RUGBY:SAMOA'S well-earned dark-horses tag for the tournament, having emphatically beaten Australia, may come unstuck on examination of their schedule.
Their next official Test match is the Pool D opener against Namibia on September 14th in Rotorua. After the long lay-off, they come thick and fast.
There is a just a four-day turnaround before the seminal game against Wales in Hamilton.
Seven days later they move to Auckland to play Fiji, just five days before facing world champions South Africa, also in Auckland (announced yesterday as sold out).
New Zealand have a seven- and two eight-day breaks between their Pool matches.
Ireland have a six-day turnaround between USA and Australia before an eight-day run into Russia and seven days to Italy.