Title contenders reviewed

Title contenders reviewed

New Zealand players perform the haka before the match against South Africa on August 25 in London. Tim Williams / Action Plus / Panoramic

On the starting line of the global meeting, there are three top favorites, including the 15th from France.

South Africa, to pass 4

Defending champions, the Springboks have won the World Cup three times. Like New Zealand. They presented themselves determined to add a fourth crown to their list of achievements. With strong arguments if we refer to the last two versions. Popular captain Sia Kolisi made a timely recovery and his team-mates outscored Wales in Cardiff 52-16 before humiliating the All Blacks at Twickenham. A 35-7 victory, quite simply the biggest defeat the Kiwis have ever suffered. A terrible display of power with a terrifying strategy: only three strikers and seven strikers on the bench, all of them involved at the same time to destroy the black group. The boxers are ready. A necessity given their tough group (Ireland vs Scotland), and then an exciting quarter-final looming against the Blues or Lions…

With Ireland and France, the North can believe it

In nine World Cups, a Northern Hemisphere team has only been crowned champion once, thanks to England in 2003…

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