By all accounts, this pool should be a walk in the park for Australia, although there is the potential that things could become interesting in the battle for the second quarter final slot.
“Australia are going to take that pool almost hands tied behind their backs, and then I think Ireland are going to be the in-form favourites, but then again they’re always eligible for a turnover. Italy very nearly turned them over in the Six Nations this year, and should have won the game, but didn’t win the game,” said Richard Adams.
“I’d like to think that Ireland will follow the form book – they played and destroyed England in the Six Nations in the last game and showed up some of England’s weaknesses, so Ireland should be there on form,” he said.
However, the mercurial Italy could well serve up a surprise if things go their way.
“Italy will be relying on Sergio Parisse the number eight. If he has a great tournament and he has a great game against Ireland then anything can happen,” said Mr. Adams.
However, the other two countries in the pool, Russia and the USA, are not the superpowers in rugby that they are in world affairs, so neither team is likely to have much of an impact on who goes forward from the pool.
Although the USA is still technically the defending Olympic champion in rugby, a title they won in 1924, this is not much comfort to a team not fancied to progress.
“The USA 15s has gone downhill in recent times and I think that decline will continue because the sevens is the Olympic sport (making its debut at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro), so that is where the funding is going to go,” said Mr. Adams.
Grizz’s picks: Australia and Ireland
Related Videos
