Aurelien Rougerie, David Skrela, Damien Traille, Francois Trinh-Duc, Dimitri Yachvili.
    Forwards: Fabien Barcella, Julien Bonnaire, Luc Ducalcon, Thierry Dusautoir (captain), Imanol Harinordoquy, Guilhem Guirado, Nicolas Mas, Romain Millo-Chluski, Raphael Lakafia, Lionel Nallet, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Pascal Pape, Louis Picamoles, Julien Pierre, Jean-Baptiste Poux, William Servat, Dimitri Szarzewski.
    Japan: - Have won just one game at World Cups, having appeared at every tournament since 1987.
    - Bring form to New Zealand after winning the Pacific Nations Cup competition in July with good wins over Fiji and Tonga.
    - Key player: Murray Williams, 29. Auckland born fly-half. Could potentially make an appearance against the country of his birth in the group stages on Sept 16, at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. Only made his test debut for the 'Cherry Blossoms' on 2 July this year.
    - Key player: Ryan Nicholas, 32. Fly-half / centre. Born in New South Wales, moved to New Zealand when he was young, of Cook Island / Maori heritage, has played for Japan since 2008. Nicholas has developed into a key player and one of the regular goal kickers (along with former Otago and Highlander teammate James Arlidge) for the Japanese squad.
    - Key player: Kosuke Endo, 30. Scored a spectacular length-of-the-field try many regarded as the best in the tournament in 2007 in their 74-12 loss to Wales, in Cardiff.
    Japan World Cup Squad: Backs: Fumiaki Tanaka, Tomoki Yoshida, Atsushi Hiwasa, James Arlidge, Murray Williams, Yuta Imamura, Ryan Nicholas, Koji Taira, Alisi Tupuailai, Hirotoki Onozawa, Kosuke Endo, Takehisa Usuzuki, Shaun Webb, Taihei Ueda.
    Forwards: Hisateru Hirashima, Naoki Kawamata, Yusuke Aoki, Shota Horie, Hiroki Yuhara, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Nozomu Fujita, Hitoshi Ono, Toshizumi Kitagawa, Luke Thompson, Justin Ives, Takashi Kikutani, Michael Leitch, Sione Vatuvei, Ryukoliniasi Holani, Itaru Taniguchi Tonga: - Nicknamed the Sea Eagles.
    - Face the All Blacks in the opening match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup in Auckland on September 9.
    - Last time they meet at a World Cup, in Brisbane in 2003, the Tonga team performed their pre-match ritual 'The Sipi Tau' at the same time as New Zealand performed the haka, bringing the teams within metres of one another just prior to kick-off.
    - Key player: Finau Maka, 34: Ageing latecomer, hero in Tonga. Last year overcame a charge of "modern slavery" levelled by a Tunisian national who lodged at his home in France for over three years. At 6'2" and 242lbs, Tongan number eight Maka is an imposing presence from the base of the scrum, with his now trademark afro hairstyle making him a distinctive figure on and off the field. Has explosive pace and bullish ball carrying ability. Maka has achieved at club level, where he has won the Top 14 and Heineken Cup on two occasions during his time with Toulouse.
    - Key player: Vunga Lilo, 28: Rapid fullback who plays for Bristol Rugby in the English Premiership. Named captain against Japan on 9th July.
    Tonga World Cup Squad: Backs: Taniela Moa, Thomas Palu, Samisoni Fisilau, Kurt Morath, Siale Vailea Piutau, Alipate Fatafehi, Andrew Ma'ilei, Sukanaivalu Hufanga, William Helu, Fetu'u Moana Vainikolo, Alaska Taufa, Viliame 'Iongi, Vungakoto Lilo (vice captain) Forwards: Aleki Lutui, Ephraim Taukafa, Ilaisa Ma'asi, Alisona Taumalolo, Kisi Pulu, Soane Tonga'uiha, Halani 'Aulika, Taufa'ao Filise, Paino Hehea, Sione Timani, Tukulua Lokotui, Joseph Tu'ineau, Sione Kalamafoni, Finau Maka (capt), Viliami Ma'afu, Samiu Vahafolau, Sione Vaiomo'unga Canada: - Nicknamed the Canucks / Maple leafs - Canada beat the United States in a two-legged playoff game in July 2009 to qualify for the World Cup. They enter the tournament as "Americas 1".
    - Key player: Jebb Sinclair, 25. Lock/ flanker will join English Premiership side London Irish after the Rugby World Cup on a one year contract. Known for explosive speed and strength and Viking-like beard.
    Canada World Cup Squad: Backs: Ed Fairhurst, Jamie Mackenzie, Sean White, Nathan Hirayama, Ander Monro, Ryan Smith, Conor Trainor, Phil Mackenzie, Mike Scholz, DTH van der Merwe, Ciaran Hearn, Taylor Paris, Matt Evans, James Pritchard.
    Forwards: Ryan Hamilton, Pat Riordan (captain), Hubert Buydens, Scott Franklin, Jason Marshall, Andrew Tiedemann, Frank Walsh, Jamie Cudmore, Brian Erichsen, Tyler Hotson, Aaron Carpenter, Nanyak Dala, Adam Kleeberger, Jeremy Kyne, Chauncey O'Toole, Jebb Sinclair.
    POOL A FIXTURES: New Zealand v Tonga - Auckland, Sept. 9 France v Japan - Auckland, Sept. 10 Tonga v Canada - Whangarei, Sept. 14 New Zealand v Japan - Hamilton, Sept. 16 France v Canada - Napier, Sept. 18 Tonga v Japan - Whangarei, Sept. 21 New Zealand v France - Auckland, Sept. 24 Canada v Japan - Napier, Sept. 27 France v Tonga - Wellington, Oct. 1 New Zealand v Canada - Wellington, Oct. 2
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