This Friday, England will take on Fiji in the opening game of the Rugby World Cup. Will this cohort of English players be able to replicate the team of 2003, now with the added boost of being on home soil? Or will the trend of Southern Hemisphere domination continue? Or will it be one of England’s Six Nations counterparts—Ireland, France or Wales—who emerge victorious?

Such questions will undoubtedly be circulating the headlines in the coming weeks. But amidst such debate, it is also important to acknowledge the teams and players who stand a small chance of being at Twickenham come 31st October. Rugby continues to stretch its influence across the globe, and this World Cup will pit ‘minnow’ nations such as Romania, Uruguay, Georgia and Japan against the traditional rugby heavyweights. Here’s a guide to some of the players to look out for from those countries—the World Cup’s unsung heroes, the men who might even lead a giant-killing upset along the way.

The Comeback Kid - Samu Manoa, USA

Having battered his way through defences in the Aviva Premiership with Northampton Saints for the past few seasons, the Eagles Number 8 now plies his trade at Toulon. Given that he missed the last World Cup, he’ll be desperate to make an impact at some of his old Premiership stomping grounds.

The Tank - Mamuka Gorgodze, Georgia

The Georgians are famed for their big, brutish pack, and the Toulon Flanker is the epitome of this: a powerful ball-carrier and monstrous tackler, Gorgodze will be looking to lift his men out of the group stages for the first time in what is only their fourth World Cup. But having played in the French Top 14 League for the past ten years, teams will be well aware of the threat he poses.

The Man-Mountain - Nemani Nadolo, Fiji

Fiji have a reputation for playing devastating attacking rugby when they’re at their best, and some may remember the small, squat figure of Rupeni Caucaunibuca who effortlessly swerved through any calibre of opposition in Australia twelve years ago. Nadolo is a player of a similar ilk, with the added bonus of being 6ft 5in and 19st 12lb. The Crusader supplements his sheer size and speed with the ability to deftly offload the ball out of the tackle, and isn’t afraid to try a cheeky grubber kick around defences either. Fiji will be massive underdogs in the ‘Pool of Death’ that also includes Australia, England and Wales, but Nadolo could be the path to the greatest of escapes.

The Iceman - Jacques Burger, Namibia

The story goes that he would ice his knee for up to four hours a day when suffering from ligament damage in order to keep playing week-in-week-out for Saracens, earning the nickname ‘the iceman’ in the process. Known for his colossal tackle counts and immense work-rate, the flanker is talismanic for his country. Having earned the undesirable accolade of the worst result in Rugby World Cup history in 2003 (142-0 against Australia), Burger will need all the ice he can get his hands on if Namibia are to gain respectability against New Zealand and Argentina in the group stages.

The Hardened Veteran - Jamie Cudmore, Canada

At thirty-seven years of age, the Clermont Auvergne second-row is one of the oldest players at the World Cup. After a troubled upbringing that saw Cudmore serve as an enforcer for a local drug dealer, the Canadian turned to rugby as a path to retribution; he now goes by the ironic nickname of ‘Cuddles’ to his teammates. Having only once escaped the pool stages at a World Cup (in 1991), Canada and Cudmore will be aiming for wins over Romania and Italy if they are to make a mark on the tournament.

The Brothers - George, Ken and Tusi Pisi, Samoa

There are twelve sets of brothers playing at this year’s World Cup, and the Pisi family will be the only nation to boast three if George, Ken and Tusi are named in one of their starting line-ups. The former two will be well-known to rugby fans for the skill and speed they have brought to Northampton Saints’ backline, while Tusi, the eldest, is vastly experienced having played in New Zealand, France and Japan.

These players alone should be reason enough not to overlook the ‘minnow’ nations at this year’s World Cup. And who knows, maybe a spark of individual flare will be enough to send one of the bigger nations crashing out in dramatic style.

@georgeramsay6