The Rugby World Cup is the sporting event of the year
The end of summer and the beginning of autumn brings us numerous sporting events in all sports. It is particularly interesting that the quotas for participation in the Olympic Games are won in Olympic sports. So sports fans have plenty of opportunities to enjoy numerous World Championships both on small screens and live. If you were thinking of following some of those competitions live, we highly recommend the World Rowing Championships, which will be held at Ada Ciganlija from 3rd to 10th of September and the World Wrestling Championship, which will be held in the Stark Arena from the 16th to 24th of September.
However, all competitions will be overshadowed by the Rugby World Cup, which will be held in France from 8th of September to 28th of october. All the eyes of the world public will be directed towards rugby, because, among other things, an extremely interesting, interesting but also uncertain competition is expected. Twenty of the best teams in the world will fight for the William Webb Ellis trophy, which will be lifted by the best team in the world.
France will try to be a fantastic host for the World Cup which will be played in 9 different cities. The best rugby players in the world will be hosted by Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Saint-Etienne, Nantes and Toulouse. A festival atmosphere is expected in the host cities, because rugby players are, above all, extremely friendly and warm hosts. Unlike football and hooliganism, rugby nurtures diversity and enjoys it. It is a unique sport where you can have arguments, dialogues, even heated discussions with fans of other countries, but it always ends in a friendly and cheerful tone. Regardless of whether your national team is participating in the World Cup, everyone will be interested to hear a rugby tidbit or rugby story from your country.
It should be noted that rugby is the second most popular sport in France, and the interest is huge, especially since their national team is in the narrow circle of favorites to win the trophy. The tournament is of great importance not only for French rugby, but also for rugby in Europe, because for two months rugby will be the main sporting event in the world. Everyone will be talking about rugby, writing, analyzing, admiring great moves. Quite simply, rugby will be the number one topic.
South Africa is defending the title of World Champion
Four years ago, South Africa defeated England 32-12 in a thrilling final. The last World Cup in Japan lived up to expectations, because for the first time it was held in a country that does not belong to the TIER 1 nations of world rugby. The Japanese have maximized the hosting of the World Cup, rugby has dramatically become one of the most important sports in the land of the rising sun. A large number of world stars continue their professional career precisely in the Japanese League, whose club scene is slowly but surely becoming stronger and stronger at the world level. Don’t forget that strong and quality domestic competition creates strong and quality domestic players, which implies a strong national team. Japan is currently 14th in the world ranking.
A large number of national selections in a narrow circle of favorites
We can absolutely say that it has never been more uncertain. We have never had so many teams that we can say are absolute favorites. Defending champions South Africa enter serious discussion as a team capable of defending the trophy. The vast majority of players have stayed and together with the youngsters will attack the very top. The draw was not in their favor, so they will face a very thorny road to the final. The “Bomb Squad” in the first and second lines is steady and ready to terrorize the opposing scrums.
However, the first favorite to win the World Cup is New Zealand, which comes to France extremely motivated and with a very strong team. They haven’t recorded a single defeat this year and seem quite compact and strong. There is no World Cup in history where the All Blacks were not favourites. This is the team that will first associate you with rugby, first of all because of the high-level game, but also because of the performance of the famous Haka.
The host France is definitely a team that should be taken into consideration to reach the very end. This year, they played excellent games and launched themselves as one of the favorites of the competition, especially the fact that they are the hosts, and they will have huge support from the stands. They have great quality as a team, they have excellent individuals in all positions, they play at a very high pace. They will be weakened by the absence of Roman Ntamak who was injured in the last test match, but the French have a number of quality playmakers who can cover the opening position well.
Ireland welcomes the World Cup as number 1 in the world ranking. And that’s no accident. Andy Farrell has used his experience from both codes of rugby to build Ireland into a defensive machine that plays at incredible pace in attack. It’s a team that won’t let you breathe. A fantastic collection of quality players led by the inimitable Johnny Sexton has perhaps the best team in history to go all the way.
Although England did not look their best during the warm-up matches, although they played sluggishly and slowly, we cannot leave them out of the conversation to win the trophy. However, it is England, who have a large number of quality players who are capable of reaching the very end of the competition. It should be pointed out that they have a very favorable draw and that they can easily, without too much trouble, reach the ½ final. And then anything can happen.
Among the teams in the wider circle of favorites, we must first single out Scotland, which is in the group with Ireland and South Africa. Only two teams from each group will advance to the ¼ finals, somehow the bookies give the least chance to the Scots. But don’t be surprised if Finn Russell and team pull off a surprise and secure their place in the finals. Australia is a team that has fallen out of the short circle of favorites, and is coming to the World Cup weakened. However, it is a team that has enormous quality and that has an excellent draw and we can say a very interesting group. We must not forget the Argentinians, who have a very experienced and strong team. Then there’s Wales, who haven’t been producing notable results of late, but they were 6 Nations Cup winners three years ago. Everything is possible at the World Cup.
Who can be the hit of the World Cup?
Every World Cup has its own hit team, let’s just remember how the Japanese beat South Africa in England in 2015 and made a first class surprise. Unfortunately, the Japanese didn’t make it to the playoffs, but that game will forever remain in the annals of world rugby.
Until the World Cup hit happens, we can’t really know, but we can guess. Countless times in various sports we have had outsiders who delighted the sports public with their Cinderella stories. Honestly, it can never get boring when struggling teams beat big favorites. Elem, our trump card is definitely Georgia, which is in a group with Wales, Australia, Fiji and Portugal. We believe that the popular Lelos are ready for the big stage, they are also in a group where everything is open and where they can make a sensation and reach the quarter-finals, which would be a first-class shock for the traditional rugby pundits who are trying their best to 6 Nations Cup they hold a closed competition.
