RWC Build up #2

Based on this weekend's action, what's happened to my listings?

Well, Scotland and New Zealand didn't play. But my top 3 places to coach have stayed the same. I still think NZ will most likely win. Australia might not have won convincingly, but win they did, in South Africa. Can't hurt the morale. Ditto Wales. Wales failed to impose themselves at the scrum, but there's still two Lions props to come back all being well. The breakdown and the tackle were immense though and they stopped England too. And when they did manufacture a chance, they took it ruthlessly. Kudos to them.

My bottom 3 places? On balance also the same names, but a slightly different order.

#1 Ireland lost to Scotland and then to France. I didn't see the game, but many more stars and... oops. Are they ageing too much for former glories to see them through? Where does Kidney hide now? No new talent and his stars not performing.

#2 England. Johnson might be playing a very cunning plan, but he must be worried that Hape + Tindall seem to have made a mockery of the amount of ball they had, and that on-field choices to go for tries backfired so badly. On another day they will, and have, beat Wales and not have such dominance of possession and territory. But that failure to exploit the chances they did make that hurt them so much against Wales will hurt them at least in the quarter-finals and possibly in the pool stages too. A loss to Argentina in the pool stages must be a real chance, followed by the ABs in the quarters. Even if they avoid that, France in the quarters in New Zealand... playing like that England will lose. Johnson might know his 30 by now, but does he have a plan for his teams?

#3 SA. Yes, they lost. But the big stars were out for their first game in a while and it was close. You have to imagine they'll get more match fit for next week and although starting against a potentially rampant Wales (especially if they beat Argentina next week) might not be the best way for them to start, and Fiji and Samoa might not be as easy as you'd like either if the Boks do lose to Wales, it's a group even I sadly expect them to win. But miracles do happen, and Wales v SA as the opening match plays into The Dragons' hands (or claws) you'd have to think, especially if the ABs minus Carter and McCaw do the job next week.