The first w-e of the 2011 Rugby World Cup was superb, all games being strongly contested: no 50+ points gap, all games close at half-time and the likes of Namibia, Roumania, USA or Japan proving that the term ‘minnow’ is now obsolete.

The 2 blockbusters of the w-e, Argentina v England and SA v Wales were dramatic and intense, both ending up being less than 5 points games. The atmosphere in the stadiums has also been a big win for the organisers as 20000 crowds can definitely be more passionate and noisy then 60000 ‘tourists’ in a stadium: the people attending games in New Plymouth, Invercargill or Rotorua love rugby and understand it. whether they are locals or overseas supporters. That’s why the coming mid-week games will be outstanding.

Manu Samoa is opening his World Cup campaign against Namibians who did more than resist to Samoa’s Pacific neighbours Fiji. The Scots will be meeting the Georgians, a team who have the same strengths than Romania: strong up front as most their pack play Top 14 rugby in France. In Group A, Tonga plays Canada who has just beaten the USA twice last month…tough one! Then on Thursday, the ‘battle royale’ between the 2 old enemies, Russia and USA. The Americans were fantastic yesterday against the Irish and if they can rest and turn up the same way on matchday, well, we are here for a cracker and Aussie born Adam Byrnes may well have a tough night in New Plymouth.

North American punters, it’s time to place a bet on your team: our new partner BetOnline has online betting odds for both matches involving USA and Canada this week. Keep in mind that players of BetOnline receive 25% free play bonus up to $900 on EVERY deposit they place, making their bonus structure among the most generous Sportsbook bonuses in the industry. Latest betting odds are below.

Again, we give you all you need to follow your team: Squads announced live, half-time scores and full-time results, latest betting odds etc, all will be updated LIVE on our site and/or online via twitter or facebook. Follow us and get all the info you need to live the 2011 RWC like never before!

Match preview

Schedule of Round 1 / Week 1 mid-week games: (all times are local NZT) – Our tips in Bold

Pool A:

Wednesday 14 September, Whangarei; Kick off: 5pm: Canada vs Tonga 

Tongan coach Isitolo Maka has made 11 changes in the team that will face Canada in Whangarei on Wednesday. Finau Maka, Kurt Morath, Siale Piutau and Taniela Moa remain in the starting XV while Vainikolo and France based Helu & Fatafehi have a chance to shine in the backline.

Facing Ikale Tahi, the Canucks have opted for what looks like their A side as the starting XV is the same than the one which played the Aussie Barbarians a couple weeks ago.  Canada bad boy Jamie Cudmore is present in the second row and will try to bring his experience and physical presence (198cm, 118kg) in the set pieces and ruck area. Expect some bruising in Whangarei.

Teams:

Tonga: 15 Kurt Morath, 14 Fetu’u Vainikolo, 13 Siale Piutau, 12 Alipate Fatafehi, 11 William Helu, 10 Taniela Moa, 9 Thomas Palu, 8 Samiu Vahafolau, 7 Sione Vaiomounga, 6 Finau Maka (cap), 5 Tukulua Lokotui, 4 Sione Timani, 3 Kisi Pulu, 2 Ephraim Taukafa, 1 Alisona Taumalolo. Bench: 16 Aloisio Ma’asi, 17 Soane Tonga’uiha, 18 Halani Aulika, 19 Viliami Ma’afu, 20 Sione Kalamafoni, 21 Viliame Iongi, 22 Alaska Taufa.

Canada: 15 James Pritchard, 14 Ciaran Hearn, 13 DTH Van Der Merwe, 12 Ryan Smith, 11 Phil Mackenzie, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Ed Fairhurst, 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Chauncey O’Toole, 6 Adam Kleeberger, 5 Jamie Cudmore,4 Jebb Sinclair, 3 Jason Marshall, 2 Pat Riordan (cap), 1 Hubert Buydens.
Bench: 16 Ryan Hamilton, 17 Scott Franklin, 18 Tyler Hotson, 19 Nanyak Dala, 20 Conor Trainor, 21 Sean White, 22 Nathan Hirayama.

Latest online betting odds:

Bwin:  Tonga – 1.34 (draw: 26) – 3.35 Canada 

TAB sportsbet: Tonga –  Canada

BetOnline: Tonga – 1.40 (draw: 26) – 3.20 Canada

PaddyPower: Tonga – 1.37 (draw: 21) – 3 Canada

‘Rugby Live Bet’ tips:

Winner: Tonga

Margin: 10-20

First to score:  Morath penalty

First try scorer: Helu

Pool B:

Wednesday 14 September, Invercargill; Kick off: 7.30pm: Scotland vs Georgia

Scotland coach Andy Robinson has made eleven changes to the starting XV playing Georgia on Wednesday. He said that the 75% turnover in the team wasn’t the consequence of their very average performance against Romania but that ”the selection is based on the four-day turnaround from Saturday’s match and is about us continuing our winning start to the tournament with a victory over Georgia”. ”It should not be interpreted as a reflection on our performance against Romania,” added Robinson.

The four ‘survivors’ are winger Max Evans, centre Sean Lamont who is moved to the left wing, Kelly Brown, switched to n8 and prop Allan Jacobsen. Dan parks will start at five-eight while Rory Lawson captains the team.

