Okay so we all know this is going to be a pretty bruising group with three of the top 6 teams in the world in group and only two spots coming out of it.
I've been looking at the schedule the past few days and because of the 5 team groups some teams have to play mid-week games.
England by virtue of being tournament organisers get away scot-free on this front and you can't really blame them.
Australia get a 4 day gap between Fiji and Uruguay but get proper time off before their England and Wales matches.
Wales on the other hand have their encounter with the English which will certainly take it out of them and a few player carrying injuries and ****le followed by Fiji 4 days later. They get a good break by the Australia game.
Now the prevailing (and admittedly possibly wrong opinion) seams to be Australia and England will qualify from the group. My question is this what is likelihood of Wales slipping up against Fiji due the close proximity of the game to the England match and face the prospect of not automatically qualifying for the world cup in 2019? Sounds like madness I know but they did screw up against Fiji 8 years ago (different players, coach and all that) however they aren't a terrible side by any means(one-dimensional boring yes but they are still by all accounts a good side that wins rugby matches).
I'm not suggesting this will actually happen Wales are perfectly capable on their day in topping the group but it is a prospect that could happen.
I've been looking at the schedule the past few days and because of the 5 team groups some teams have to play mid-week games.
England by virtue of being tournament organisers get away scot-free on this front and you can't really blame them.
Australia get a 4 day gap between Fiji and Uruguay but get proper time off before their England and Wales matches.
Wales on the other hand have their encounter with the English which will certainly take it out of them and a few player carrying injuries and ****le followed by Fiji 4 days later. They get a good break by the Australia game.
Now the prevailing (and admittedly possibly wrong opinion) seams to be Australia and England will qualify from the group. My question is this what is likelihood of Wales slipping up against Fiji due the close proximity of the game to the England match and face the prospect of not automatically qualifying for the world cup in 2019? Sounds like madness I know but they did screw up against Fiji 8 years ago (different players, coach and all that) however they aren't a terrible side by any means(one-dimensional boring yes but they are still by all accounts a good side that wins rugby matches).
I'm not suggesting this will actually happen Wales are perfectly capable on their day in topping the group but it is a prospect that could happen.