Rugby World Cup Preview – Pool C

France will stage the most closely-contested Rugby World Cup in history, leaving fans salivating and strapping in for a rollercoaster ride unlike any other when the competition gets underway on September 8, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.  

The tenth edition of the quadrennial global showpiece is set to be the most open yet, with defending champions South Africa, New Zealand, Ireland and hosts France all being strong contenders while the likes of Australia and England could come good as dark horses.  

With anticipation mounting, we continue our tournament preview with a breakdown of Pool C.   

Pool C: Australia, Fiji, Georgia, Portugal, Wales

The Wallabies and Wales are the favourites to advance from Pool C but with both teams well off their best, Fiji will be smelling an opportunity to send one of them home early. Georgia and Portugal, meanwhile, look set to battle it out for fourth place.

Australia (11.00)

It was always going to be a tough ask for Eddie Jones to swoop in this year and turn the Wallabies, World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999, back into a global force in the span of a few months. 

While no reasonable Wallabies fan expected a miracle, Jones’ second term in charge has been a catastrophe. Missing an edge and trying to develop a new identity, they have zero wins to show from their six matches and are down in 10th place in the world rankings.

What’s more, Jones shocked by omitting veterans Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from the World Cup squad and naming Will Skelton as captain. The young squad has an average age of 26 and an average of 20 Tests per player, the lowest of an Australian World Cup squad since the 1991 edition of the tournament.

He also had to hire a new attack coach in Jason Ryles after Brad Davis’ shock resignation less than a month out from the start of the tournament. And, yet, despite all of this, the Wallabies are still expected to go deep (fifth outright) because they find themselves on the favourable side of the draw. 

Another stunning move, roping in former two-time World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Steve Hansen as an adviser, can only help but ultimately, it’ll be up to youngsters like rookie flyhalf Carter Gordon – the only specialist No 10 in the squad – to step up between the lines if the Wallabies are to make a run at the title. 

Squad:

Forwards: Angus Bell, Pone Fa’amausili, Zane Nonggorr, Blake Schoupp, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Matt Faessler, Dave Precki, Jordan Uelese, Richie Arnold, Nick Frost, Matt Philip, Will Skelton (captain), Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Josh Kemeny, Rob Leota, Fraser McReight, Rob Valetini.

Backs: Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Tate McDermott, Nic White, Carter Gordon, Lalakai Foketi, Samu Kerevi, Izaia Perese, Jordan Petaia, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Marika Koroibete, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Suliasi Vunivalu, Ben Donaldson.

Head coach: Eddie Jones.

Fiji (101)

The inclusion of the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby Pacific last year has been game-changing for Fijian rugby and sees them enter the World Cup fresh off a first-ever 30-22 win over England and with the hope of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2007. 

Over half of the squad Simon Raiwalui has selected played for the Drua this season, who went from strength to strength and upset the mighty Crusaders on their way to qualifying for the knockouts for the first time. 

With that cohesion, combined with the class of players such as Toulon-based captain Waisea Nayacalevu, the flying Fijians have soared all the way up to seventh in the world rankings, making them the highest-ranked side in the pool.

The Pacific Islanders will throw everything into their opening-round clash with the Welsh and punters shouldn’t be too surprised if they slay the Dragons. 

Squad:

Forwards: Eroni Mawi, Peni Ravai, Jone Koroiduadua, Mesake Doge, Luke Tagi, Samu Tawake, Tevita Ikanivere, Sam Matavesi, Zuriel Togiatama, Isoa Nasilasila, Temo Mayanavanua, Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Albert Tuisue, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Levani Botia, Vilive Miramira, Meli Derenalagi, Viliame Mata

Backs: Frank Lomani, Peni Matawalu, Simione Kuruvoli, Caleb Muntz, Teti Tela, Josua Tuisova, Semi Radradra, Waisea Nayacalevu (captain), Iosefo Masi, Selesitino Ravutaumada, Vinaya Habosi, Jiuta Wainiqolo, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Sireli Maqala, Ilaisa Droasese.

Head coach: Simon Raiwalui.

Georgia (501)

A rising force north of the equator, Georgia have been the gold standard in the second-tier Rugby Europe Championship in recent history, winning what’s effectively a Six Nations ‘B’ championship for the last six years in a row. 

The Lelos are a settled side who’ve won 12 of their last 14 games and were up 6-0 at halftime against Scotland in their final warm-up match at Murrayfield before the hosts ran away with it in the second stanza to triumph 33-6.

