A to Z of the IRB Rugby World Cup 2015

Less than a week remains until the 2015 Rugby World Cup arrives on England's shores, and more than six years of preparation culminates in one of the greatest showcases known to sport.

More than 600 players representing 20 different nations head to the tournament, each holding the common goal of lifting the Webb Ellis trophy come October 31. But a long road awaits those taking part.

The Rugby World Cup brings with it a long list of questions, stories and unravelling controversies ready to advance once the competition gets underway, but it's simple to get lost among the headlines.

We provide an expansive A to Z ahead of the tournament's kick-off on September 18, ranging from reigning champions the All Blacks to a certain Ireland maestro who's looking to sparkle.

A Is for All Blacks

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Starting with the cream of the international crop, reigning champions New Zealand have pressure on their shoulders to become the first team ever to win back-to-back World Cup crowns.

Steve Hansen's All Blacks have a very particular batch of veterans motivated to land another title, too, as Richie McCaw, Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock and Conrad Smith prepare to make their exits from international duty.

By and large, New Zealand are regarded as the best team in the world for a reason, and a new generation of potential superstars will be striving to prove precisely why on their travels to England.

B Is for Bus

The world is already well aware of the abilities possessed by New Zealand's Julian Savea—commonly known as "The Bus"—but this will be the first time seeing the winger light up a World Cup stage.

It's been 20 years since Jonah Lomu himself exploded under a similar heading, and Savea will be urged to impress just like the man to whom he's frequently earned comparisons in recent years.

The Bus warmed up for the World Cup with seven tries in 15 Super Rugby appearances on his way to a runners-up finish, but the opportunity is there for the 25-year-old to enter a new realm of scoring success.

C Is for Controversy

What would any major World Cup be without a few moments to sharply divide opinion? After all, where's the fun to be had in a major tournament that leaves all its viewers nodding in agreement?

Four years ago, Wales were aggrieved to see captain Sam Warburton sent off for a tip-tackle on France's Vincent Clerc that ultimately played a large role in them missing the 2011 final.

Controversy is all but inevitable at a tournament of such size, but the intrigue lies in who falls victim and who gets away without so much as a smudge to their record.

D Is for Drop Goal

One can hardly mention a World Cup in England without the nostalgia of Jonny Wilkinson's defining moment in November 2003, largely looked upon as the most exciting World Cup final climax ever.

That last-gasp drop goal may be cherished among English supporters, but we can only hope another kick(s) of superior quality, timing and drama this year makes Wilkinson's effort look like the most routine of nudges.

E Is for England

England will fight for Queen and country to relive the triumphant legend of 2003, but home advantage gives the Red Rose a considerable edge this time around.

Joe Daunt and Oliver Pickup of the Telegraph reported almost 2.5 million tickets will be sold for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with 12 venues across England—and one in Wales—hosting the extravaganza.

Standing up to that kind of pressure is an entirely different challenge for Stuart Lancaster's side, for whom anything other than silverware will be seen as failure.

F Is for Folau

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In the faster-paced sports sphere of today, words like "superstar" and "icon" tend to be bandied about more easily, but in Israel Folau, Australia appear to have the genuine article in their midst.

The rugby league convert leads the Wallabies to England as very arguably the greatest fullback in the world and having already helped his team claim a dramatic Rugby Championship triumph this year.

Folau will be key not only to Australia's hopes of making it out of a tight Pool A, but also in aiding Michael Cheika's men to launch a serious bid for the Webb Ellis trophy with his swashbuckling approach to the game.

G Is for Global

The aim of any Rugby World Cup is to be a grander occasion than its predecessor, with the advancement of the sport a chief concern for the organisers, who hope to expand rugby's worldwide reach.

The 2015 edition is well on the way to doing just that, and as rugby returns to its alleged country of origin, it's fitting that signs suggest the sport is growing like never before.

The official RWC website reported this week Indian media will broadcast the event to a larger audience than ever, while Rugby World Cup Limited chairman Bernard Lapasset said in March "a record family of commercial partners" will broadcast the tournament in 207 territories.

H Is for Hemisphere Head-to-Head

Nations look after their own interests first and foremost at the World Cup, but there's also a certain rivalry between the northern and southern hemispheres to establish who produces the best rugby.

Previous World Cup results would suggest it's the south that does so, with six of the past seven tournament winners having hailed from that side of the equator—England being the only northern nation to buck the trend.

I Is for Injuries

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Coaches are permitted to pick squads made up of more than two teams for a reason, and one can bet the injuries to come will mean they're needed during what always proves a brutal eight-week campaign.

