• World Cup warm-ups ‘like poker’, says coach Scott Wisemantel
According to the number-crunching boffins who compile World Rugby’s rankings this could be the most significant weekend for a decade. Should Australia beat New Zealand for the second consecutive weekend the winner of the match between Wales and England in Cardiff is poised to take over as the world’s top side just over a month before the World Cup kicks off in Japan.
Within England’s camp, however, no one is getting too excited. Players and coaches alike would prefer to be handed a shiny trophy in Yokohama in early November rather than a computer printout on Monday lunchtime and the management also believe several of their rivals are increasingly engaged in an elaborate game of tactical poker.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/aug/15/england-wales-battle-become-world-leaders under the title “England and Wales could battle it out to become world leaders”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
