Australia, Wales right among top contenders

Wales' Jonathan Davies tackles Australia's Kurtley Beale in their match last year. Photo: Getty...
Wales' Jonathan Davies tackles Australia's Kurtley Beale in their match last year. Photo: Getty Images
The World Cup starts tomorrow. In our look at the 20 teams involved, Jeff Cheshire examines the five teams in pool B.

Australia

Coach: Michael Cheika

Captain: Michael Hooper

2015 result: Runner-up

The Wallabies are always dangerous come World Cup time and will enter this one with plenty of confidence.

Just over a month ago they handed the All Blacks their worst loss - a 47-26 drubbing.

While New Zealand played half of that with 14 men, the Wallabies' dominance was evident before Scott Barrett's red card.

Their other results have been mixed - a win over Argentina and losses to the All Blacks and Springboks the notable ones.

But expect them to be right among the contenders.

The hard, fast grounds in Japan should suit them.

Loose forwards Michael Hooper and David Pocock are both deadly on the openside and are equally lethal when played together.

Nic White and Christian Leali'ifano offer a handy 9-10 duo, while the midfield is a handful on the front foot.

There is experience among the group in Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Will Genia and Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Whether that is preferred in place of the younger talent remains to be seen.

The Wallabies are capable of beating anyone on their day, although adding to their 1991 and 1999 titles may be a tough ask.

Fact: Outside Athens, Melbourne has the largest Greek population of any city in the world.

Wales

Coach: Warren Gatland

Captain: Alan Wyn-Jones

2015 result: Quarterfinalist

Less than a month ago, Wales ended the All Blacks' decade-long reign atop the world rugby rankings.

A week later it lost the title.

Now it enters the tournament in fifth slot.

That should illustrate how tight this World Cup will be.

It should also show a Wales team which recently had a 14-match winning streak ended will be right among the contenders.

Wales was the form team throughout the Six Nations and has thrived since Gatland took over a train wreck following 2007.

Wyn-Jones remains one of the world's best locks, while openside flanker Justin Tipuric is influential in the loose.

Out wide, winger George North continues to find the tryline, while Jonathan Davies is among the world's best midfielders.

Injuries have hit hard and Talupe Faletau and Gareth Anscombe are two big losses.

This is still a side capable of sticking with anyone.

However, the Welsh also have a history of tripping up to Pacific Island sides.

Losses to Samoa in 1991 and Fiji in 2007 cut its World Cup short at the pool stage, while it was also beaten by Samoa in 1999.

That may leave its fans a little nervous on October 9 when it faces Fiji.

Fact: Wales has more castles per square mile than any other European country.

Fiji

Coach: John McKee

Captain: Dominiko Waqaniburotu

2015: Pool play

If Fiji is to progress through its pool, it will probably need to emulate its greatest World Cup triumph.

The 2007 win over Wales remains the most significant win the Flying Fijians have notched at the tournament.

There were near-misses in 1999 and 2003 against France and Scotland as well.

While it was never a chance to win any of those tournaments, it made itself known as a spoiler team.

That is likely to be its potential place this time too.

Viliame Mata, Leone Nakarawa and Josua Tuisova are all more than handy players.

Nakarawa, in particular, has forged a high-level reputation as a skilled and open-running lock.

That is typical of a Fijian side which invariably brings flair.

Open rugby, superb athletes and the willingness to chance their arm has long made Fijian players fan favourites.

Those factors can make the team mistake-prone.

But they are also things that can make it a difficult proposition for more renowned opponents.

Fact: Fiji is made up of 332 different islands.

Georgia

Coach: Milton Haig

Captain: Merab Kvirikashvili

2015: pool play

In contrast to Fiji, Georgia is historically among the dullest teams on show.

It loves its set piece.

The tight exchanges are where it excels.

Lineout drives tend to be key among its attacking weapons.

That is not to say it is ineffective.

Georgia has steadily improved since its first World Cup appearance in 2003.

It enters the 2019 edition ranked 12th in the world - ahead of Italy and just one place behind Argentina.

There is every chance it could claim a scalp from Fiji.

However, it is difficult to see the tight game upsetting Australia or Wales - or getting near either for that matter.

Mamuka Gorgodze, nicknamed Gorgodzilla, is the biggest name in the squad.

A physical presence at the past two World Cups, the 35-year-old loose forward has come out of retirement for one more.

Fact: A 1.8 million-year-old skull discovered in Georgia is considered evidence the country was the homeland of the first Europeans.

Uruguay

Coach: Estadio Charrua

Captain: Juan Manuel Gaminara

2015: Pool play

If this was football, you would rate Uruguay among the top contenders.

Unfortunately, this is not football and the South Americans rate right near the bottom of rugby's World Cup.

Uruguay made a tough return to the Cup after a two-tournament absence in 2015.

It managed just two tries in four games and its closest loss was a 47-15 drubbing by Fiji.

Four years on, it is unlikely to fare much better, although it is aiming to have close games.

That may be beside the point.

The fact a country with just 6000 active players - including children - even qualified is an achievement.

Its top players, such as first five-eighth Felipe Berchesi, play in France and the United States.

However, many of its squad was amateur until the beginning of this year.

Outside World Cups, exposure to the top class of world rugby has been minimal.

A 24-20 win over a South American XV and a 43-5 win over Brazil is hardly ideal preparation to play Australia or Wales.

Fact: Uruguay's 12 million cows outnumber its human population four to one.

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