Wales recently suffered the losses of Leigh Halfpenny and Rhys Webb, while New Zealand wing Waisake Naholo has left heads scratching as to how he's on track to recover early from a broken leg suffered in July, per BBC Sport.

Boasting a stellar front line of troops is all well and good, but any squad can be quickly found out without the necessary resources to deal with the inevitable setbacks that arise.

J Is for Japan

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Four years before hosting the tournament themselves, Japan will attempt to show how they're making new ground against Pool B opponents South Africa, Scotland, Samoa and the United States—a far-from-unbeatable bunch.

Asia's sole representatives have competed in every Rugby World Cup to date, but their only tournament victory to this day remains a 52-8 drubbing of Zimbabwe in 1991—can Eddie Jones' men improve that record in 2015?

K Is for Kingsholm

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Gloucester's Kingsholm Stadium will feature as one of only two rugby union-dedicated grounds hosting matches at the 2015 Rugby World Cup alongside Sandy Park, home to Exeter Chiefs.

The 16,500-capacity ground will host four matches divided evenly between Pools B and C, and though none may be seen as potential classics, the West Country atmosphere promises to be among the best on display.

L Is for Legacy

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A cause means nothing without effect, and so England's World Cup will be seen as another opportunity to prolong the rugby legacy and ensure the future of the sport is safe in the hands of tomorrow's stars.

Not only those on the pitch, but those off it, too. In The Loose reported in August the RFU's "2,015 for 2015" initiative had reached its goal of training 2,015 new coaches this year, who will go on to deliver "over one million hours of coaching" in the next four years.

RFU president and World Cup winner Jason Leonard was quoted by the Daily Star's Jonathan Green, proclaiming the wheels of leaving a legacy after this tournament are already in motion:

"

We’ve had a lead up plan into the World Cup for about three years so we’ve already started our legacy programmes. For example the All Schools programme started in September 2012 and we’re already up to 400 schools that are playing rugby that had never played before. By the time the next World Cup comes around in 2019 we’ll be up to 750 schools.

We didn’t want to make the mistake of thinking ‘oh the World Cup is here and now we’ve got to think about legacy’. We’ve been thinking about this for nearly three years and we’ve been putting processes and programmes in place because of that.

"

With the aforementioned media reach greater than ever before and talent pools thriving like never before, the desire is to see rugby advance at every level, from grassroots coaching to the pinnacle of the international arena.

M Is for Millennium Stadium

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Set to be rebranded the "Principality Stadium" in January 2016, Cardiff's Millennium Stadium holds a unique honour at the 2015 Rugby World Cup as the only non-English venue to be hosting matches.

This will also make Cardiff the only city to have hosted World Cup fixtures in four separate World Cups, with two quarter-finals heading for the Welsh capital along with six group clashes.

N Is for Neutral

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While England may be official hosts of this year's World Cup, every ground (even Twickenham and the Olympic Stadium) must be treated as a neutral venue, per the Telegraph's Gavin Mairs.

And although Wales were kind enough to offer the Millennium Stadium as a hosting venue, there was debate as to whether Warren Gatland's side should be permitted to play any of their games in Cardiff, per the Guardian's Paul Rees.

Personal preference tends to override geographic loyalties when it comes to supporting nations other than one's own, so it will be of major interest to see who garners more support as teams begin to exit the competition.

O Is for Overseas Players

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The selection of overseas players—or lack thereof for certain countries—has been the centre of a furore in rugby this year, with England opting to shun any transition this year while the Wallabies embraced change.

There's been change elsewhere, too, as Wales now have nine players based in England and France compared to the five in their 2011 squad, while South Africa have actually reduced their number of overseas-based players.

It's only going to become a more encroaching aspect of the game as the years wear on and the globe shrinks ever smaller, but results will show whose method works best when chasing rugby's greatest reward.

P Is for Pool of Death

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Seeing three Tier One nations lined up in the same group has caused something of a stir among rugby's critics, especially when there's a significant chance hosts England may not make it out of Pool A.

With Wales, Australia, Fiji and Uruguay the other teams making up the quintet, we're certain to see at least one giant fall—such is the cut-throat nature of a World Cup.

Q Is for Quade Cooper

Wallabies attack coach Stephen Larkham told the Daily Telegraph Australia will be utilising two different teams for the opening matchups against Fiji and Uruguay, per Delme Parfitt of Wales Online, which spells good news for Quade Cooper.

It means the temperamental fly-half may well have another chance to prove his mettle to coach Cheika after playing his part in a disappointing end to this year's Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand.

And yet part of Cooper's allure is that one just can't rule out the trickster bouncing back to prove his critics wrong and potentially dazzle as the beacon Australia need, albeit against all the odds.

