NUMBER CRUNCHING
Pool A contains four of the world’s top 10, whereas Pool B has only one. Using the average world ranking of each team (where the lower the average, the better the quality of teams) we can see how deathly it is: Pool A: average 7.8 (Australia 2, England 4, Wales 5, Fiji 9, Uruguay 19). Pool B: 10.6 (S Africa 3, Scotland 10, Samoa 12, Japan 13, USA 15). Pool C: 11.1 (N Zealand 1, Argentina 8, Tonga 11, Georgia 16, Namibia 20). Pool D: 12.4 (Ireland 6, France 7, Italy 14, Romania 17, Canada 18). The ripples from a draw made at the Tate Modern in December 2012, when Wales were fleetingly the world’s No9 side, will finally have their thunderous effect.
THE COUNTDOWN IS OVER
The welcome ceremonies continue onSunday with South Africa’s at Eastbourne Bandstand (11.30am) and USA’s at HM Naval Base in Portsmouth (4pm). No angle has been missed in the build-up: the trophy has been on a 16-month world tour, via Madagascar and UAE to Coronation Street, a rugby ball has floated down the Thames and another one been blasted into space. After all the publicity, let’s hope the action lives up to it.
RUGBY COMES HOME, AGAIN
This is the third World Cup to feature matches in England, and 11 cities will share them. But can you name the six English places to have hosted a Rugby World Cup match? London, Leicester, Bristol, Gloucester, Huddersfield and … Otley. Yes, little Cross Green in Otley got to host Italy’s 30-9 win over USA in 1991.
ITV IS BACK
Watching rugby union on ITV used to be a four-yearly oddity but this time the World Cup is the gateway to next season’s new Six Nations deal, in which ITV will show England, Ireland and Italy home matches. Their World Cup rota is again a veritable “best of” of BBC, Sky and BT Sport talent, with John Inverdale the lead presenter and analysis by Jonny Wilkinson, Sir Clive Woodward, Francois Pienaar, Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Lynagh and Shane Williams. Enjoy.
