rugby world cup quarter final teams and predictions 16-10-15

WALES V SOUTH AFRICA

 

 

 

 

 

Ospreys' Lydiate returns after suffering an eye socket injury that required a plate to be inserted while Jenkins was rested against the Wallabies.

Gatland said moving captain Sam Warburton to blind-side flanker against the Wallabies in Lydiate's absence was a "compromise".

Lock Bradley Davies is on the bench after recovering from a broken nose, with prop Aaron Jarvis and back rower Ross Moriarty dropping out of the match squad.

Wales team

Backs: Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), George North (Northampton Saints); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets).

Forwards: Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Priestland (Bath Rugby), James Hook (Gloucester Rugby).

South Africa

15 Willie Le Reux, 14 JP Peterson,13  Jessie Kriel, 12 Daniel De Allende, 11 Brian Habana, 10 Handre Pollard 9 Fourie de Preez, 1 Tendai Mtawarira 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 3 Frans Malherbe, 4 Eben Etzebeth 5 Lood de Jager 6 Francois Louw7 Schalk Burger 8 Duane Vermeulen

I feel that South Africa will have too much but the game will not be won until the fourth quarter

NEW ZEALAND V FRANCE

 

 

 

 

 

New Zealand

1. Wyatt Crockett,  2. Dane Coles, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brodie Retallick,   5. Sam Whitelock,  6. Jerome Kaino 7. Richie McCaw (captain) 8. Kieran Read 9. Aaron Smith 10. Daniel Carter 11. Julian Savea 12. Ma'a Nonu13Conrad Smith 14. Nehe Milner-Skudder 15. Ben Smith

Replacements:

16. Keven Mealamu,17. Joe Moody, 18. Charlie Faumuina, 19. Victor Vito, 20. Sam Cane, 21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22. Beauden Barrett, 23. Sonny Bill Williams

France team v New Zealand, Saturday 8pm, Cardiff

 

Scott Spedding; Noa Nakaitaci, Alexandre Dumoulin, Wesley Fofana, Brice Dulin; Frédéric Michalak, Morgan Parra; Eddy Ben Arous, Guilhem Guirado, Rabah Slimani, Pascal Papé, Yoann Maestri, Thierry Dusautoir (capt), Bernard Le Roux, Louis Picamoles

Replacements Dimitri Szarzewski, Vincent Debaty, Nicolas Mas, Damien Chouly, Yannick Nyanga, Rory Kockott, Rémi Talès, Mathieu Bastareaud

If there was ever a match that I wanted in the draw for the world cup this is it and why because France have got a habit of rising to occasions when no one knows how they do it. I think that this could be New Zeeland downfall but this match depends on how France plays. I do not think that New Zealand will give away the easy long distance penalties that Ireland did and that will be the difference. I would question why Bastareaud for France and Sonny Bill Williams are on the benches

IRELAND V ARGENTENA

 

 

 

 

 

Five times in total – in 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2011 – the men in green have fallen at the quarter-final stage of the Rugby World Cup. This is a stat that makes me think. I feel that Ireland have both the brain and the team to beat Argentina but there are some odd things in sport and if this game goes down to the bounce of a ball I would be very surprised if it went Irelands way

AUSTRILIA V SCOTLAND

 

I feel that Australia is on a different level than Scotland. I think that this match should be quite comfortable for them. I feel that for Scotland to win a lot of stuff has to go for them and against Australia but if Scotland can get in control early they have a chance.. With players like Matt Giteau and Matt Horne Australia have a very good side? Scotland relies a lot on players from Glasgow and in a match like this that could be their downfall as the Super 12s is a lot better quality than the pro 12