All you need to know: Pool A, Rugby World Cup

L to R: Sam Warburton, Israel Folau, Agustin Ormaechea, George Ford, Nemani Nadolo. Photos / Getty Images

All you need to know about pool A in the Rugby World Cup.

Read more about the Rugby World Cup pools: Pool A | Pool B | Pool C | Pool D

Wales

Ranking: 5th

Coach: Warren Gatland

Captain: Sam Warburton

Wales captain Sam Warburton. Photo / Getty Images

Previous campaigns
1987 - 3rd
1991 - Pool
1995 - Pool
1999 - Quarter-finalists
2003 - Quarter-finalists
2007 - Pool
2011 - 4th

Overall record: P31 W18, L13

Odds: $18

Squad:
Forwards: Tomas Francis, Paul James, Aaron Jarvis, Gethin Jenkins, Samson Lee, Scott Baldwin, Ken Owens, Jake Ball, Luke Charteris, Dominic Day, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Taulupe Faletau, James King, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton.

Backs: Gareth Davies, Rhys Webb, Lloyd Williams, Dan Biggar, Matthew Morgan, Rhys Priestland, Cory Allen, Jamie Roberts, Scott Williams, Hallam Amos, Alex Cuthbert, George North, Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams.

How they qualified: Automatic after finishing second in their pool in 2011

Key player: Leigh Halfpenny is not only a world-class goalkicker, but he also brings their counter-attack game to life and is often the man who ignites them when they are in need of a spark.

World Cup high: Reaching the semifinals in 2011. It was a good tournament for them - they were fit, well organised and played well.

World Cup low: Losing to Western Samoa in 1991 or Fiji in 2007 or seeing captain Warburton red-carded in the semifinal last time, leaving them a man short for most of the game.

Did you know? After Warburton was sent off for his high tackle, the bloke in the seat next to him on the plane home from Auckland was Vincent Clerk (the French wing whom he had tip-tackled to earn the red card).

They will be happy if... They make the last four. They have a hell of a pool and face an equally tough quarter-final. The last four would be a huge achievement.
What we think will happen: They are going to qualify from the pool of death. They have been hit-and-miss at World Cups and, while they are due a miss, they have enough star quality and a strong enough coach to find a way through to the last eight where they would be a good bet to push on.

England

Ranking: 6th

Coach: Stuart Lancaster

Captain: Chris Robshaw

Previous campaigns
1987 - Quarter-finalists
1991 - Runners-up
1995 - 4th
1999 - Quarter-finalists
2003 - Winners
2007 - Runners-up
2011 - Quarter-finalists

Overall record: P40 W29 L11

Odds: $5.50

Squad
Forwards: Kieran Brookes, Dan Cole, Joe Marler, Mako Vunipola, David Wilson, Jamie George, Rob Webber, Tom Youngs, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Geoff Parling, James Haskell, Ben Morgan, Chris Robshaw, Billy Vunipola, Tom Wood.

Backs: Danny Care, Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, George Ford, Brad Barritt, Sam Burgess, Jonathan Joseph, Henry Slade, Mike Brown, Alex Goode, Jonny May, Jack Nowell, Anthony Watson.

How they qualified: Automatic after topping their pool in 2011

Key player: First five-eighths George Ford is a player who seems to have all he needs to perform at the top level and was showing signs of his true ability during the Six Nations. He could give England the control and poise they are after.

England first five-eighths George Ford.. Photo / Getty Images

World Cup high: Winning in 2003. They were written off as too old and yet blew everyone away in Australia.

World Cup low: Their 2011 campaign was a disaster - dominated by off-field antics that were decidedly amateur. They went home to face a giant review which found they were rotten to the core.

Did you know? Lock Joe Launchbury was let go by Harlequins a few years ago - they had him in their academy and reckoned he wasn't up to it.

They will be happy if... They win it. Nothing else will do. They are a side with serious ambition.

What we think will happen: They are going to be crushed by the pressure and expectation of being hosts. They want so much to win, and their public do, too, but they might struggle to deal with that and fail to play anywhere near their potential meaning they bomb out in the pool round.

Australia

Ranking: 2nd

Coach: Michael Cheika

Captain: Stephen Moore

Previous campaigns
1987 - 4th
1991 - Winners
1995 - Quarter-finalists
1999 - Winners
2003 - Runners-up
2007 - Quarter-finalists
2011 - 3rd

Overall record: P39 W32 L7

Odds: $6.50

How they qualified: Automatic after finishing second in their pool in 2011

Squad
Forwards: Stephen Moore (c), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Greg Holmes, Sekope Kepu, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Toby Smith, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, Sean McMahon, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock.

Backs: Will Genia, Nick Phipps, Quade Cooper, Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale, Matt Giteau, Matt Toomua, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau, Rob Horne, Drew Mitchell, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Tevita Kuridrani.

