By P G Tips
October 1 2015
Every World Cup has it’s minnow or shock upset story so it seems. It started in 1991 with both Canada and Western Samoa making the Quarter finals. A physical Canada dispatched Fiji and gave both France and the All Blacks a hard time, but it was the Samoans who caused the gasps. Wales 13 W Samoa 16 in Cardiff made the Welsh “glad they only played Western Samoa” according to the joke “just think what the whole of Samoa might have done!” Then in 2007 Argentina beat France twice –in the opener and the Bronze medal match. France also slumped to defeat against Tonga. This year Tonga have fallen to Georgia but the crown goes to the Brave Blossoms whose petals were too tough for Springboks to chew. So, as each Pool now stands at played 2, can we expect more from the minnows (or more upsets)?
In Pool A Fiji can only make the Quarters if they thrash both Wales and Uruguay and Australia do the same to both England and Wales and England disappoint against Uruguay. They do seem worth more than their zero points though and could yet influence the outcome of the Pool, or the tournament, by inflicting more casualties. This they may yet do on Thursday against Wales as they will be desperate to take a big scalp back to the cane fields of home.
Pool B has seen a seismic upset already, but the fancied teams have restored normal service since the first weekend. There is hope though for Samoa, if both they and South Africa can demolish Scotland, whose “easy” games have been and gone.
In Pool C Tonga will need a miracle against an Argentina side capable of flowing back play to complement their traditional pack strength, otherwise it is whipping boys Namibia who catch the eye – not for results but their attitude, exemplified by captain Jacques Burger. There is plenty beefy about this Burger – not so much the usual complaints about his tackling, but his bullish approach and rolling maul tries. His country though stand to be the cannon fodder for the Tier 1 nations that Premiership fly halves are for his big hits.
The bravery of Canada & Romania in Pool D looks like being of no avail, so the only possible upset left could be for Italy to do a number on Ireland: most unlikely.
Maybe the Rising Sun will dazzle again as Japan face Samoa or USA? Perhaps Fiji will add to the woes of Stuart Lancaster, or a casualty list that Warren Gatland can already ill afford? Whatever results to come, the likes of Nadolo,Gorgodze, Van der Merwe, Burger and Goromaru have added colour to the first round of this tournament and the Tier 2 & 3 nations are pressing to close the gap. Is there more to come?
Wales v Fiji is the first and perhaps the biggest of the remaining chances for upset: it is likely to be a humdinger: bring it on!
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