Monday 14 September 2015 10:37, UK
Three Six Nations sides battle it out in Pool D and it looks like a straight shootout between France and Ireland for top spot.
They meet at the Millennium Stadium on October 11 in the final pool game and the losers will have just six days to recover for quarter-final clash with New Zealand.
Ireland are unbeaten in their last four meetings with France but they have never beaten Les Bleus at a World Cup.
Fixtures
19 Sept: Ireland v Canada - 2.30pm, Cardiff
19 Sept: France v Italy - 8pm, Twickenham
23 Sept: France v Romania - 8pm, Olympic Stadium
26 Sept: Italy v Canada - 2.30pm, Leeds
27 Sept: Ireland v Romania - 4.45pm, Wembley
1 Oct: France v Canada - 8pm, Milton Keynes
4 Oct: Ireland v Italy - 4.45pm, Olympic Stadium
6 Oct: Canada v Romania - 4.45pm, Leicester
10 Oct: Italy v Romania - 7.30pm, Exeter
11 Oct: France v Ireland - 4.45pm, Cardiff
Strengths: They may be infuriatingly inconsistent but on their day Les Bleus are capable of beating anyone. They possess an array of world-class names and often save their best form for World Cups, where they have reached three finals. Their pack are capable of bullying any opposition eight, when they're in the mood.
Weaknesses: Philippe Saint-Andre steps down as France coach after the tournament and it's amazing that he's lasted this long. France have flopped in the Six Nations during his reign, not aided by Saint-Andre's constant tinkering at half-back. They remain a team of individuals who play in fits and bursts.
Who we will love: If you like wrecking ball-type centres who run over opposition players for fun, then look no further than Mathieu Bastareaud. France place huge reliance on the 19-stone powerhouse breaking over the gainline.
Who will split opinion: Where do we start? Saint-Andre has placed huge trust in the enigmatic Frederic Michalak, despite an array of below-par performances, and he looks set to start at fly-half after Francois Trinh-Duc and Camille Lopez failed to make the cut. On his good days Michalak is a proven match-winner, but when he's bad...
MVP: Thierry Dusautoir is the consummate professional, a true leader both on and off the pitch. The skipper will need to act quickly if he senses any signs of dissension in the French ranks.
Most likely to see red: Louis Picamoles is a fierce competitor but he sometimes struggles to keep his temper in check. He was red-carded against Wales in 2014 for mock applauding the referee's decision to send him to the sin bin.
Forwards: Uini Atonio, Eddy Ben Arous, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Rabah Slimani, Guilhem Guirado, Benjamin Kayser, Dimitri Szarzewski, Alexandre Flanquart, Yohann Maestri, Pascal Pap, Thierry Dusautoir, Bernard Le Roux, Yannick Nyanga, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Damien Chouly, Louis Picamoles.
Backs: Rory Kockott, Morgan Parra, Sebastien Tillous-Borde, Frederic Michalak, Remi Tales, Mathieu Bastareaud, Alexandre Dumoulin, Gal Fickou, Wesley Fofana, Sofiane Guitoune, Yoann Huget, Noa Nakaitaci, Brice Dulin, Scott Spedding.
Strengths: In Joe Schmidt Ireland possess arguably the best coach in world rugby. The New Zealander's attention to detail brings out the best in his players and confidence is high that the back-to-back Six Nations winners can reach a World Cup semi-final for the first time in their history. There's also the added motivation of ensuring Paul O'Connell leaves the international stage on a high.
Weaknesses: The front-row is a concern, with Schmidt taking a gamble on two inexperienced tightheads as back-up to Mike Ross, while Cian Healy has yet to feature since neck surgery. The lack of cutting edge in attack is also an issue, with Jonny Sexton and a number of key players struggling for form during an underwhelming August.
Who we will love: Paul O'Connell calls time on a glittering international career after the World Cup. Can the talismanic captain lead Ireland to a World Cup semi-final for the first time?
Who will split opinion: After 29 months since his last Test cap, Keith Earls scored a try on his return to the international stage against Wales. But where is his best position? The Munster man played at outside centre in Cardiff, but was on the wing for the return fixture.
MVP: Ireland remain incredibly reliant on Jonny Sexton, with question marks still hanging over Paddy Jackson and Ian Madigan at international level. The fly-half brings great variation to his game but looked rusty in the warm-up losses to Wales and England. He is tasked with providing spark to a backline that struggled for tries in the Six Nations.
Most likely to see red: Ireland have never had a player dismissed at a World Cup and Schmidt is a stickler when it comes to discipline. Jamie Heaslip became the first Irishman to be red-carded in 32 years when he kneed Richie McCaw in the head in 2010, but the No 8 has since turned into an inspirational figure for the men in green.
Forwards: Rory Best, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Jack McGrath, Jordi Murphy, Sean O'Brien, Paul O'Connell, Peter O'Mahony, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan, Richardt Strauss, Devin Toner, Nathan White.
Backs: Tommy Bowe, Darren Cave, Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald, Robbie Henshaw, Paddy Jackson, David Kearney, Rob Kearney, Ian Madigan, Conor Murray, Jared Payne, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton, Simon Zebo.
Strengths: Italy's pack remains their primary attacking weapon and they possess powerful ball carriers such as Sergio Parisse, Samuel Vunisa and Alessandro Zanni. Edoardo Gori is also a talented scrum-half whose experience alongside Tommaso Allan will be key.
Weaknesses: Italy initially employed a more attacking outlook under Jacques Brunel and although it resulted in plenty of tries, most of them were scored by the opposition. They sit 14th in the world rankings, their big-name players aren't getting any younger, and the next generation has been slow to filter through.
