We’ve got the Northern Hemisphere form teams, Ireland and France, and an improved Scotland, battling it out with each other, and with New Zealand and reigning world champions South Africa. Hansen obviously doesn’t like it much as a former All Blacks coach, and he knows also that from now on the Northern Hemisphere teams are just going to freshen up and get ready for the World Cup.
By contrast, the Southern Hemisphere teams will soon be going head to head in the Rugby Championship – and it will be interesting to see how the teams in England’s half of the draw, Argentina and Australia, get on against the Springboks and All Blacks.
Every now and then you get all the favourites in one half of the tournament, and Hansen, who is over here coaching a World XV to take on Eddie Jones’ Barbarians at Twickenham today, took the opportunity to say that England must be rubbing their hands together because they are going to get an easy ride to the quarter-finals if they do things right.
Hansen excluded England from his list of likely tournament winners – which are France, South Africa, New Zealand, or Ireland – and that assessment is reasonable, because, outside of the England camp, no one is expecting them to win the World Cup this autumn.
However, given their sixth place world ranking we should expect England to get to the quarter-finals, where they should play either Wales or Australia, and right now they could beat either of those teams. That might change if Australia show a big improvement during the course of the Rugby Championship.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Unbeaten Lymm put the Tykes on a leash
LYMM maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign, taking the major scalp of Leeds Tykes and ending the visitors' unblemished start.
Dramatic late win boosts leaders
A LAST-minute converted try saw Tonbridge Juddians snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at Barnes.
England need to be more consistent
I WAS at last week's game against the All Blacks and as much as I enjoyed my first visit to the stadium since the Six Nations, I couldn't help noticing a different attitude of those in control of the stadium's notification system which puts out messages to the crowd.
Cuthbert: Wales have to deliver
ALEX Cuthbert says the pressure on Wales is huge ahead of their opening Autumn Nations Series game against Fiji today.
Anyanwu heads the list of star attractions
TOP 14 transfer speculation is always thoroughly entertaining, and this season has so far been no exception.
Goldthorp can challenge Kildunne for No.15 spot
LOUGHBOROUGH Lightning head coach Nathan Smith is backing Fran Goldthorp to compete with Ellie Kildunne, right, for England's No.15 jersey.
Four-try David calls the shots for Bears
MILLIE David helped Bristol blow Leicester away after scoring four of their 10 tries at Welford Road.
Scott-Young keen to follow his father
TYPICAL of most Australians, Scott-Young Angus has fairly sunny disposition and the loose forward is confident that Saints can soon start to turn things around on the road.
When value for money is not part of the deal
ENGLAND'S bench strategy against New Zealand - goodbye \"bomb squad\", hello \"squib squad\"-has been investigated, psychoanalysed, convicted on all charges and mercilessly sentenced by the entire rugby world and its maiden aunt, so there is no earthly point in returning to the scene of the crime.
'I want to prove my worth to Bath'
OUT-OF-FAVOUR winger RuBath aridh McConnochie is hoping to use the Premiership Cup to lay down a challenge to Johann van Graan and make his selection claims impossible to ignore.
