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'No team has won a World Cup having lost a pool game' - The pressure facing South Africa and New Zealand this weekend

The World Cup is about to start and the Rugby Pod are speculating about the opening weekend of the tournament. There are a whole host of big matches in each of the pools, including Ireland versus Scotland, Australia versus Fiji and New Zealand versus South Africa.

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Many are billing Saturday as the best day for rugby in the whole tournament with definitive pool games aplenty. Pod producer Tim made the comment that “no team has won a World Cup having lost a pool game”. South Africa take on New Zealand in Yokohama and the loser will have to break the set pattern if they are to take the title.

The Rugby Pod co-host Jim Hamilton added: “I’ve seen vulnerabilities in the New Zealand team and probably for the first time in any World Cup that I’ve taken interest in, we don’t know how they are going to go.

“Who’s going to be on the wing for them? Their star players are usually their wingers, Rieko Ioane on the wing hasn’t been in great form… but for me New Zealand for the first time ever going into a World Cup, I can’t say they’re going to win it.”

Andy Goode had similar doubts about the All Blacks, saying he thought they may very well have lost their aura of invisibility.

(Continue reading below…)

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Apart from the two southern hemisphere giants, Pool B has the likes of Namibia, Canada and Italy so the winner of this opening pool match will go on to win the group.

Tensions have ramped up ahead of the opener. New Zealand boss Steve Hansen has accused South Africa counterpart Rassie Erasmus of trying to pressure referees into preferential treatment towards the Springboks.

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Springboks head coach Erasmus this week insisted New Zealand have for years received soft officiating as referees entered matches with the “preconceived idea” that the All Blacks would win.

WATCH: The RugbyPass Lego World Cup 

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R
RedWarriors 1 hour ago
Rassie Erasmus wades into heated debate over Jaden Hendrikse antics

Look son: putting up barriers that could hit your GDP by 4% negative is dumb. You supported that? You are dumb. Or rich enough so that your ideological brain farts are borne by the poor…in other words a w@nker.


Triggering a 2 year countdown at the end of which the UK economy would fall off a cliff is also extremely stupid. It is beyond idiotic to start a negotiation like that and give your opponents such a slam dunk. But this is exactly what Brexiteers (you presumably) screeched for. You were always going to lose, but once you did that you were going to lose very badly. Nothing to do with traitors and saboteurs and whatever phrases a f1lthy n@zi like you will concoct. Everything to do with incompetence. You’r chief negotiator said “We hold all the cards”. You couldn’t leave with no deal because that would be the end of your economy. The EU would have let you shoot yourselves on the head. Ireland wouldn’t have been able to help you there son. Would you recommend triggering article 50 if you had your time back Doc? Are you still that f**king dumb?


The 142 competences created by the GFA required regulatory harmony to fulfill their functions. Therefore a soft border is implicit in the GFA. All parties acknowledge this. You lost. Move on.


Again the official UK Brexit negotiators are well known and all Brexiteers. As a Doctor like yourself will know your ‘saboteur’ conspiracy theory unless you can substantiate it.

Are you sure you are a doctor? (Dipsh1t)


I refer you to the below to examine what cards the UK in effect held:


You’re a latent homosexual right?


The EU and Ireland look at their cards and lay down a royal flush. The UK looks at their cards and gulps…It’s Mr Bun the Baker, Pikachu, a Shadowmage, a fireball spell, and the Fool. 

#UkHoldAllThe Cards #SickManOfEurope

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