DoyleG
12 May 2004, 01:17 PM
Draw for 2007
Pool A
England
South Africa
Oceania 1
Americas 3
Repechage 2
Pool B
Australia
Wales
Oceania 2
Americas 2
Asia 1
Pool C
New Zealand
Scotland
Europe 2
Europe 1
Repechage 1
Pool D
France
Ireland
Americas 1
Europe 3
Africa 1
Mr Hanki's Throne
12 May 2004, 01:36 PM
Based on current world rankings, a plausible scenario might look like this:
Oceania: 1 Samoa (9th), 2 Fiji (11th)
Americas: 1 Argentina (7th), 2 Canada (12th), 2 USA (15th)
Europe: 1 Italy (13th), 2 Romania (17th), 3 Georgia (18th)
Africa: 1Namibia (21st)
Asia: 1 Japan (16th)
Repacharge: 1 Tonga (14th), 2 Portugal (19th)
I don't know the details of the repacharge, but by this 20 of the top 21 teams go to the final, Uruguay at 20th the odd team out.
The thing about rugby is that every team seems to know their place in the world. There is a top 3-5, a next 5-6 teams, a next level of 10 teams, then the rest of the world.
Groups might look like:
POOL A:: England (2), South Africa (5), Samoa (9), USA (15), Portugal (19)
POOL B:: Australia (4), Wales (8), Fiji (11), Canada (12), Japan (16)
POOL C:: New Zealand (1), Scotland (10), Italy (13), Romania (17), Tonga (14)
POOL D:: France (3), Ireland (6), Argentina (7), Georgia (18), Namibia (21)