Pool Of Death For USA In 2019?
Pool Of Death For USA In 2019?
The draw for the Rugby World Cup 2019 has been made, and it won't be easy for the USA.
Nations now know the pools for the 2019 Rugby World Cup to be held in Japan.
Where the USA will fall hasn't been confirmed, because the Eagles and Canada have a two-game series to play this summer to decide their pools.
Japan will face Ireland, Scotland, the Europe 1 qualifier, and the winner of a playoff between a European and an Oceanian team (possibly Russia and Tonga) in Pool A, giving the host Brave Blossoms an excellent shot at making the quarterfinals. Japan famously beat South Africa in the 2015 World Cup but was undone by the cruel scheduling that forced it to play twice in the space of five days.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was the guest of honor at the draw, which took place in the historic city of Kyoto on Wednesday.
"Rugby World Cup 2019, the first time this great sporting event is to be held in Asia, will be the perfect chance for us to showcase the sport's appeal to the rest of Asia, home to over half the world's population," Abe said. "I promise that Japan will provide the very best for the players and that an enthusiasm befitting the name of the Rugby World Cup pervades the entire nation. Amid all the thrills and excitement expected, we intend to make the tournament one that will live on in the memories of people around the world. The Japanese people will be united in welcoming you all with our greatest spirit of hospitality."
As for the USA, the Eagles could, for the first time, be Americas 1 if they beat Canada in the June 24 and July 1 series. If that feat is accomplished, the USA would join the "Pool of Death" in Pool C with England, France, Argentina, and Oceania 2 (probably Samoa or Fiji). Should the USA lose that qualifier series, the Eagles would have to face off with Uruguay to be Americas 2. That would put them in Pool D with Australia, Wales, Georgia, and Oceania 2 (probably Samoa or Fiji).
Here is the full draw:
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Playoff winner
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage winner
Pool C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2
Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2
Teams that finished third in their pool or better got automatic re-qualification. Everyone else has to go through a qualification process.
Next up for the World Cup is a schedule, and one that, thanks to complaints from lower-lever teams, is supposed to address the difficulty of the quick turnaround for some teams. RWC 2015 did better in making most schedules more even - that is, the rest time for favored teams was about the same as the rest time for lower-ranked teams. But quick turnarounds still hurt teams that don't have the depth of the favorites.
Where the USA will fall hasn't been confirmed, because the Eagles and Canada have a two-game series to play this summer to decide their pools.
Japan will face Ireland, Scotland, the Europe 1 qualifier, and the winner of a playoff between a European and an Oceanian team (possibly Russia and Tonga) in Pool A, giving the host Brave Blossoms an excellent shot at making the quarterfinals. Japan famously beat South Africa in the 2015 World Cup but was undone by the cruel scheduling that forced it to play twice in the space of five days.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzō Abe was the guest of honor at the draw, which took place in the historic city of Kyoto on Wednesday.
"Rugby World Cup 2019, the first time this great sporting event is to be held in Asia, will be the perfect chance for us to showcase the sport's appeal to the rest of Asia, home to over half the world's population," Abe said. "I promise that Japan will provide the very best for the players and that an enthusiasm befitting the name of the Rugby World Cup pervades the entire nation. Amid all the thrills and excitement expected, we intend to make the tournament one that will live on in the memories of people around the world. The Japanese people will be united in welcoming you all with our greatest spirit of hospitality."
As for the USA, the Eagles could, for the first time, be Americas 1 if they beat Canada in the June 24 and July 1 series. If that feat is accomplished, the USA would join the "Pool of Death" in Pool C with England, France, Argentina, and Oceania 2 (probably Samoa or Fiji). Should the USA lose that qualifier series, the Eagles would have to face off with Uruguay to be Americas 2. That would put them in Pool D with Australia, Wales, Georgia, and Oceania 2 (probably Samoa or Fiji).
Here is the full draw:
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Playoff winner
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage winner
Pool C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2
Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2
Teams that finished third in their pool or better got automatic re-qualification. Everyone else has to go through a qualification process.
Next up for the World Cup is a schedule, and one that, thanks to complaints from lower-lever teams, is supposed to address the difficulty of the quick turnaround for some teams. RWC 2015 did better in making most schedules more even - that is, the rest time for favored teams was about the same as the rest time for lower-ranked teams. But quick turnarounds still hurt teams that don't have the depth of the favorites.