| TV | Date/Time (BST) | Venue | |
| ITV1 | Fri 09 Sep 09:30 | NEW ZEALAND v TONGA | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Sat 10 Sep 07:00 | FRANCE v JAPAN | North Harbour, Auckland |
| ITV4 | Wed 14 Sep 06:00 | TONGA v CANADA | Whangarei |
| ITV1 | Fri 16 Sep 09:00 | NEW ZEALAND v JAPAN | Hamilton |
| ITV1 | Sun 18 Sep 09:30 | FRANCE v CANADA | Napier |
| ITV4 | Wed 21 Sep 08:30 | TONGA v JAPAN | Whangarei |
| ITV1 | Sat 24 Sep 09:30 | NEW ZEALAND v FRANCE | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ITV4 | Tue 27 Sep 06:00 | CANADA v JAPAN | Napier |
| ITV1 | Sat 1 Oct 07:00 | FRANCE v TONGA | Wellington |
| ITV1 | Sun 2 Oct 04:30 | NEW ZEALAND v CANADA | Wellington |
Predictions: NEW ZEALAND - Champions, FRANCE - Semi finals
HISTORY weighs heavily on the shoulders of the All Blacks who, as if they need reminding, are without a World Cup Final victory since 1987. Twenty-four years is an extraordinary wait for the most prominent rugby country in the world and it is fair to say that it has become a national obsession.
As usual, New Zealand have hit form since the last World Cup in 2007 and regained their place at the top of the IRB World Rankings. But, defeat in this year's Tri Nations decider against Australia has again raised all of the old concerns. Having said that, winning the Tri Nations before a World Cup has hardly done the ABs much good in the past and the focus will now be on their Pool A opponents France.
The French have twice ended the ABs' World Cup dreams in the 1999 semi finals and 2007 quarter finals, the only time New Zealand have failed to reach the last four. Indeed, that victory for the French four years ago was particularly controversial as the vital try was scored after an unspotted forward pass. Graham Henry's ABs are out for revenge and a Pool runners-up spot would make it difficult for France to extend their record of having reached the semi finals in each of the last four World Cups. Difficult, but if the French play to their best, not impossible.
POOL B
| TV | Date/Time (BST) | Venue | |
| ITV1 | Sat 10 Sep 02:00 | SCOTLAND v ROMANIA | Invercargill |
| ITV1 | Sat 10 Sep 09:30 | ENGLAND v ARGENTINA | Dunedin |
| ITV1 | Wed 14 Sep 08:30 | SCOTLAND v GEORGIA | Invercargill |
| ITV1 | Sat 17 Sep 04:30 | ARGENTINA v ROMANIA | Invercargill |
| ITV1 | Sun 18 Sep 07:00 | ENGLAND v GEORGIA | Dunedin |
| ITV1 | Sat 24 Sep 07:00 | ENGLAND v ROMANIA | Dunedin |
| ITV1 | Sun 25 Sep 09:30 | ARGENTINA v SCOTLAND | Wellington |
| ITV4 | Wed 28 Sep 08:30 | GEORGIA v ROMANIA | Napier |
| ITV1 | Sat 1 Oct 09:30 | ENGLAND v SCOTLAND | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Sun 2 Oct 02:00 | ARGENTINA v GEORGIA | Palmerston North |
Predictions: ENGLAND - Quarter finals, SCOTLAND - Quarter finals
ENGLAND face an intriguing test in Pool B against old rivals Scotland and Argentina as they aim to reach a third consecutive World Cup Final. Eight years after lifting the William Webb Ellis trophy in 2003, England are arguably in their best shape since then to emulate the feat.
Martin Johnson's men certainly look better than in 2007 when Brian Ashton's squad still reached the Final but only after a slow start to the tournament and a 36-0 defeat in the Pool stages to South Africa. A couple of momentous wins later against Australia and hosts France meant England took their defence to the very last game but the feeling was that England were always a bit short of world championship quality.
This time, England arrive at the World Cup having won their first Six Nations title since 2003 and having easily beaten Ireland in their last warm-up. The victory in Dublin provided England with a morsel of revenge for having failed to win the Grand Slam there earlier this year and it remains the case that this current England team will be undermined by the odd defeats.
There was another such instance in the warm-up matches when England lost to Wales at Cardiff - and Scotland will be hoping that England suffer another off-day on 1 October. By then, both the Scots and the English will know if they have brought a premature end to Argentina's threat, which has diminished since their remarkable run to the semi finals four years ago when the Pumas beat Scotland in the quarter finals.
Andy Robinson's men will want revenge for that and to ensure Scotland's record of having always made it through the Pool stages continues. The signs are looking good if Scotland's two wins away in Argentina last summer are anything to go by.