R Is for Records

Thankfully we live in an age where tries scored, metres gained and minutes played can be tracked to the slightest detail, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup brings another opportunity for record-smashing.

As discussed in the attached video, Italy's Mauro Bergamasco will likely play in his fifth consecutive World Cup to tie Brian Lima's existing record, but what other landmarks are in sight?

Ex-All Black Grant Fox scored 126 points in 1987, the most ever managed in one World Cup, while George North became the youngest player ever to score a World Cup try four years ago thanks to his brace against Namibia.

Can 18-year-old Georgia scrum-half Vasil Lobzhanidze go over to best North's achievement, and who among the hundreds is capable of rivalling Fox's points haul?

S Is for Slammin' Sam

Whether those outside England deem him relevant to the World Cup or not, code-hopper "Slammin' Sam" Burgess has made it to rugby's foremost event with less than a year of playing experience under his belt.

It's a major achievement for the centre-cum-flanker for right or wrong, and even if Lancaster's utility weapon only gets a handful of minutes under his belt, his involvement will be gazed upon with widespread intrigue.

T Is for Tiers

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The old adage insists "everyone loves an underdog," and true though that may be, the Rugby World Cup's history of seeing smaller nations progress to its latter stages doesn't inspire confidence among the minnows.

World No. 20 Namibia are the only Tier Three nation at this year's event and join South Africa as the only CAR representatives, while Japan will be Asia's sole flag-bearer.

Probability suggests one of the 10 Tier One nations taking part will lift the crown, but with automatic qualification for the 2019 Rugby World Cup offered to any team finishing third in their pool, the smaller sides have extra incentive to impress. 

U Is for Uruguay

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Runners-up in the last two South American Rugby Championships, Uruguay are firmly installed as their continent's also-rans behind Argentina, who have claimed that tournament 24 times in succession (since 1981).

This will be Los Teros' third visit to the World Cup, and although chances may seem slim for Pablo Lemoine's men, they have managed to win one game in each of their previous two involvements, beating Spain in 1999 before defeating Georgia in 2003.

Pool A presents Uruguay with their first-ever meetings against Wales and Australia, while they'll also look to better their 100 percent losing record against England (one match) and Fiji (two matches).

V Is for Villa Park

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Kingsholm isn't the only smaller setting set to receive a chunk of the limelight during the World Cup, as Birmingham's Villa Park prepares to host two pool matches early in the competition.

Fans will swap out Aston Villa's claret and blue when South Africa go head-to-head against Samoa on Saturday, September 26, before Australia collide with Uruguay on Sunday, September 27.

W Is for Weather

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Southern-hemisphere stars such as Folau, Savea and Jesse Kriel come to England having torn through the opposition in their half of the globe, but can they do it on a wet Thursday afternoon in Newcastle?

The foreign legions of the rugby community will do their utmost to ensure weather is only so much of a factor when their talent stands out in the weeks to come, but Britain's infamously tumultuous conditions will be a topic of discussion throughout.

X Is for X-Factor

Although Cardiff will account for a portion of the hosting duties, the 2015 Rugby World Cup has very much been sold as England's tournament, and expectations on the nation to deliver a blockbuster affair are gargantuan.

From the talent on display, to the quality of the stadia, to the accessibility of the action itself, England bears a burden to lay on the best World Cup yet in what will be its first time as sole host.

ITV's namesake singing contest will only steal so much attention as the real X-factor makes its way to England in the shape of several hundred world-class athletes with no small amount of motivation driving their cause.

Y Is for Young Guns

As exciting as it may be to watch a superstar in his prime, the World Cup offers yet another chance for the prodigies of today to make a massive impact, and this year's contest is no different.

Does Halfpenny's injury open up space for Wales' 20-year-old Hallam Amos to make an impact? Will Georgia's 18-year-old half-back Lobzhanidze make a dent? Can Namibia's fleet of 10 players aged 24 and under hope to survive?

The World Cup is a harsh and gruesome battleground for those unprepared, but some youngsters are able to thrive early on and prove they're meant for a rugby career and no other.

Z Is for Zebo

It's been two-and-a-half years since Simon Zebo produced a scintillating piece of skill to help Ireland score against Wales at the 2013 Six Nations, with his international progress having been up and down since then.

However, one of the few stars whose name begins with the letter "Z" has succeeded in making it to his first Rugby World Cup, and coach Joe Schmidt's experimenting will offer him his chance to sizzle, that's for sure. 

At least we're expecting more flair from Ireland's whiz than Georgia prop Davit Zirakashvili.