World Cup 2023: The Blues as favourites, the Blacks and the Bucks in slumber

After a wonderful year 2022 and the first Grand Slam tournaments since 2010, the 15th French player, Antoine Dupont, was chosen as the best player in the world, and he is the favorite in the 2023 World Cup organized at home, one year after the start of the competition, ahead of the South African title holders or Ireland.

. France finally?

They finished 2022 with success in Japan, their ninth and tenth victories for a prosperous year. After achieving impressive successes, including demonstrating against the All Blacks almost a year ago, and winning the Six Nations Championship, a Grand Slam on the line, the Blues seem ready to drop the sympathetic outsiders’ uniforms on those awesome favorites.

But, to win the World Cup for the first time (September 8 – October 28, 2023), Fabian Galthe’s men will have to defeat everyone, as they have so far. They will also pass their first test, in November, against the world champions in South Africa. With players of the caliber of Dupont, or Gregory Aldert, or Roman Ntamak, or Cyril Bale, or Gael Fico…these blues have arguments.

. Ireland raises a finger

World No. 1, second in the last tournament and enforcers of the All Blacks during their last summer tour, the Irish have yet to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. In the first round in France, with South Africa, Scotland, Tonga and Romania, the Greens will have to roll up their sleeves to get out of a strong group B.

Especially since the qualifiers for this group will meet, during the quarter-finals, with the qualifiers of Group A, France and the first blacks. Not enough to frighten Andy Farrell’s men, who are carried away by the eternal Jonathan Sexton and Armada Leinster.

. England, Australia and Wales under reconstruction

The Englishman, world champion in 2003 and finalist at the last edition in 2019, is an outsider and will have to search for his colors after the grueling Six Nations Championship to achieve higher goals. But coach Eddie Jones is smart and can count on Marcus Smith and Maru Itogi to restore the image of XV de la Rose.

The Australians and the Welshmen, will meet during the group stage. Woe to the loser between two declining teams in 2022. The Wallabies, like Leek XV, seem to be struggling to replenish their workforce.

. New Zealanders on the brink

All blacks think. If they crushed Argentina (53-3) on the final day of the rugby tournament, the New Zealanders didn’t silence the critics. Their coach Ian Foster is still in a tough spot, having won just three games this year.

Highly expected, and lacking in liveliness, kiwis stay connected to the AC one year before the World Cup, which they won three times (1987, 2011, 2015).

. Boks need to wake up

Sacred in Japan, Siya Kolisi’s classmates aren’t at their best. South Africa is only third in rugby, and still has a good year to get back to top shape.

With Lukahnyo Am in Olympic shape, tall-toothed youths (Fassi, Willemse…) and ambitious leaders (Pollard, Mapimpi, Etzebeth, De Jaeger…), the Sprinboks have plenty to join the fight.

. Scotland, Japan and Argentina dream about it

Behind the leaders, the Scots, like the Argentines, can hope to play spoiled sports. Puma recently dominated New Zealand and Australia while XV du Thistle remains the last European country to defeat the Blues.

On top of that, the Japanese caused trouble for the Blues during last summer’s tour by showing off cool stuff despite their apparent lack of automation. But, hoping to do well domestically, in 2019, when they reach the quarter-finals, the Brave Blossoms will have to pull themselves out of a group that includes England, Argentina, Chile and Samoa.