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.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin May 28, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin May 28, 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
England can find a little bit of cheer
SO HERE we are on the final day of England’s autumn international series with all of us hoping and expecting Steve Borthwick’s team to win today after three weeks of bitter disappointment.
Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
DAVID Campese believes England are going backwards under Steve Borthwick, who is ‘messing around’ with talisman Marcus Smith.
Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
THERE appear to be few signs of second season syndrome at Westcombe Park as captain Nick Cook reveals the group aren’t even contemplating the threat of relegation and are instead targeting a top-half finish.
Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
OLD Redcliffians produced a proud defensive effort to take a bonus-point win.
Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
SEDGLEY Park No. 8 Tom Ailes says his team relish the competitive nature of National One and is confident the Tigers can rectify their rocky start to the season in weeks to come.
Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
FRASER Strachan is determined to put Ampthill’s leaky defensive showings behind them and gain some much needed confidence in the run up to Christmas.
It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
