Pool D preview: Ireland, France, Italy, Romania, Canada
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Published 17/09/2015 at 10:33 GMT
With the World Cup starting on Friday, Kevin Coulson runs the rule over the teams in Pool D.
Ireland's Johnny Sexton passes
Image credit: Reuters
IRELAND
Inconsistent in their warm-ups for the tournament with a good win over Wales and a poor display against England. But Joe Schmidt is a tactical mastermind and has markedly improved the team’s performances since taking over in 2013 – winning the last two Six Nations. He will find a way to get the best out of his squad which has the nous and experience to stage a credible challenge for the title.
Coach: Joe Schmidt
Captain: Paul O’Connell
World ranking: 6
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Paul O'Connell jumps in the lineout (left)
Image credit: Reuters
World Cup best: Quarter-finals, 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2011
Strength: Half-backs Jonny Sexton and Connor Murray are up there with the best and can take the game away from any team.
Weakness: Lack back-up in key positions.
Odds: 9/1
Try this trivia: O’Connell learned to count up to 10 in Afrikaans to try and crack South Africa’s line-out code in 2009.
FRANCE
Never, ever rule them out. Even if they appear to be in poor form, which they pretty much have been for the past four years, they will still be contenders. Philippe Saint-Andre finally appears to have built a pack with some grunt, to go with their ever-present flair and creativity in the backs. Their power up front troubled England in their two warm-ups and they also have some superb individuals including No 8 Louis Picamoles, Wesley Fofana and Yoann Huget.
Coach: Philippe Saint-André
Captain : Thierry Dusautoir
World ranking: 7
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Scotland's Finn Russell (L) tackles France's Wesley Fofana during their rugby union match at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, near Paris, France, September 5, 2015. REUTERS/Jacky Naegelen
Image credit: Reuters
World Cup best: Second, 1987, 1999, 2011
Strength: Creative flair across the field.
Weakness: Inconsistency.
Odds: 16/1
Try this trivia: France have reached the final in three out of the seven tournaments, but never won it.
ITALY
They have enough experience at the top level now not to be discounted but in all likelihood they will exit at the group stage again. Prop Martin Castrogiovanni, at 33, is not the force he once was and they have not got enough quality players coming through.
Coach: Jacques Brunel
Captain: Sergio Parisse
World ranking: 15
World Cup best: First round, two wins, 2003, 2007, 2011
Strength: Parisse, their talismanic captain and only world-class player.
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Wales' Scott Williams tackles Italy's Sergio Parisse
Image credit: Reuters
Weakness: Fragile defence in the backs.
Odds: 500/1
Try this trivia: Parisse was first Italian to be nominated for the IRB's International Player of the Year in 2008.
ROMANIA
A 100 per cent attendance record at the tournament is not to be sniffed at but their traditional pack power is starting to wane. They have been displaced as the best team in Eastern Europe by Georgia and will be surely be pleased with a single win over Canada unless Saracens’ full back Catalin Fercu can weave a lot of magic with his jinking runs.
Coach: Lynn Howells
Captain: Mihai Macovei
World ranking:17
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Romania's Catalin Fercu (L) in action with Yorkshire Carnegie's Christian Georgiou
Image credit: Reuters
World Cup best: First round, one win in pool, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007
Strength: Front row.
Weakness: Backs (apart from Fercu).
Odds: 5000/1
Try this trivia: Fercu withdrew from the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand due to a fear of flying.
CANADA
Were hammered by Fiji 47-18 in their final warm-up and are unlikely to see any further success in the tournament. They have a few good players – Clermont’s Jamie Cudmore chief among them – but are too raw and inconsistent to make much of an impression.
Coach: Kieran Crowley
Captain: Tyler Ardron
World ranking: 18
World Cup best: Quarter-final, 1991
Strength: Speed - DTH van der Merwe and Jeff Hassler are no slouches.
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Jeff Hassler
Image credit: Reuters
Weakness: No playmaker to pull the strings.
Odds: 1000/1
Try this trivia: Cudmore was banned for more than 100 days in the 201-11 season for two incidents: stamping on Saracens’ Jacques Burger and punching Perpignan’s Gregory Le Corvec.
All odds courtesy of Coral.
GARETH THOMAS SAYS
There's a mini Six Nations going on in pool D - and familiarity with your opponents at a World Cup can mean that the normal tournament rules don't apply. That could benefit an Italy side who performed well against Wales in the Millennium Stadium in their last warm-up match, and who will take plenty of confidence going into the group stage. They got badly thumped in three of their Six Nations matches this year but have clearly trained hard since then, and any team with the likes of Sergio Parisse will always present a threat.
Gareth Thomas will be writing exclusive columns for Eurosport throughout the 2015 Rugby World Cup
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