Georgian ‘Lelos’ will enter the pitch with one goal in mind: make their country proud and give the Scots a good run. Scrum-half Irakli Abuseridze will captain the team and use Georgia’s strong forwards pack as a platform for some good backs moves. 9 players of the starting XV play their rugby in France, mostly in lower divisions. Playing Scotland at RWC level will be a (too?) big step up.

Scotland: 15 Rory Lamont, 14 Max Evans, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Rory Lawson (cap), 8 Kelly Brown, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Al Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Nathan Hines, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Bench:16 Ross Ford, 17 Geoff Cross, 18 Alasdair Dickinson, 19 Richie Gray, 20 Richie Vernon, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Chris Paterson.

Georgia: 15 Revaz Gigauri, 14 Irakli Machkhaneli, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Tedo Zibzibadze, 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Merab Kvirikashvili, 9 Irakli Abuseridze (cap), 8 Dimitri Basilaia, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 6 Shalva Sutiashvili, 5 Vakhtang Maisuradze, 4 Levan Datunashvili, 3 David Zirakashvili, 2 Jaba Bregvadze, 1 David Khinchagishvili.
Bench: 16 Akvsenti Giorgadze, 17 David Kubriashvilin 18 Giorgi Chkhaidze, 19 Viktor Kolelishvili, 20 Bidzina Samkharadze, 21 Lasha Khmaladze, 22 Malkhaz Urjukashvili.

Latest online betting odds:

Bwin:  Scotland – 1.03 (draw: 34) – 12 Georgia 

TAB sportsbet:  Scotland – Georgia

BetOnline: Scotland – Georgia

PaddyPower:  Scotland – 1.03 (draw:46) – 11 Georgia

‘Rugby Live Bet’ tips:

Winner: Scotland

Margin: 20-30

First to score: Sean Lamont, try

First try scorer: Sean Lamont

 

 

Pool C:

Thursday 15  September, New Plymouth; Kick off: 7.30pm: Russia vs USA 

There was no place in Russian starting XV for Melbourne Rebels (and Aussie born) Adam Byrnes but a spot on the bench. Backs Rachkov and Artemyev, as well as n8 Grachev are the only foreign based players to start the game. Considering the great performance of the USA against Ireland on Sunday, the task of the Russian Bears seems near insurmountable as most players work part-time. To have a better understanding of what Russian rugby is all about, this article from the Moscow Times is worth reading. A few lines tell us that “Since the 1960s, Russian rugby’s spiritual home has been almost 5,000 kilometers east of Moscow, in Krasnoyarsk. Even in low winter temperatures, clashes between the city’s top teams can draw crowds in the tens of thousands. Seven of the 30 players in the Russian national squad play for Siberian clubs”.

Facing the Russians, the US Eagles have welcomed back Saracens full-back Chris Wyles who missed the opening game against Ireland due to injury. Although Captain Todd Clever was pleased by the overall performance of his team, he was aware of the huge problems they faced at scrum-time:”We’re having trouble in the scrum. It’s tough to say what went wrong. It’s maybe the timing. We got beat by the hit a few times. It’s definitely something we have to focus on – that and some of the other set-pieces. Russia are a big side and it’s definitely one of the things we need to nail down, to make sure we win our own ball and get possession.”

Besides Wyles, prop Matekitonga Moeakiola and hooker Chris Biller, who were on the bench against Ireland, are the only 2 new starters in team USA.

 

Russia: 15 Igor Klyuchnikov, 14 Vladimir Ostroushko, 13 Konstantin Rachkov, 12 Alexey Makovetskiy, 11 Vasily Artemyev, 10 Yury Kushnarev, 9 Alexander Shakirov, 8 Vyacheslav Grachev, 7 Artem Fatakhov, 6 Andrey Garbuzov, 5 Denis Antonov, 4 Alexander Voytov, 3 Ivan Prishchepenko, 2 Vladislav Korshunov (cap), 1 Sergey Popov.
Bench: 16 Valery Tsnobiladze, 17 Alexander Khrokin, 18 Vladmimir Botvinnikov, 19 Adam Byrnes, 20 Victor Gresev, 21 Alexander Yanyushkin, 22 Andrey Kuzin.

USA: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Takudzwa Ngwenya, 13 Paul Emerick, 12 Andrew Suniula, 11 James Paterson, 10 Roland Suniula, 9 Mike Petri, 8 Nic Johnson, 7 Todd Clever (cap), 6 Louis Stanfill, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 John van der Giessen, 3 Matekitonga Moeakiola, 2 Chris Biller, 1 Mike MacDonald.
Bench: 16 Phil Thiel, 17 Shawn Pittman, 18 Scott LaValla, 19 Pat Danahy, 20 Tim Usasz, 21 Nese Malifa, 22 Blaine Scully.

Latest online betting odds:

Bwin:  Russia 3.05 –(draw: 26) – 1.40 USA 

TAB sportsbet:  Russia – USA

BetOnline: Russia 3.20 (draw: 26)  - 1.40 USA

PaddyPower:  Russia 3.15 (draw: 23) – 1.36 USA

‘Rugby Live Bet’ tips:

Winner: USA

Margin: 20-30

First to score: Ngwenya, try

First try scorer: Ngwenya