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Cipriani on why RWC 2023 winner is either France or Springboks
Former England number ten Danny Cipriani has chatted on the official Rugby World Cup podcast to share his thoughts on a number of topics, namely the most important of all – who will win come the final on October 28th?
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Discussing the latest news and developments in the tournament, Cipriani was chatting with former Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris and former New Zealand World Cup winner, Sean Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick, who won the inaugural tournament in 1987 then missed out in 1995 to South Africa, feels that New Zealand need their “big boys” to step up.
“We need [Brodie] Retallick, we need [Shannon] Frizell, we need those guys fit and we can’t afford to have red and yellow cards. In 2015 we probably had the most complete squad when any one of those players could have stepped in and played in that final and we would have won. Now we need our big boys. France are a big team, Ireland are a big team, South Africa are massive.”
While most fans will be keeping an eye on the former champion All Blacks, perhaps the biggest clash coming up in the next round is going to be when number one ranked side Ireland faces number two ranked, and defending champions, South Africa.
“I just fancy Ireland,” said former Ulster and Ireland flanker Ferris.
“The way they are playing, they have a healthy enough squad, they have Dan Sheehan to bring back in, Jack Conan might be fit. Bundee Aki is playing out of his skin, Malcolm Marx is obviously a huge loss to South Africa. The bomb squad, they haven’t replaced him with a hooker. I just have a good feeling about Ireland.”
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On the topic of who will win the entire tournament, Ferris feels strongly that his countrymen can do the job, despite having never got past the quarter finals.
“I have to go with Ireland. I know we haven’t been beyond a quarter-final and I think for a lot of Irish fans success would be getting to a semi-final because of the heartache since forever.”
Cipriani feels that size will count.
“Between France and South Africa. Obviously I think Ireland are great but I think that when it comes down to it, Ireland have the best system and shapes. If I’m brutally honest I don’t think they have the best decision makers in the world,” said the former playmaker.
“If the final is Ireland-South Africa, a lot of those pressure moment won’t feel like pressure to those South African boys while for Ireland it will.”
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Fitzpatrick was more on the fence, but feels the winner may yet be determined early in the knockout stages.
“I think whoever wins the quarter-finals on our side of the draw will playing the final, so it is either going to be South Africa, France, New Zealand or Ireland. I think France will play South Africa and I think they can beat South Africa because they are big enough to compete.
“We [New Zealand] will play Ireland and the All Blacks will beat Ireland. Purely because I think we have learnt enough and as long as we have our big guys available, I don’t think Ireland will want to play the All Blacks.”
Cipriani also took a moment to praise Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who recently went somewhat viral for a moment that occurred in a press conference, when he defended his team’s goal kicker, Manie Libbok.
“That is a different level of leadership, that is his life experience coming to the forefront in a moment where he has faced so many adversities and he like let’s have some perspective in this moment. I think with Rassie [Erasmus] and the coaches they allow the systems and the framework to take it forward.
“South Africa’s leadership group, they are extremely challenging. They are all individuals and they are allowed to be themselves and you see that within the best teams.”
Listen to the full episode of The Rugby World Cup 2023 Podcast presented by Asahi Super Dry here.
Rugby World Cup
Pool A
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
2
2
0
0
8
2
New Zealand
2
1
1
0
5
3
Italy
1
1
0
0
5
4
Uruguay
1
0
1
0
0
5
Namibia
2
0
2
0
0
Pool B
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
2
2
0
0
10
2
South Africa
2
2
0
0
9
3
Scotland
1
0
1
0
0
4
Tonga
1
0
1
0
0
5
Romania
2
0
2
0
0
Pool C
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Wales
2
2
0
0
10
2
Fiji
2
1
1
0
6
3
Australia
2
1
1
0
6
4
Georgia
1
0
1
0
0
5
Portugal
1
0
1
0
0
Pool D
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England
2
2
0
0
9
2
Samoa
1
1
0
0
5
3
Japan
2
1
1
0
5
4
Argentina
1
0
1
0
0
5
Chile
2
0
2
0
0
I believe that whoever wins between Ireland and South Africa on Saturday will contest the final. Here's my take on this: With one or two notable exceptions semi finals have not produced major upsets. The big exception being England New Zealand last time round. Whoever faces France in the quarters will be headed home. A thousand factors scream this at me. France will advance to the semi-final. It will take a monumental effort to beat them in the semis - home ground - a sort of feeling in international rugby circles that it will be better for rugby to get a second cup in the north. Winter is coming. In a quarter the game between the Boks and the AB's is a lottery. In previous years I would have said the odds are in the AB's favour. Not any more. The odds are in the Boks favour - and please I am stressing here I am not saying the Boks will beat the AB's in the quarters. I am saying the signs are in the favour of the Boks which has not been the case for a long time. So let's say all the stars aligning themselves. I am saying the winner of Saturday's game between South Africa and Ireland will determine who will play in the final against France and just as happened in NZ twice and SA once. Home advantage in the WC is without a doubt worth 10 points. Whoever wins the WC against France will have start with a handicap of 10 points. I am not suggesting bad refereeing or skulduggery or anything other than it is in France. I believe the proto final will be played on Saturday between Ireland and South Africa. Whoever loses on Saturday goes home.
You think 35-7 was massive, Saturday will be the massive one and the end of the Irish, the hurt will be so much that Scotland will beat them.
So Fitzy is thinking that Ireland will beat SA this weekend in order for us to play them in QF. I hope so as somehow I rather play Ireland too but I think SA will win. Going with a 7:1 again I noted.
As to final, France will get there, no doubt. Question is who against?
I also like how the majority is discounting NZ and not mentioning them in the same breath as SA, FRA, IRE. Rightly so after some of the performances but a great place to be in. You’d like to think the AB can pull at least one magic display out of the hat and that has to come in the QF or we are going home.
“South Africa’s leadership group, they are extremely challenging. They are all individuals and they are allowed to be themselves and you see that within the best teams.”
Nail on the head.
There’s one other thing that I would add. For the longest time, SA fans have not been great.
This team, for many reasons, is very much loved. Even if they lose, the SA public love them. This is a massive change. The weight of expectation and the damnation that would
accompany when the boks played poorly almost killed them in the Coetzee era. I personally thought they may never bounce back.
The leadership in and around the boks since 2018 has created a very different vibe and culture in and around the boks. Even if they don’t win the World Cup, they are still our boys and I think almost every Saffer on this site will tell you how proud we are of them. Proud of the way they take chances. Jacques and Rassie - the whole team - embody what being a South African is all about. And nobody knows what that means until you’ve lived here and hustled to make a life.
Go Bokke!
Boks need to apply serious pressure early on and hopefully the Irish will be a little undercooked after two relatively easy games. If we can get ahead on the scoreboard in the first 20 it will make it a lot tougher for Ireland to get a foothold in the game. Its gonna be a great test match.