THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW

PETER JACKSON

Dragons roar: Shane Williams scores Wales’ first try as they beat Ireland 22-10 at RWC2011
PICTURE: Getty Images

Wales stride into World Cup year knowing that anything short of the semifinals in Japan next autumn will be a failure. Heaven knows, there have been enough of those.
For the ninth global jamboree they have been blessed by a friendlier pool than in the previous eight, friendly but not without a trap more likely to be laid by the exuberant Fijians than the lame Wallabies.
On the dangerous assumption of every contender measuring up ...