The All Blacks will face their old World Cup nemesis, France, in pool play at the 2011 World Cup held here in New Zealand. It's no secret that the All Blacks don't have the best track record against France at the World Cup (although lets not forget we beat them in the final in 1987), but All Blacks fans can take comfort in the fact that the top two placed sides in each Pool will advance. So, even if we succumb to the French again, we're unlikely to lose to the Tongans, or one of the other two minnows yet to be named.

England, Argentina and Scotland make up the heavyweights in Pool B, and the two winners from this group will face either the All Blacks or France, depending on results. Based on last year's World Cup, Argentina must be considered the top dog in Pool B, especially when you consider England's poor form - although there's still a long way to go before 2011, so we might just be getting ahead of ourselves.

Australia will face Ireland and Italy in Pool C, while the Springboks will look to defend the 2007 title against Wales and Fiji in Pool D. The rest of the nations are yet to sort themselves out, but at this stage it looks like Canada and Japan will join Pool A, Romania and a play-off winner (most likely Portugal) in Pool B, Georgia and the USA in Pool C, and Samoa and Namibia in Pool D - these predictions are based on the teams playing in the 2007 World Cup, though, so the actual teams may vary.

The All Blacks may be known for choking at World Cups, but this time we'll be on home soil where we have a brilliant record - only losing to South Africa in Dunedin after an unbeaten record spanning the last few years.

Let's just say, we're already quietly optimistic...

It's official - Sonny Bill Williams has signed a one year deal with Toulon, and could be playing his first game of rugby as early as this Saturday.

That is, if the Bulldogs aren't successful in blocking him with a court injuncture.

But, all the dramas aside, we want to hear from Williams himself as to why he quit the NRL - because, quite frankly, we're sick of hearing why from everyone else. No one seems to be giving us the facts, and all the fans want to know is WHY he left.

The time has come for Williams to man up and speak for himself, rather than getting people to talk for him.

If indeed Williams does want to play for the All Blacks, then why the hell did he sign with a French club?

It doesn't make sense.

To play for the All Blacks, you have to play in New Zealand - not France.

There would have been plenty of New Zealand clubs happy to sign a guy like Williams...

Therefore, we can only conclude that he has gone to France because of the money. If an All Black jersey means that much to him, he'd have signed with the NZRU.

But, to be fair to Williams, we believe that he is probably under a great deal of pressure - and probably not getting the best advice from those around him.

His managers make more money when he makes more money, so they would have been more than happy to see him leave for France.

Whatever the outcome of this saga is, we fell that it could have all been avoided had Williams taken the proper measures to leave the Bulldogs, rather than just up-and-leaving like he did.

What he did to his Bulldogs team mates is not right - for everything they've been through together, the Bulldogs deserved better.

So come on Sonny - time to speak up, and tell your fans why. We just want to know why.

And, we hope some good can come out of all of this drama.