The Rugby World Cup kicks off in France later this week, with the hosts taking on Argentina in the tournament's inaugural game on Friday. The Springboks enter the tournament on something of a roll and are expected to contend for the title along with New Zealand, Australia, and local favorites, France. South Africa's Pool A, aside from containing a relatively depleted defending champion in England, shouldn't make the 1995 champs sweat too much. South Africa's first game will take place on Sunday in Paris against the rugby minnows from Samoa. Here is the fixtures table, and here is the home page for the 2007 World Cup.
Namibia will also represent Africa in the tournament, though they will be bottom feeders and will be lucky to avoid getting shut out in a tough pool in which they only have a prayer of beating Georgia and no hope at all of defeating, or even keeping the score respectable, against France, Argentina, or Ireland.
