Who will triumph in 2015?
Thursday 17 September 2015 23:57, UK
The eighth Rugby World Cup kicks-off on Friday when England take on Fiji at Twickenham.
Following an awful 2011 campaign, England have rebuilt and have a healthy and well-founded expectation regarding their chances.
After waiting 24 years for their second title, defending champions New Zealand will be looking to do what no other team has done before - claim back-to-back titles.
While many believe it is the All Blacks' title to lose, they have never won a World Cup in the northern hemisphere (1987 was in Australia and New Zealand while 2011 was in New Zealand).
England, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Wales and France all have the potential to be crowned 2015 Rugby World Cup champions in what is building up to be the most competitive World Cup ever.
The toughest pool in World Cup history has pitted four of the top nine sides in the world against each other.
England, Australia and Wales are expected to battle it out for the top two places but Fiji will also fancy their chances of causing an upset, while Uruguay are mere cannon-fodder.
South Africa may have lost four on the trot in 2015 - including a first ever loss to Argentina - however the Springboks are serious contenders for a third world title. Scotland and Samoa will battle it out for second place while Japan and the USA will be good value in the entertainment stakes, but will lack the firepower to disrupt the Pool B heavyweights. Whoever wins this Pool will face the second-placed team from Pool A while the runners-up will face the winner from the 'pool of death'.
New Zealand should stroll through Pool C with Argentina and Georgia giving their forwards a proper workout.
Argentina and Georgia will give their tight five a tussle upfront however their backs could well have a field day against Namibia.
The Pumas will be eyeing up the runners-up berth but need to keep an eye on Tonga, who four years ago beat France in the pool stages, and gave South Africa a real run for their money in 2007.
Namibia look like they will be the Pool whipping boys while Georgia and Tonga will be battling it out for third place.
Three Six Nations sides battle it out in Pool D and it looks like a straight shoot-out 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 a 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.
