Jon Cardinelli’s Post

A few people have asked me for my pick ahead of the World Cup in France – To be honest, I’ve changed my mind several times over the past few weeks, as I truly believe there are four teams in the running for the title. Prior to that win at Twickenham, I was struggling to see how the Springboks might upset the top-ranked nations – having not beaten Ireland, France or New Zealand in the preceding 12 months. Then they went and delivered a statement at Twickenham, scoring five tries in a record win. Some have dismissed the result due to the fact that the game was a warm-up, but the performance itself spoke volumes. The tournament in France promises to be the most fascinating and competitive World Cup in history. At the top end, you have four teams gunning for the title, and at the other, you have a few ‘tier-two’ sides Fiji and Samoa who have a genuine shot at making the playoffs. Thanks to the draw, Argentina could build up some steam and go deep into the tournament. I think we may see the Boks battling France in the final – and yet, both teams will have to fight for their lives just to make the semis. Some matches will be more important than others over the course of the pool phase. When you sit down and really consider the permutations in Pool B, you begin to understand why the Bok coaches are so desperate to beat Scotland this Sunday. Here are eight games that will shape the pool phase, and the run-in to the playoffs: #RWC2023 #rugby #springboks https://lnkd.in/dDpYMRP7