Who we will love: The Azzurri still pin their hopes on talismanic captain Sergio Parisse, and the news he underwent leg surgery after the Wales warm-up will have sent shockwaves around the Med. The No 8 was only making his return from injury in Cardiff and as a result Italy were a much more competitive unit compared to the rabble that fell apart in Murrayfield. However, they still contrived to lose from a winning position.
Who will split opinion: Italy's Achilles heel remains their lack of creativity and with just 17 caps to his name, question marks remain over whether 22-year-old fly-half Tommaso Allan can get their backline motoring.
MVP: Parisse is appearing at his fourth World Cup and once again he carries his country's hopes as they attempt to reach the knockout stages for the first time.
Most likely to see red: Italy possess a grizzly, experienced pack but frustration can sometimes get the better of them when they find themselves on the back foot at scrum time.
Forwards: Matias Aguero, Martin Castrogiovanni, Dario Chistolini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Michele Rizzo, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Davide Giazzon, Andrea Manici, Valerio Barnabo, Joshua Furno, Marco Fuser, Quintin Geldenhuys, Mauro Bergamasco, Francesco Minto, Sergio Parisse, Samuela Vunisa, Alessandro Zanni.
Backs: Carlo Canna, Edoardo Gori, Guglielmo Palazzani, Marcello Violi, Tommaso Allan, Tommaso Benvenuti, Michele Campagnaro, Angelo Esposito, Gonzalo Garcia, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Luca Morisi, Leonardo Sarto, Giovanbattista Venditti.
Strengths: A handful of Canada's squad ply their trade in the top leagues in Europe, while others play Sevens at the highest level. Recent wins over Glasgow and Georgia provided a much-needed boost, as did the return of Jamie Cudmore from injury.
Weaknesses: The North Americans lack strength in depth, which was exposed by Fiji in their recent World Cup warm-up. Both Georgia and Fiji took their scrum to the cleaners, while some of their Sevens players could be physicality exposed.
Who we will love: Wings DTH van der Merwe and Jess Hassler can both be found crossing the whitewash in the PRO12 on a regular basis. Van der Merwe helped Glasgow to domestic glory last season before moving to the Scarlets, while Hassler plies his trade down the road at the Ospreys.
Who will split opinion: Connor Braid is a key player for the Canada Sevens team but he struggled to make an impact at Glasgow Warriors, leaving the club after just one season and two starts.
MVP: Jamie Cudmore has been a consistent performer for Clermont for the past decade. He plays in his fourth World Cup and brings a wealth of experience, leadership and organisation. The 37-year-old second row returned to the international scene late last month and looked keen to make up for lost time, playing three games in nine days.
Most likely to see red: If you want the good, you also have to take the bad. Cudmore is no stranger to suspension and has traded blows with plenty of big names, including Paul O'Connell. They renew acquaintances in Cardiff on the opening weekend.
Forwards: Tyler Ardon, Ray Barkwill, Brett Beukeboom, Hubert Buydens, Aaron Carpenter, Jamie Cudmore, Nanyak Dala, Kyle Gilmour, Jason Marshall, John Moonlight, Evan Olmstead, Benoit Piffero, Djustice Sears-Duru, Jebb Sinclair, Richard Thorpe, Andrew Tiedemann, Doug Wooldridge.
Backs: Nick Blevins, Connor Braid, Matt Evans, Jeff Hassler, Nathan Hirayama, Harry Jones, Phil Mack, Jamie Mackenzie, Phil Mackenzie, Gordon McRorie, Conor Trainor, Liam Underwood, DTH van der Merwe.
Strengths: Coached by former Wales international Lynn Howell, Romania boast a pack with bags of experience. Paulica Ion spent six seasons in England with the likes of Bath and London Irish before moving to Perpignan, one of nine forwards based in France.
Weaknesses: Saracens' Catalin Fercu is the only player in the backline who plies his trade outside of Romania. They enter the tournament in poor form, drawing with Yorkshire Carnegie and losing to Edinburgh and Georgia respectively.
Who we will love: Fercu is Romania's joint-record try-scorer with 28, and he will hope to make history on the biggest stage. Flanker Ovidiu Tonita is preparing for his fourth World Cup, 15 years after making his international debut.
Who will split opinion: The forwards will hold their own against higher-ranked opponents but the gulf in class comes in the backline. Centre Minya Csaba Gal has scored just four tries in 84 Tests.
MVP: Tries could be in short supply for the European minnows, so the place-kicking of Florin Vlaicu will be crucial. The 29-year-old is Romania's record points-scorer and kicked 11 points in their recent loss to Georgia. Also keep an eye out for Kiwi fly-half Michael Wiringi.
Most likely to see red: They scored the fewest points ever in a World Cup campaign - 14 in 1995 - but Romania have never had a player dismissed at the tournament. However, there have been some monster dust-ups in their domestic league in recent years.
Forwards: Paulica Ion, Mihaita Lazar, Andrei Ursache, Alexandru Tarus, Horatiu Pungea, Andrei Radoi, Otar Turashvili, Eugen Capatana, Valentin Popirlan, Johannes van Heerden, Marius Antonescu, Valentin Ursache, Mihai Macovei, Viorel Lucaci, Stelian Burcea, Ovidiu Tonita, Daniel Carpo.
Backs: Florin Surugiu, Valentin Calafeteanu, Tudorel Bratu, Danut Dumbrava, Michael Wiringi, Paula Kinikinilau, Florin Vlaicu, Csaba Gal, Adrian Apostol, Ionut Botezatu, Florin Ionita, Madalin Lemnaru, Catalin Fercu, Sabin Stratila.
1. Ireland
2. France
3. Italy
4. Canada
5. Romania