Nevertheless, historic wins over Tier 1 nations Italy (28-19) and Wales (13-12) last year showed they’re capable of pulling off a big upset if their vaunted pool rivals aren’t on their game.  

Squad:

Forwards: Mikheil Nariashvili, Guram Gogichashvili, Nika Abuladze, Shalva Mamukashvili, Luka Nioradze, Tengiz Zamtaradze, Beka Gigashvili, Luka Japaridze, Guram Papidze, Lasha Jaiani, Konstantine Mikautadze, Nodar Cheishvili, Vladimer Chachanidze, Beka Saginadze, Mikheil Gachechiladze, Luka Ivanishvili, Beka Gorgadze, Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Tornike Jalagonia

Backs: Gela Aprasidze, Vasil Lobzhanidze, Tengiz Peranidze, Tedo Abzhandadze, Luka Matkava, Demur Tapladze, Aleksandre Todua, Merab Sharikadze (captain), Tornike Kakhoidze, Modebadze Mirian, Akaki Tabutsadze, Davit Niniashvili, Lasha Khmaladze, Giorgi Kveseladze.

Head coach: Levan Maisashvili.

Portugal (1001)

Portugal have already won in a sense in that they’ve qualified for the World Cup for just the second time. They did so by the narrowest of margins as a last-gasp penalty goal by Samuel Marques saw them salvage a 16-all draw with the USA to win the four-nation tournament (which included Hong Kong and Kenya) in Dubai last October.

The Portuguese last appeared on the World Cup stage in 2007 and will be hunting a first-ever win after losing all four of their pool games in their maiden tournament, which also took place in France. 

Squad:

Forwards: Francisco Fernandes, David Costa, Antonio Machado Santos, Anthony Alves, Diogo Hasse Ferreira, Francisco Bruno; Mike Tadjer, Lionel Campergue, Duarte Diniz, Jose Madeira, Steevy Cerqueira, Martim Bello, Duarte Torgal, Joao Granate, David Wallis, Nicolas Martins, Thibault de Freitas, Rafael Simoes, Manuel Picao.

Backs: Samuel Marques, Pedro Lucas, Joao Bello, Jeronimo Portela, Joris Moura, Tomas Appleton (captain), Jose Lima, Pedro Bettencourt, Rodrigo Marta, Raffaele Stori, Vincent Pinto, Nuno Sousa Guedes, Manuel Cardoso Pinto, Simao Bento.

Head coach: Patrice Lagisquet.   

Wales (34.00)

Four years is a long time in rugby. In 2019, Wales won the Six Nations Grand Slam and reached the semi-finals of the World Cup. 

Their run in Japan saw them beat Australia 29-25 to finish top of Pool D, edge France 20-19 in the quarters and narrowly succumb to eventual winners South Africa 19-16 in the semis. 

The 40-17 loss to New Zealand in the bronze medal match was a disappointing end to their campaign, but it was nevertheless their second-best finish ever.

Fast forward to 2023 where the Dragons managed just one win in the Six Nations (a 29-17 victory over Italy) and a 20-9 triumph over an understrength England in their first World Cup warm-up game. 

Sans a slew of veterans who’ve either retired or moved on, Warren Gatland’s men have slumped to ninth in the world rankings. They’re eighth when it comes to the outright odds but getting past Fiji to assure their passage to the playoffs is no foregone conclusion. 

Squad:

Forwards: Taine Basham, Adam Beard, Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Ryan Elias, Taulupe Faletau, Tomas Francis, Dafydd Jenkins, Dewi Lake (co-captain), Dillon Lewis, Dan Lydiate, Jac Morgan (co-captain), Tommy Reffell, Will Rowlands, Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Christ Tshiunza, Aaron Wainwright.

Backs: Josh Adams, Gareth Anscombe, Dan Biggar, Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies, Rio Dyer, Mason Grady, Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Louis Rees-Zammit, Nick Tompkins, Johnny Williams, Liam Williams, Tomos Williams.

Head coach: Warren Gatland. 

Fixtures:

Australia v Georgia

Saturday, 9 September – 18:00

Wales v Fiji

Sunday, 10 September – 21:00

Wales v Portugal

Saturday, 16 September – 17:45

Australia v Fiji

Sunday, 17 September – 17:45

Georgia v Portugal

Saturday, 23 September – 14:00

Wales v Australia

Sunday, 24 September – 21:00

Fiji v Georgia

Saturday, 30 September – 17:45

Australia v Portugal

Sunday, 1 October – 17:45

Wales v Georgia

Saturday, 7 October – 15:00

Fiji v Portugal

Sunday, 8 October – 21:00