Key Player: Israel Folau is the most exciting attacking player in the world. This could be his moment to show exactly how good he is and set the tournament on fire and, by extension, make the Wallabies a near-irresistible force.

Israel Folau. Photo / Getty Images

World Cup high: They wouldn't be able to choose between their 1991 and 1999 campaigns.

World Cup low: Crashing out in the quarter-finals of the 2007 tournament to an England team barely holding together.

Did you know? Henry Speight is a former Waikato player.

They will be happy if... They make the last four. Expectations in Australia are reasonably low and they could spin a place in the last four to make it sound like a small miracle.

What we think will happen: They will top their group, make it past Samoa in the quarter-finals and then lose to Ireland in the semifinal.

Fiji

Ranking: 9th

Coach: John McKee

Captain: Akapusi Qera

Previous campaigns
1987 - Quarter-finalists
1991 - Pool
1995 - DNQ
1999 - Beaten in quarter-final playoff
2003 - Pool
2007 - Quarter-finalists
2011 - Pool

Overall record: P24 W9 L15

Odds: $501

How they qualified: Beat Cook Islands 108-6 in Oceania final

Squad
Forwards: Lee Roy Atalifo, Isei Colati, Campese Ma'afu, Peni Ravai, Manasa Saulo, Sunia Koto, Tuapati Talemaitoga, Viliame Veikoso, Tevita Cavubati, Leone Nakarawa, Api Ratuniyarawa, Nemia Soqeta, Sakiusa Masi Matadigo, Akapusi Qera (c), Malakai Ravulo, Netani Talei, Dom Waqaniburotu, Peceli Yato.

Backs: Nemia Kenatale, Nikola Matawalu, Henry Seniloli, Lepani Botia, Gabiriele Lovobalavu, Joshua Matavesi, Ben Volavola, Vereniki Goneva, Kini Murimurivalu, Nemani Nadolo, Waisea Nayacalevu, Metuisela Talebula, Asaeli Tikoirotuma.

Key Player: Nemani Nadolo has become the best thing about the Crusaders in recent years. He's oversized yet is also capable of the most extraordinary micro skills - he can make just about anything happen and will probably even kick goals.

Nemani Nadolo of Fiji. Photo / Getty Images

World Cup high: Making the quarter-finals in 2007 when they had South Africa rattled for much of the game.

World Cup low: Being denied a fair crack at France in 1999 due to a horrific refereeing performance by Kiwi whistler Paddy O'Brien. He would later say it was a car crash of a performance.

Did you know? Crusaders assistant coach Tabai Matson, who played five matches for the All Blacks (no tests) and then made two appearance for Fiji at the 1999 World Cup, is Fiji assistant coach.

They will be happy if... They can win two games. They should beat Uruguay and, who knows ... they could they pull off a major shock against one of the big three.

What we think will happen: They will push England hard on opening night for 60 minutes before drifting out the game but will be well beaten by Australia and Wales. They should smash Uruguay.

Uruguay

Ranking: 19th

Coach: Pablo Lemoine

Captain: Nicolas Klappenbach

Previous campaigns
1987 - not invited
1991 - Did not enter
1995 - Did not qualify
1999 - Pool
2003 - Pool
2007 - DNQ
2011 - DNQ

Overall record: P7 W2 L5

Odds: $5001

How they qualified: Beat Russia 57-49 over a two-legged repechage playoff

Squad
Forwards: Alejo Corral, Carlos Arboleya, Mateo Sanguinetti, Mario Sagario, Oscar Duran, Nicolas Klappenbach, German Kessler, Santiago Vilaseca, Jorge Zerbino, Mathias Palomeque, Franco Lamanna, Juan Manuel Gaminara, Diego Magno, Alejandro Nieto, Juan de Freitas, Agustin Alonso, Fernando Bascou, Matias Beer.

Backs: Agustin Ormaechea, Alejo Duran, Felipe Berchesi, Manuel Blengio, Andres Vilaseca, Joaquin Prada, Alberto Roman, Francisco Bulanti, Santiago Gibernau, Leandro Leivas, Jeronimo Etcheverry, Rodrigo Silva, Gaston Mieres.

Key player: The squad is relatively young and inexperienced and halfback Agustin Ormaechea is one of only four men who plays professionally. His knowledge and temperament will need to be instilled across the group.

Agustin Ormaechea of Uruguay. Photo / Getty Images

World Cup high: Beating Georgia at the 2003 tournament.

World Cup low: Conceding more than 100 points to England in the same World Cup.

Did you know? Uruguay have never beaten Argentina and the only time they have won the South American Rugby Championship was in 1982 when Los Pumas were absent from the competition.

They will be happy if... They avoid being hammered four times. Losing to the big three by less than 50 will be a job well done.

What we think will happen: They will lose to the big three by way more than 50 and will be well beaten by Fiji, too.

POOL A FIXTURES

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