Click here for Part 2 - The Second Tier
Click here for Part 3 - the Real Contenders
The Rugby World Cup is on again. Just like just about every other sport's World Cup. And the Olympics. And US Presidential elections. What is is about 4 year cycles? That's a topic for another blog post (and probably another blog) but this blog is more interested in cashing in (and we don't mean through Google advertising).
Who will win and who will lose the World Cup is a largely limited question given the handful of teams with a genuine chance of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at tournament's end. But fortunately there is sports betting and tipping competitions to keep us interested in every game. Even those featuring the so-called minnows - the tiny fish in the big pond who make up the numbers and much of the passion. They'll never win the Cup but they'll have a lot of fun trying.
So how will they fare, and are they worth a punt or a tip?...
URUGUAY
Nickname(s): Teros
Emblem(s): Southern lapwing
Number of World Cups: 2
Number of World Cup Wins: 2
Losses: 5
What we've learnt from their website: Carlos E. Cat (really) is the father of Uruguayan Rugby
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: None except with big starts (10+) against other minnows and bigger (25+) against everyone else.
NAMIBIA
Nickname(s): Welwitschias (Welwitschia is a monotypic gymnosperm genus, comprising solely the very distinct Welwitschia mirabilis. The plant is commonly known simply as Welwitschia)
Emblem(s): African fish eagle
Number of World Cups: 4
Wins: 0
Losses: 15
What we've learnt from their website: Namibia thrashed Zimbabwe 80-6 in the final of the Windhoek Draught African Cup competition to retain the title they won in Madagascar last year. Woohoo.
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: None, unless they play Uruguay
ROMANIA
Nickname(s): The Oaks (the trees, not the Pub in Neutral Bay)
Emblem(s): The Oak leaf
Number of World Cups: 7 (all of them)
Number of World Cup Wins: 5
Losses: 19
What we've learnt from their website: It must be the shortest URL in the Rugby world - or wider - frr.ro.
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: Don't be swayed by 8 wins over France and World Cup wins over Fiji and the USA - all in the amateur era.
GEORGIA
Nickname(s):The Lelos
Emblem(s): Crepuscular rays (also known as sunbeams)
Number of World Cups: 3
Wins: 2
Losses: 10
What we've learnt from their website: Georgian rugby is a natural continuation of Lelo-burti (Lelo-ball) - an ancient form of folk football, still alive in the country-side. Lelo has its roots in pagan times: the ball symbolised the Sun, one of the celestial bodies worshipped throughout the Middle East.
Betting Market Price: $2,501
Betting Value: Given Georgia realistically have as much chance of winning the World Cup as any other minnow, then by definition they are less value than any of them at a higher price. Who frames this nonsense?
CANADA
Nickname(s): Canucks / Maple leafs
Emblem(s): the Maple leaf
Number of World Cups: 7
Wins: 7
Draws: 2
Losses: 16
What we've learnt from their website: The most up to date model in the Scrummaster™ stable is the ReacTore™ - a merge of style, functionality and performance that will improve the output of your scrum.
Betting Market Price: $2,001
Betting Value: A great track record against the USA, just a shame they're in another pool. Save your pennies and your tips for other teams.
USA
Nickname(s): The Eagles (not the band)
Emblem(s): American bald eagle
Number of World Cups: 6
Wins: 3
Losses: 18
What we've learnt from their website: USA Rugby has 107,000 members yet there are only 700 Senior Club teams and 900 college teams in the country. At 23 players per team that's only 36,800 players. That mean there are a hell of a lot of kids playing Rugby in the USA. Look out world!
Betting Market Price: $2,001
Betting Value: None.
JAPAN
Nickname(s): The Cherry Blossoms / Brave Blossoms
Emblem(s): the Sakura
Number of World Cups: 7
Wins: 1
Draws: 2
Losses: 21
World Cup qualification record: Won 31, Lost 1
What we've learnt from their website: It's crap. Even Uruguay have a more informative website. News and that's it. No history. No cheerleaders. No stats. Wikipedia is more useful. No wonder they can't organise their Super Rugby team and might lose the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Betting Market Price: $1,501
Betting Value: (Warning: Serious content follows) This price must be based on qualifying form. Which really is part of Japan's problem. Too many Asian easy-beats. Maybe if they had to qualify through the Pacific the standard would improve through necessity. 1 win in 7 World Cups is an appalling record. Don't expect any more this time round.