Finally in this Pool, as a sidenote to the three-way battle at the top of the group, Georgia take on Romania in a match which will decide the best European rugby team outside of the Six Nations.
POOL C
| TV | Date/Time (BST) | Venue | |
| ITV1 | Sun 11 Sep 04:30 | AUSTRALIA v ITALY | North Harbour, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Sun 11 Sep 07:00 | IRELAND v UNITED STATES | New Plymouth |
| ITV4 | Thu 15 Sep 08:30 | RUSSIA v UNITED STATES | New Plymouth |
| ITV1 | Sat 17 Sep 09:30 | AUSTRALIA v IRELAND | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ITV4 | Tue 20 Sep 08:30 | ITALY v RUSSIA | Nelson |
| ITV1 | Fri 23 Sep 09:30 | AUSTRALIA v UNITED STATES | Wellington |
| ITV1 | Sun 25 Sep 07:00 | IRELAND v RUSSIA | Rotorua |
| ITV4 | Tue 27 Sep 08:30 | ITALY v UNITED STATES | Nelson |
| ITV1 | Sat 1 Oct 04:30 | AUSTRALIA v RUSSIA | Nelson |
| ITV1 | Sun 2 Oct 09:30 | IRELAND v ITALY | Dunedin |
Predictions: AUSTRALIA - Runners-up, IRELAND - Quarter finals
AUSTRALIA arrive at the World Cup with the youngest average age in their squad and a satisfied glow having already got one over on the All Blacks by winning the Tri Nations decider.
Preparations for the Wallabies have not always seemed so smooth. Coach Robbie Deans' decision to award James Horwill the captaincy came less than a month ago, and shortly after Rocky Elsom had led Australia to an amazing defeat to Samoa. However, the two-time champions can be confident that there should be no similar upsets at the World Cup given their opponents in Pool C.
For, while the Wallabies have the youngest side, the Irish have selected a squad which is, on average, the oldest in the tournament. Ireland won the Six Nations Grand Slam as recently as 2009 but this tournament seems to have come two years too late for them and the old-timers have had a pretty disastrous set of warm-up matches, losing all four.
Four years ago, Ireland failed to make it out of the group stages after defeats to Argentina and France - and so, while not expecting to challenge for the trophy, just making into the knockout stages would produce sighs of relief in the Emerald Isle. Ireland should at least achieve a last eight place this time considering their main opponent will be Italy.
The Azzurri can be dangerous on their day, as France can testify from this year's Six Nations, but their day is still not nearly regular enough. Meanwhile, Russia will be hoping to make a good impression in their first World Cup appearance and the USA players are sure to be feeling all sorts of emotion when they take on Ireland on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
POOL D
| TV | Date/Time (BST) | Venue | |
| ITV1 | Sat 10 Sep 04:30 | FIJI v NAMIBIA | Rotorua |
| ITV1 | Sun 11 Sep 09:30 | SOUTH AFRICA v WALES | Wellington |
| ITV1 | Wed 14 Sep 03:30 | SAMOA v NAMIBIA | Rotorua |
| ITV1 | Sat 17 Sep 07:00 | SOUTH AFRICA v FIJI | Wellington |
| ITV1 | Sun 18 Sep 04:30 | WALES v SAMOA | Hamilton |
| ITV4 | Thu 22 Sep 09:00 | SOUTH AFRICA v NAMIBIA | North Harbour, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Sun 25 Sep 04:30 | FIJI v SAMOA | Eden Park, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Mon 26 Sep 08:30 | WALES v NAMIBIA | New Plymouth |
| ITV4 | Fri 30 Sep 09:30 | SOUTH AFRICA v SAMOA | North Harbour, Auckland |
| ITV1 | Sun 2 Oct 07:00 | WALES v FIJI | Hamilton |
Predictions: SOUTH AFRICA - Semi finals, WALES - Quarter finals
THEY may not be as strong as they were in 2007 when they won their second World Cup but it would still be a surprise if the South Africa failed to reach the last four. The Springboks may have finished a long way behind Australia and New Zealand in the latest Tri Nations series but they can be reassured that none of their Pool D opponents is as strong.
Having beaten England in Cardiff, Wales have had a better run-in to the tournament than the Springboks and will look to catch them off guard in the teams' opening match. However, the history books suggest that it is Wales who must be wary of an upset having previously failed to make it out of the group stages after defeats to Samoa in 1991 and Fiji four years ago.
Warren Gatland's men face both Pacific Island nations again and, rather than their opener against South Africa being the vital game, it could be that their last match against Fiji is a decider for second place. Samoa, meanwhile, made a massive statement by shocking Australia in a warm-up match.
And so, expect the matches involving all three teams - Wales, Samoa and Fiji - to be highly competitive, leaving the lowest-ranked team, Namibia, just hoping to avoid a repeat of their 142-0 defeat to Australia in World Cup 2003.
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