Competition system
Twenty teams are divided into four groups. In each group, there are five teams that play according to the system each with each. The two first-placed teams from each group will advance to the ¼ finals. The top three teams from each group will qualify automatically for the next World Cup.
If you want to see the schedule of matches, groups and playoffs, we highly recommend the corner on our website where you can follow the results and the current state of the tables.
Who has won the World Cups in history?
Rugby is a sport that started playing World Cups relatively late, although there was an initiative to start the tournaments earlier. However, the first World Cup was played in 1987 organized by New Zealand and Australia. The tournament lived up to its initial success. In the final, the host New Zealand defeated France with a score of 29-9 and became the first Rugby World Champion.
The second World Cup was held in 1991 in England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France, i.e. in the countries that were playing the 5 Nations Cup at that moment (Italy joined later). If the initial competition was a success, then the European tournament was a complete success. In the final, Australia defeated England with a score of 12-6 and became the second team from the southern hemisphere to win the World Cup.
Then followed one of the more interesting competitions, which even got its Hollywood adaptation. Namely, South Africa was banned from participating in international competitions because of apartheid. However, the people of South Africa were rewarded after the fall of the regime by hosting the 1995 World Cup . All the media hype and all the eyes of the world were directed towards South Africa, where we can say, everyone is crazy about rugby. Total euphoria arose when the Springboks, that is, South Africa, defeated New Zealand in the final after extra time 15-12.
The first World Cup in the professional era was played in 1999 in Wales. However, matches were also played in Ireland, Scotland, England and France. At that time, rugby was in an unstoppable expansion, both in the quality of the game and in terms of popularity. Then we had the opportunity to see the anthology game in the ½ final where France stopped New Zealand with John Lomu. However, the French did not have the strength for the final, where they were defeated by the exceptional Australians with a score of 35-12.
World Cup 2003 moved again to the Southern Hemisphere, i.e. to Australia, which organized it independently. Before the very beginning, the big favorites were the hosts Australia and New Zealand. However, an incredible thing happened, England won 20-17 in the final after extra time with a dropkick by the legendary Jonny Wilkinson. This is also the only title of the national teams of the Northern Hemisphere to date.
France in 2007 hosted the next World Cup. Apart from France, the matches took place in Scotland and Wales. At that time, everyone believed that the northern hemisphere would take precedence in world rugby, and that the English would manage to defend the title won four years earlier. However, South Africa defeated England 15-6 in the final and lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy for the second time. Curiosity of the World Cup 2007 Argentina was established as a world rugby power, which managed to win the 3rd place in general standings.
New Zealand organized the next tournament of the best rugby players in 2011 . They were absolute favorites and in the end they lived up to expectations. Led by the legendary Richie McCow, they managed to defeat France in the final with a score of 8-7. It is interesting that France lost to Tonga in the group, so they were not given too many chances in the playoffs. However, they made a great run and in the end they were never closer to winning the World Cup.
World Cup in England 2015 was marked by the fantastic organization and media visibility of rugby. But also the disastrous result of the hosts who failed to pass the group stage. However, once again the main favorite New Zealand lived up to expectations, they played too disciplined and strong for anyone to give them more resistance. In the final, another classic was seen against Australia, which was defeated 34-17.
At the last World Cup in Japan in 2019 , we had the opportunity to attend a very interesting tournament. South Africa was the best team and in the final they defeated England with a score of 32-12. Before the beginning of the competition, the English were not among the favorites, just like now, but they defeated New Zealand in the ½ final and established themselves as a team that can beat anyone. That’s why they should never be written off.
How much does the Rugby World Cup mean to Serbian rugby?
The World Rugby Federation always tries to motivate all rugby players to increase media activity during the World Cup because it is a unique opportunity when all attention will be focused on rugby, even in countries where it is not popular. And always positive things happen during the tournament, a new club is formed, a new initiative is launched, people simply become more interested. Each World Cup brought mini-expansion and new energy to Serbian rugby. We believe it will be the same this time. That is why it is important to use a lot of resources in promotion so that as many people as possible can hear about rugby and watch the game.
We believe that our Association and the clubs will make the most of the World Cup and promote the popularity of rugby in Serbia with promotional activities. Let’s not forget that a large number of current and former rugby players will follow the matches live in France, where we hope they will document it on social networks and thus actively participate in the promotion of rugby in Serbia. We will make a small review at the end of the World Cup and try to measure in some way the impact it had on the popularity of rugby in Serbia.
Will there be a live broadcast of the matches?
We still have no confirmation of which TV station will take over the broadcast of the matches and to what extent. Once we have that information, we’ll be happy to share it with you.
How will we cover up the World Cup?
Our portal deals primarily with domestic rugby, but we will use this opportunity to cover the World Cup in France. First of all, you can follow the results of the matches, the tables and the schedule of the matches, as well as the scheme of the playoffs, on our website. We will try to keep up to date with the course of the competition, so that you can enjoy watching the tournament as much as possible. Also in addition to this announcement article, we will make announcements for each group individually, where we will present the teams that will participate in the competition. Of course we will give predictions as to how much each team can provide in the competition, how can we miss the biggest charm of following the World Cup?
After each round we will release an article retrospective of the played matches with short analyses. So expect to have quite a bit of rugby reading to read. We were also thinking of making a Podcast, but that would be too much of a burden for the editorial staff at this time. If we decide to take such a step, be sure to let you know.
We can’t wait for the start of the World Cup, how about you?