Click here for Part 2 - The Second Tier
Click here for Part 3 - the Real Contenders
Click here for Part 3 - the Real Contenders
The Rugby World Cup is on again. Just like just about every other sport's World Cup. And the Olympics. And US Presidential elections. What is is about 4 year cycles? That's a topic for another blog post (and probably another blog) but this blog is more interested in cashing in (and we don't mean through Google advertising).
Who will win and who will lose the World Cup is a largely limited question given the handful of teams with a genuine chance of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup at tournament's end. But fortunately there is sports betting and tipping competitions to keep us interested in every game. Even those featuring the so-called minnows - the tiny fish in the big pond who make up the numbers and much of the passion. They'll never win the Cup but they'll have a lot of fun trying.
So how will they fare, and are they worth a punt or a tip?...
URUGUAY
 |
| The Southern Lapwing Guaranteed to strike fear into its opponents - small bugs etc |
Emblem(s): Southern lapwing
Number of World Cups: 2
Number of World Cup Wins: 2
Losses: 5
What we've learnt from their website: Carlos E. Cat (really) is the father of Uruguayan Rugby
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: None except with big starts (10+) against other minnows and bigger (25+) against everyone else.
NAMIBIA
 |
| Welwitschia Time for Namibian Rugby to think about a new nickname |
Emblem(s): African fish eagle
Number of World Cups: 4
Wins: 0
Losses: 15
What we've learnt from their website: Namibia thrashed Zimbabwe 80-6 in the final of the Windhoek Draught African Cup competition to retain the title they won in Madagascar last year. Woohoo.
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: None, unless they play Uruguay
ROMANIA
Nickname(s): The Oaks (the trees, not the Pub in Neutral Bay)
Emblem(s): The Oak leaf
Number of World Cups: 7 (all of them)
Number of World Cup Wins: 5
Losses: 19
What we've learnt from their website: It must be the shortest URL in the Rugby world - or wider - frr.ro.
Betting Market Price: $3,001
Betting Value: Don't be swayed by 8 wins over France and World Cup wins over Fiji and the USA - all in the amateur era.
GEORGIA
| A product of the other Georgia |
Emblem(s): Crepuscular rays (also known as sunbeams)
Number of World Cups: 3
Wins: 2
Losses: 10
What we've learnt from their website: Georgian rugby is a natural continuation of Lelo-burti (Lelo-ball) - an ancient form of folk football, still alive in the country-side. Lelo has its roots in pagan times: the ball symbolised the Sun, one of the celestial bodies worshipped throughout the Middle East.
Betting Market Price: $2,501
Betting Value: Given Georgia realistically have as much chance of winning the World Cup as any other minnow, then by definition they are less value than any of them at a higher price. Who frames this nonsense?
CANADA
 |
| The Scrummaster ReacTore Canadian Rugby may not win a match but they could launch a man to the moon with this thing |
Emblem(s): the Maple leaf
Number of World Cups: 7
Wins: 7
Draws: 2
Losses: 16
What we've learnt from their website: The most up to date model in the Scrummaster™ stable is the ReacTore™ - a merge of style, functionality and performance that will improve the output of your scrum.
Betting Market Price: $2,001
Betting Value: A great track record against the USA, just a shame they're in another pool. Save your pennies and your tips for other teams.
USA
 |
| At least Rugby hasn't embraced all things American |
Emblem(s): American bald eagle
Number of World Cups: 6
Wins: 3
Losses: 18
What we've learnt from their website: USA Rugby has 107,000 members yet there are only 700 Senior Club teams and 900 college teams in the country. At 23 players per team that's only 36,800 players. That mean there are a hell of a lot of kids playing Rugby in the USA. Look out world!
Betting Market Price: $2,001
Betting Value: None.
JAPAN
| A bit more of this might help the Japanese Rugby team |
Emblem(s): the Sakura
Number of World Cups: 7
Wins: 1
Draws: 2
Losses: 21
World Cup qualification record: Won 31, Lost 1
What we've learnt from their website: It's crap. Even Uruguay have a more informative website. News and that's it. No history. No cheerleaders. No stats. Wikipedia is more useful. No wonder they can't organise their Super Rugby team and might lose the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Betting Market Price: $1,501
 |
| And perhaps some of this in the front row |
Click here for Part 2 - The Second Tier
Click here for Part 3 - the Real Contenders
Comments
Best of all was the entertainment, the local city band and cheer squad. Great fun and the rugby was entertaining in a 1970's kind of French robust style.
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