Rugby World Cup 2007 kicks off this Friday

The eagerly-awaited Rugby World Cup kicks off on Friday, 7th September when hosts France take on fast-improving Argentina at the Stade de France in Paris. The mood in France is that they are hoping to repeat the surprise win that their football cousins managed at the soccer World Cup in 1998. But, win or lose, the French are working very hard to ensure that all visiting rugby fans will be made warmly welcome as they aim to impress with their tournament organisation and general hospitality.

Defending world champions England will be hoping to put recent dismal performances behind them and turn on the style for the competition which sees them in a qualifying pool pitted against Samoa, Tonga, USA and the mighty South Africa. However, the bookies think the team doesn’t have a hope quoting England at 28-1 to repeat their 2003 triumph and making them sixth favourites for the trophy. New Zealand are runaway odds-on favourites to be the eventual tournament victors, with South Africa second favourites but way behind in the betting at 13/2.

The other home country representatives Wales and Scotland are even less fancied than England and considered real long shots, but Ireland fare better - one spot above England in the pre-tournament betting. Recent performances from both Wales and Scotland have been poor and, like England, still have much to do to win over their own fans.

Despite the tournament being nominally based in France some of the games are to be played in Cardiff and Edinburgh, giving British rugby fans the opportunity to sample the thrill of the World Cup without travelling abroad. However, if you want the full experience you‘ll have to base yourself in France; and if you intend to travel throughout the country to see the games you’ll need to consider how you are going to get from venue to venue.

But, whether you wish to avidly follow one particular team or you just fancy a trip to the World Cup to experience the atmosphere and take in some top quality rugby then you need to get organised now. If you are planning to take in some games, securing car rental during the rugby world cup will probably be the last thing on your mind as you consider how your team will perform, where you are going to stay and how many Euros to take; but it will get ever more difficult to secure last minute car rental in France in an area where games are being played in the latter stages of the competition. So, if you are thinking of attending games you should try to organise your car hire for the Rugby World Cup as far as possible in advance.

Securing car hire in France is relatively simple and can be done online or by phone before leaving the UK, however getting reasonably priced accommodation at some of the more popular venues may prove relatively challenging as many hotels were booked up months ago. With over 10,000 campsites in France the ideal solution may well be to pack a tent and benefit from the flexibility of being able to pitch up within a reasonable distance from the major venues.

Whether you travel to the World Cup in the UK or France, or just watch it on the box, it promises to be a fantastic tournament, and you never know the bookies just might have it all wrong.

Andrew Regan is a part time writer and journalist.