Rugby World Cup 2015: By the numbers

We will have more articles in this series as we build up to the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup to help improve your viewing experience of the tournament.

The South Americans, widely regarded as makeweights in the tournament’s “group of death” alongside England, Australia, Wales and Fiji, begin their campaign at the home of Welsh rugby.

– Of the seven Rugby World Cups to date, three have been won by the host or joint-host nation; New Zealand triumphed in 1987 and 2011, while South Africa lifted the Webb Ellis Cup on home soil in 1995.

AN APPLETON youngster will lead out Wales at the Millennium Stadium during the Rugby Union World Cup.

Nehe Milner-Skudder (New Zealand) – The Hurricanes winger has leapfrogged everyone to the front of the queue and will light up the RWC with his footwork and penchant for the sublime highlight play.

“The last time I performed the haka was in a red jersey of Munster against the All-Blacks in 2008″.

“We are looking forward to starting playing and the big challenge that is France on Saturday night in our first game”.

But, with an average age of 28.2, New Zealand’s squad won’t be the oldest at the tournament.

Defensively, they have adopted a “brick wall” attitude which their impressive win-loss record attests to. “Nothing else has that visible effect on the country”. In 2007 they managed to beat one team after another to win (what was a lacklustre tournament to be fair). The heavy hitters play well as a team and what they lack in star power they make up for in enthusiasm and endeavour. It is the major focus of all rugby-playing nations, as results in between tournaments show. Curiously, a large part of this possibly stems from its size. “It’s hard to hear calls in the game”. That intensity also fuels the sense of competition, an awareness that if you aren’t good enough there will be others waiting to take your place. I hope that Steve Larkham has noted it and removed it from the game of two potentially very good players; it’s critically important that we don’t give anyone the chance to disrupt us in the the transition zone from tight to wide.

And in 2011, of course, they really did just get up, despite near-losing it one more time with Richie McCaw – yer never gunna believe it – offside against – who else but? – the French! That’s what I’ll be cheering for over the next month.

“Kiwis have taken to social media to support the All Blacks ahead of the Rugby World Cup, due to be held in England and Wales from 18 September”.

Jayaditya Gupta is the executive editor of Espncricinfo.