Slow burn takes gloss off Rugby World Cup

The Webb Ellis Cup, which New Zealand currently hold after winning the Rugby World Cup. Photo / Nick Reed

A fortnight to go until the World Cup begins but six weeks before we discover an awful lot about the All Blacks.

That's the infuriating reality about the draw for this tournament as the last Webb Ellis Cup winners are drawn in a pool where their only tough match is their first.

At least they play in several different stadiums starting against Argentina at Wembley, before they shift to the other side of London and the Olympic Stadium, the Millennium in Cardiff then St James Park in Newcastle.

One step at a time is the sensible mantra for any of the top teams who fancy their chances of taking out this title. For those of us on the outside, we look at an All Black schedule which starts with a tough shakedown against Argentina and then drifts into combat against Namibia, Georgia and Tonga.

If they haven't won all four of those matches, then there is an awful lot wrong with the global rugby rankings and something will have gone dreadfully amiss with the All Blacks.

The chance of that comes in the next match, under the roof at Cardiff where the All Blacks are likely to meet France once more or perhaps Ireland.

Meanwhile there will be enough matches in other pools to focus our intrigue, especially with Wales, Australia, England, Fiji and Uruguay all lumped together in one group.

Pool B means an early exit for either South Africa, Samoa or Scotland and with no little bias from this part of the world, it would be great to see Samoa push into the playoffs again.

There will be an enormous appetite for information and analysis of sides from Pools A and B before the on-field scrutiny to see whether England have got themselves in a playing tangle to the extent that former Wallaby great George Smith predicted an early exit for both the hosts and the Welsh.

England are playing on their home turf, in front of their fans with massive resources which will give them great heart. But some recent wobbles will give them more nerves than usual when they begin their quest against Fiji in the opening game.

Despite Smith's bold suggestion, there are enough questions about the Wallabies too which suggest they will do well to sustain their performances. That is the intrigue, no one is really sure and even when we have seen them play, we may not have a better idea.

The All Blacks' passage to the quarters is a lay down misere. It's not their fault, it's the awkward seedings system and premature draw which has left them in a lopsided section.

We'll watch the All Blacks, closely, however, knowing their pool results before kickoff takes some gloss off what is supposed to be the premier rugby event every four years.