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2019 Rugby World Cup winner predictions: who will lift the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan?


2019 Rugby World Cup

  • When: 20 September to 2 November  
  • Where: 12 locations across Japan 
  • Teams: 20
  • Number of matches: 48
  • UK TV channel: live on ITV
  • Fixtures and start times

Can anyone stop New Zealand from winning a third successive Rugby World Cup?

The all-conquering All Blacks lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in 1987, 2011 and 2015 and according to Oddschecker they are the hot favourites to triumph again in the 2019 edition, which starts on 20 September. 

Despite their dominance in the major tournament the All Blacks don’t arrive in Japan as the world’s No.1-ranked team. 

That honour goes to Ireland, who along with Wales, England, South Africa and Australia will be the major threat to the All Blacks’s crown. 

Here we look at which team the pundits are predicting to win the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. 

Predictions: who will win the RWC?

Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll, Extra.ie: England 

“If it was put to me to pick one team, I think England are a team, right now, I would probably fancy for it. I think they are gearing up brilliantly, they’ve had a good run of form in 2019 with some really impressive displays. I just feel they have the game and the versatility of game to cope with anything that is thrown in.”

Wales head coach Warren Gatland, speaking after their Six Nations win

“I promise you that these guys will give 100% in every game at the World Cup and, if we play as well as we have for the last year, then we can bring home the World Cup. We’ve got a very special group of players at the moment. We enjoy each other’s company, we challenge each other on a lot of things, but once we make a decision, we back each other 100%.”

Mark Agnew, South China Morning Post: South Africa 

“South Africa have been going from strength to strength. They have a young team that look to be peaking at the perfect time. In fact, it’s so young, that even if they win the World Cup, they’ll probably peak afterwards just in time for the 2021 Lions Tour. Prediction: second in the pool but winners in the World Cup final.”

Gareth Jones, Sporting Life: New Zealand to beat Wales in the final

“Take out the quality of each side, the All Blacks experience of competing in the previous two finals could be the deciding factor here. Wales, or any other nation, appearing in the final will see every one of their players competing in their first World Cup final, and that could prove debilitating for some, which will swing the match in favour of the much more experienced All Blacks favour.”

Alex McLeod, Rugby Pass: Ireland

“It’s increasingly difficult not to see one of either Ireland or New Zealand claiming the title in Japan. It almost seems certain that the fight for world supremacy is set to come down to these two nations on 2 November. For a team that has never progressed past the World Cup quarter-finals, it’s possible that there will be no better time for the Irish to mount a challenge for the Webb Ellis Trophy than in 2019. If they can’t secure it this year, then it would beg the question if they ever will.” 

Bryan Habana, World Cup winner with South Africa: too close to call 

“It is probably the tightest World Cup we’ve ever had to call. Whoever’s at their best for that eight-week period, winning games against the best teams in the world will need to go on to win it. But given the current status of world rugby, I might actually put more money into cryptocurrency because that’s probably an easier bet at the moment.”

Bleacher Report’s prediction made in 2015: South Africa

“After crumbling to the Cherry Blossoms in arguably the biggest Rugby World Cup upset ever [in 2015], doesn’t it only seem fate-like that South Africa should storm back to grab redemption on Japanese soil in 2019?”

Mike Starling, sports editor, TheWeek.co.uk: Ireland

“At the start of the year I predicted that Ireland would secure a Six Nations and World Cup double in 2019. I was wrong with the Six Nations, but I am going to stick with Ireland as my choice to lift the World Cup in Japan. Of course, you should never bet against New Zealand in rugby union, but this year I feel that the All Blacks’s grasp on the Webb Ellis Cup will be over… for four years at least.”



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