Rugby World Cup: All you need to know about Ireland's opponents

IN comparison to England's Pool A, Ireland's group looks relatively soft on paper, with only France and Joe Schmidt's men ranked in the world’s top 10.

However, winning the group is of paramount importance, considering that the runner-up will almost certainly face New Zealand.

What’s more, the defending champion-All Blacks have lost just three times in 47 games since lifting the William Webb-Ellis Cup four years ago at Eden Park.  With this in mind, we delve deeper into Pool D to see what challenges lie ahead for Ireland.

FRANCE

Coach: Philippe Saint-Andre

Key man: Louis Picamoles

World Ranking: 7

Previous tournament best: Finalists, 1987, 1999, 2011

Odds: 12/1

France, the game’s ultimate enigma; breath-taking one game, hapless the next.  The 2011 appointment of Saint-Andre, following the ill-feted tenure of coach Marc Lièvremont, has yielded just 16 wins out of 39 matches and a measly win percentage of 41.  However, the French rarely disappoint at World Cups, having failed to reach the semi-finals just once since 1987.

France seem to have woken from their habitual four-year slumber at an ill-opportune time for Ireland, having embarrassed a full-strength England in Paris a few short weeks ago.

In Freddie Michalak and Sebastien Tillous-Borde, France could have a half-back pairing worthy of their storied previous incumbents.  This is the thirteenth combination Saint-Andre has fielded in the halves, and given their dynamism against England, a fourteenth may not be needed.  With a maverick like Michalak on board, France won’t die wondering.

In Louis Picamoles, Les Bleus have a game-winner at their finger-tips and the Toulouse No 8 looks leaner and meaner than ever.  With club mate, Thierry Dusaitoir, for back row company and an endless carousel of destructive scrummagers, including Nicalas Mas, Vincent Debaty and emerging talent, Eddy Ben Arous, French forward stocks look rich indeed.  Worryingly, they’ve also tasted defeat against Ireland just three times in their last 17 clashes.

ITALY

Coach: Jacques Brunel

Key man: Sergio Parisse

World Ranking: 15

Previous tournament best: First Round, 2003, 2007, 2011.

Odds: 500/1

Given that Italy joined the Six Nations in 2000, it is disappointing, even a mite depressing that so little progress seems to have been made in the ensuing 15 years.  Yes there have been wins over fellow Pool D foes Ireland and France, but these tend to be about as regular as a solar eclipse, but come with less warning.

Italian hopes will again hinge on the broad shoulders of their skipper, Sergio Parisse.  The mighty No 8 who helped inspire Stade Francais to Top 14 glory in June with back-to-back wins over Toulon and Clermont, will have to be at his marauding best if the Azzurri are to escape the group phase for the first time. Although, they came close to making the quarter-finals in 2007, only for Scotland to deny them 18-16 in the final pool game.

Stalwarts Martin Castrogiovanni and Marco Bortolami look on their last legs at 33 and 35 respectively and the recruitment of foreign players in an attempt to plug key positions hasn’t worked.  Australian rugby league star Craig Gower and more recently Kiwi convert Kelly Haimona both failed when burdened with fly-half duties.  Current incumbent at No 10, Tommaso Allen, is a rare bright spot in what looks an ageing Italian side.

ROMANIA

Coach: Lynn Howells

Key man: Florin Vlaicu

World Ranking: 17

Previous tournament best: First Round, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2003 & 2007

Odds: 5000/1

When Romania pushed England to the brink at Twickenham in 1985 before losing 22-15 on Rob Andrews’ England debut, it seemed a new force in Europe was emerging.  Sadly, 30 years on, it’s quite the opposite.

Their all-time point undoubtedly came in 2001 when losing 134-0 to England as Charlie Hodgson racked up a record English individual points tally on debut with 44 points.  There were three tries apiece for wingers Dan Luger and Ben Cohen whilst Jason Robinson helped himself to four scores.

Romania qualified for rugby’s imminent showpiece by virtue of coming second in the European Nations Cup top tier, losing only to fierce rivals Georgia in their 10 qualifying games over a two-year period.  However, since the turn of the century, the Romanians have mustered just two World Cup wins and have never ventured beyond the pool stages, losing all four matches in 2011.

Former Welsh international Howells will look to his largely French-based front row to provide a platform for Romania’s all-time leading scorer, Florin Vlaicu, to do some damage.  With 621 points from his 81 caps, the 29-year-old winger is not shy in sight of the sticks.  If Saracens full-back, Catalin Ferdu, catches fire, the Romanians could cause Canada some problems.

CANADA

Coach: Kieran Crowley

Key man: Jamie Cudmore

World Ranking: 18

Previous tournament best: Quarter-Final 1991

Odds: 2000/1

Escaping this group surely looks a step too far for Canada but after an upset win over Tonga and an encouraging draw with Japan in 2011, Crowley’s men will be optimistic ahead of this year’s event.

That optimism is tempered by a winless Pacific Nations Cup campaign this summer when playing against Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.  However, that the Canucks were cruelly denied a brilliant win over Samoa by an injury-time try from substitute prop Sakaria Taulafo in Toronto, when losing 21-20, shows they are far from hopeless.

Canada look sure to play with attacking panache and utilise their British-based speedsters, DTH van der Merwe (Glasgow) and Jeff Hasler (Ospreys) in the hope of crossing the whitewash.  At the heartbeat of the side and the fulcrum of their scrum lies Clermont Auvergne second row enforcer Jamie Cudmore.  The giant Canadian seamlessly replaced former Scotland stalwart, Nathan Hines, at Clermont and is something of a folk hero amongst the fervent legion of yellow fans at the Stade Marcel Michelin.

Recent back-to-back defeats by local neighbours USA, was less than ideal preparation, but Crowley’s men can push Italy hard before tackling a very winnable fixture against Romania in Leicester on October 6th.