World Rugby stated the opening ceremony will probably be “showcasing the very best of French culture, while kick-starting rugby’s 200th birthday celebrations” because it was in 1823 that William Webb Ellis is meant to have invented the game. Oscar-winning French actor Jean Dujardin has been roped in as director of the opening ceremony. As many as 33 high-profile friends will symbolize France’s distinctive flavours in gastronomy, sports activities and humanities, as per the organisers.

Irish luck

Andy Farrell, father of England captain Owen Farrell, has coached underachievers Ireland to exceptional success – a Triple Crown (2022), a historic 2-1 sequence victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand (2022), Six Nations Grand Slam (2023), and a steady world No.1 rating for the final 12 months, shepherding them to victories over South Africa, Australia, Argentina and Fiji. But he might want to beat wretched luck for the Irish, who’ve by no means gone previous the quarters. The back-to-back wins in opposition to the All Blacks on New Zealand soil final summer season would’ve given them immense confidence, and they are going to be bolstered by the return of talismanic fly-half Johnny Sexton, 38, who’s again from harm and a three-match suspension. Ireland boast of the 2022 World Player of the Year in flanker Josh van der Flier. But they’re stacked within the Group of Death, Pool B with the Springboks and a resurgent Scotland, with their mercurial talisman, Finn Russell.

Can Bokks be again?

Key star Handre Pollard, who kicked South Africa to 2019 World Cup glory, has missed beginning the World Cup as a result of a hard calf harm, although there may be hypothesis he will probably be airdropped again in. In his absence, the mantle falls on Eben Etzebeth, who’s the engine of Springbok assaults in scrums, lineouts and mauls. Head coach Jacques Nienaber, who succeeded Rassie Erasmus, is but to beat France or Ireland in cost, whereas shedding three of 5 in opposition to Australia.

All Blacks’ fourth?

Can the All Blacks change into the primary group to win 4 World Cups? A lacklustre 2022 was adopted by New Zealand opting to play only one check match within the run-up to the World Cup the place they have been drubbed 35-7 by the Bokks at Twickenham in London. “We got squeezed and exposed,” New Zealand coach Ian Foster stated, including, “Maybe this will take a lot of heat off us. No one will rate us now.”

But bookmakers are undeterred and see the ABs as slight favourites to go all the way in which in France. With Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett gelling, they appear ominous. Captain Sam Kane is an distinctive tackler. The names to look out for – Aaron Smith, Will Jordan, Mark Telea and Ethan de Groot.

Antoine Dupont, the world’s greatest participant

Having misplaced three World Cup finals, France as hosts will hope to show it round this time, or impress and please the attention whereas attempting. Expect the hosts to regale, even when they can’t fulfill the favourites flip. Coached by former France scrum-half and skipper Fabien Galthie, France clinched a primary Grand Slam in 12 years and went on a report win streak. It coincides with the height of captain Antoine Dupont, the magical scrum-half. French rugby’s poster boy has his picture beaming down in lots of cities, together with outdoors the Louvre museum in Paris. France24 says his wax statue is on the Grévin Museum in Paris, his voice is utilized by the nationwide practice firm, and when Volvic revived an iconic advert from the early 2000s, that includes Zinedine Zidane, it swapped the soccer legend for Dupont. A comic book ebook titled I Will Be a Rugby Player narrates his journey from a rural childhood in Castelnau-Magnoac, a small village on the foot of the Pyrénées, to main Les Bleus to a Six Nations Grand Slam final 12 months. He evokes the group’s line-breaking assaults, bolsters its defence, by no means shying away from ferocious tackles regardless of being modestly constructed at 5ft9. La Rochelle coach and former Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara, after shedding to Dupont’s Toulouse final 12 months, was quoted as saying, “He’s a little bit like Ronaldo, Mbappé and Messi. If you mix the three of them together, you get Antoine Dupont.”

FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union – France v Australia – World Cup Warm Up – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 27, 2023 France’s Antoine Dupont in motion with Australia’s Suliasi Vunivalu REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

“Man who died twice”

While Georgia dream of reaching knockouts, they’re led by coach Levan Maisashvili, the last word inspiration to beat the percentages. He was given a one p.c likelihood of survival in the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, however Maisashvili is now match, firing and able to go for a second World Cup with the Lelos. Captained by centre Merab Sharikadze, who led them to a well-known victory in Cardiff, Georgia run onerous and are defensively sturdy. And they’ve the much-talked-of fullback Davit Niniashvili, who can whiz like a bullet on the counter.

Eddie’s present Wallabies

Eddie Jones moved on from the England teaching job in December 2022 after being sacked, and jumped into the Australian one. In July, Jones in contrast the Wallabies to his first automobile, a Datsun 1200, the place he’d repair one half and watch one other come aside quickly after. But not too long ago, Jones claimed the group was now vrooming. “We’re ready to go, mate – F1 – whatever car you like in F1, the fast one, we’re just about ready to take off, mate,” Jones stated.

From a interval of restructuring, Jones reckons they’ll now win the World Cup, which they final lifted in 1999, making the quarters in 2019. Australia goes to the Cup with the youngest group on the event, common age of 26.5, whereas Springboks have a mean age of 30.4. Jones’ lead-up has been marked by shock omissions (Cooper & Hooper) and alternatives, the most recent being Ben Donaldson as fullback for his goalkicking. Donaldson has by no means worn the No.15 jersey earlier than at Test degree and solely began as soon as for the Wallabies with 22 minutes of Test rugby this 12 months when he got here off the bench.

Spying scandal

The Telegraph earlier reported {that a} main group had approached World Rugby for clarification round potential sanctions being introduced in opposition to a aspect ought to they be discovered spying on one other group, kickstarting a spying scandal. All Blacks head coach Ian Foster denied understanding about this and requested, “Was anyone spying on us? I guess it’s ‘Welcome to the World Cup’. It’s that simple. There’s lots of pressure on, people react in different ways. It’s an exciting time, everyone is looking for an edge. I’m not sure where that’s coming from. I’m pretty confident we’ve been training alone, but who knows?”

In 2019, then England head coach Eddies Jones posted safety round their Pennyhill Park coaching pitch earlier than the Six Nations, and Clive Woodward too guarded secrecy of his coaching classes throughout their profitable 2003 World Cup marketing campaign.

Former head coach Warren Gatland wrote, “We use drones to film our own sessions, but it is hard to be sure that there are no other drones monitoring from long distance. The technology in cameras now is such that you could probably be a couple of miles away and able to discreetly film training away from security.”

Safety measures

With one eye firmly on the well being and security of gamers, World Rugby tightens its guidelines pretty recurrently. This Rugby World Cup will see the sternest restrictions on excessive tackles and call to the top. These come amidst deeper scrutiny on participant security and a lawsuit introduced up by former rugby gamers affected by mind accidents just like the one raging within the National Football League.

The red-hot Chile caper

Rodrigo Fernández is the primary man for Chile, making their maiden entry into the Rugby World Cup, and scored a solo stunner final July to win the World Rugby strive of 2022 in the course of the first leg of a USA play-off. Picking up the ball simply outdoors his 22 line, he zigzagged his well beyond seven defenders on his strategy to the tryline in pathetically muddy and flooded taking part in situations. He beat 11 defenders in all. The fly-half is equally spectacular at fullback, and brings his Sevens expertise into play. He averaged 67 carry metres per sport, 9.9 carries and 4.3 defenders overwhelmed for Chile. This is the primary World Cup to function three groups from football-crazy South America in Chile, Uruguay and Argentina, whereas no North American group certified this time.