Rafters has for a long time had a love hate relationship with the Flying Fijians. In the Sevens Tournament they’ve consistently knocked-out the USA Eagles from semifinal after semifinal to snatch the Cup. The problem is they are so damn fun to watch.
No other team, Union or Sevens, has ball control magic like the Fijians. Sure, the All Blacks pass on a rope, but it’s as though the entire Fijian team has Spidey-fingers, making amazing one handed grabs and the most unlikely offloads. For a long time the Fijians have relied on a free flowing style of play, with mixed results.
Rafters picked the Fijians to beat Wales in Round One by two points, based more on Wales weakness than Fijian strength. It was bad Juju on the last pass of the game in extra time that cost Fiji the winning try. Reliance on the magic pass wasn’t enough to beat Wales. After being stung, we went with Australia in round two.
Spell Broken?
Not so much; just ask the Australians. The Fijians passed well enough last weekend, but it was discipline and defense that kept them in the game and carried them to victory over the Wallabies. Giving away only seven penalties to Australia’s eighteen and eleven turnovers won to the Wallabies three, Fiji put together one of the most complete games of the year, and like last week against Wales played to the whistle.
Rafters was pretty tough on Fiji when making our predictions for the quarter final seeding, stating that they wouldn’t have the legs for finish the tournament strong. Rafters was wrong.
With their two toughest matches behind them and second place in Pool C , watch for the flying Fijians to win their last two matches (Georgia and Portugal) with bonus points.
The final Pool C seeding will likely be determined by Wales and Australia’s match this Sunday. An Australian win over Wales breaks the pool wide-open, giving the advantage to Fiji.
This will surely make them the darlings for the rest of the tournament along with Uruguay who played the French so tough on Wednesday (watch out Italy).
Fiji has never progressed past the quarterfinals in a Rugby World Cup, and the current seeding places them in a quarterfinal against England, a team they beat handily last August in a far from sold-out Twickenham.
Though Rafters is a dyed in the wool England partisan, there’s a little voice cheering in the background.
“Go Fiji, Go.”
Round two results
Pool A
Rafters’ Pool A Round Two match predictions and results.
France - 27
Uruguay - 12
Rafters’ Prediction - France over Uruguay by sixty-two point.
New Zealand - 71
Namibia - 08
Rafters’ Prediction - New Zealand over Namibia by fifty-nine points.
Italy - Bye.
Pool B
Rafters’ Pool B Round Two match predictions and results
Ireland - 59
Tonga - 16
Rafters’ Prediction - Ireland over Tonga by thirty-nine points.
South Africa - 76
Romania - 08
Rafters’ Prediction - South Africa by sixty-two over Romania.
Scotland - Bye.
Pool C
Rafters’ Pool C Round Two match predictions and results
Wales - 28
Portugal - 08
Rafter’s Prediction - Wales by forty-three over Portugal.
Australia - 15
Fiji - 22
Rafters’ Prediction - Australia over Fiji by six.
Georgia - Bye.
Pool D
Rafters’ Pool D Round Two match predictions and results
Samoa - 43
Chile - 10
Rafters’Prediction - Samoa over Chile twenty-four points.
England - 34
Japan - 12
Rafters’ Prediction - England over Japan by twenty-one.
Argentina - Bye.
Quarterfinals - As it stands at the end of round two.
Quarter Final Number One (Pool C winner v Pool D runner Up).
End of Round Two - Wales v Samoa
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (England v Australia) - England advances to Semifinal Number One.
Quarter Final Number Two (Pool B winner v Pool A runner Up).
End of Round Two - Ireland v New Zealand
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (Ireland v New Zealand) - Ireland advances to Semifinal Number One
Quarter Final Number Three ( Pool D Winner v Pool C Runner Up).
End of Round Two - England v Fiji
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (Argentina v Wales) - Argentina takes the win and moves on to Semifinal Number Two.
Quarter Final Number Four (Pool A winner v Pool B runner up)
End of Round Two - France v South Africa
Rafter’s pre-tournament call - (France V South Africa) - France moves on to Semifinal Number Two.
Teams mathematically eliminated from the quarterfinals
None