Tokyo (AFP)
They are ready, or almost: the 20 countries participating in the World Cup in Japan (20 September - 2 November) play Friday and Saturday their last preparation matches, after giving Monday at the latest to World Rugby their list of 31 players.
"As we take off on September 8, we will be ready to win the Rugby World Cup." Would all the breeders be as assertive as England's, Eddie Jones, in early August?
The preparation matches were not wrong: the XV of the Rose has broken the series of invincibility (14 wins in a row) of Wales, winner of the six-nation tournament with the Grand Slam, a comfortable success (33-19) before yielding shortly after the return leg in Cardiff (13-6). And to inflict a historical correction on Ireland (57-15).
The latter, less domineering than in 2018, reacted in a nice way by winning the Welsh Saturday (22-17). But she knows it depends on two men: the opener Johnny Sexton and the scrum-half Conor Murray, whose state of form is uncertain. The first has not played yet, the second only half an hour.
. New costume for Welsh
The Welsh have certainly lost twice but have a new status since August 17: the world No.1, they had never gotten so far. Will it help them to go to the end? New Zealand has been in the chair since 2009, and has won both Webb Ellis trophies since ...
For the All Blacks, this stall in World Rugby rankings can be a new source of motivation, according to their former third line Victor Vito. "It would be a good thing to stick it to the wall and remember: + we are N.2," said Rochelais. For the double world champions were challenged in the Rugby Championship, hooked by South Africa (16-16) and largely beaten (47-26) in Australia.
But the New Zealanders took a bright revenge in the return match (36-0) against the Wallabies and will be the N.1 candidates to their own estate. In front of the trio England-Wales-Ireland, their main rival will be South Africa: drifting under Allister Coetzee, the rainbow nation has found brilliant colors with Rassie Erasmus by winning a Rugby Championship certainly cut short.
. The revenge of Brighton
Captain Siya Kolisi's team is the first cador to join Japan on Saturday after a 25-hour flight. In Seki, near Nagoya, there is no doubt that the Boks will soon forget the time difference to take their revenge Friday on Japan, which had created a huge surprise by beating them on the wire during the 2015 edition in Brighton (34- 32).
Among the final matches played Friday and Saturday, the return match between Irish and Welsh in Dublin will be the other poster to follow. The remaining heavyweights (England, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland) will have smaller opponents (respectively Italy, Tonga, Samoa, Georgia) to make their final adjustments.
This will not affect their list of 31 players, which must be sent this Monday at the latest. Sure of him, Jones was the first to make known his, the day after the success against the Welsh. Steve Hansen, the head coach of the All Blacks, waited until late August to sacrifice the pillar Owen Franks, despite 108 selections and two world titles, and save center Sonny Bill Williams, regularly injured in recent seasons.
Sunday, the Welsh players not selected have had the choice to receive the shot of bamboo: phone call, SMS, WhatsApp or email? The lucky ones have taught him and everybody on television. France coach Jacques Brunel gives his list to the presenter of the newspaper of the first French television channel Monday night while Joe Schmidt, the one of Ireland, will not deliver his verdict until Sunday, six days after having informed World Rugby.
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