With the Rugby World Cup 2015 in full flow, it is hard not to cast an intriguing eye towards it, even as a ardent football fan.

The sheer physicality of the game makes it a million miles away from the beautiful game of football and Rugby really is a sport full of brute force.

There however some similarities and here we take a look at FIVE Championship teams and which Rugby playing nations they would be if they instead opted to play with the oval-shaped ball.

Do you agree with our selections? Or do you feel that there should have been different Championship clubs chosen? Well... have your say in the comments section below!

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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 5 CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS

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1. Derby County - South Africa

Clement will be hoping the midfield pair won't be out for long

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You never really know what you are going to get from Derby County and in particular this season.

After spending £23 million on players in preparation for this season you would expect a team to runaway with the league, but that hasn't been the case for the Rams this season.

Similar with the Springbok, who having been crowned World Champions twice, were still humiliated by minnows Japan in their first game of the 2015 tournament.

They still possess some of the greatest rugby players in the world and like Derby, who recently lost to League Two Portsmouth, should not really be losing to such outsiders.

2. Leeds United - Namibia

rosler22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every single year it seems to be the same old story from Leeds United - This is our year!

This year the club backed the manager to spend money in the summer yet the club still, at this early stage, continues to languish around the bottom half of the table.

Similar with the Namibians, who do have a few South African blokes who didn't quite make the cut for the Springbok so opted to play for the lesser nation, who recently stated before a game with New Zealand that they might surprise a few people.

They lost 58-14 and in a depressingly poor defensive display didn't surprise anybody at all, sound familiar Leeds fans?

3. Huddersfield Town - Argentina

powell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every league or competition has that one team that will never really cause a problem for the trophy engravers at the end but are one of the most difficult teams to play against.

Enter Huddersfield Town who I would consider as the Argentina of the Championship.

Never really likely to trouble the play-offs but any team who walks off the pitch with them will know they have been in a right old game.

Argentina took on reigning world champions New Zealand in their first World Cup game and actually lead the All Blacks at the interval.

Okay so they fell away afterwards and the cream eventually rose to the top, but my point is that they are capable of beating the best, but don't do it very often.

4. Burnley - Ireland

dyche333

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little old Burnley as they sometimes get brandished by some of the more patronising media outlets in the country, are actually one of the more likeable clubs in the Championship.

But like Ireland's rugby hopefuls, the Clarets can actually play too, and don't simply go around being happy to be liked. They want to be successful at the same time.

Joe Schmidt's men have lifted the Six Nations title for the last two year's and have earned much praise in the process. So much so that they are some people's tips to lift the World Cup this year too.

Burnley boss Sean Dyche took the Clarets to the Premier League in 2013 and although it was a short stay, few would back against them being promoted again this season.

5. Middlesbrough - New Zealand

karanka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the start of this season everyone fancied Boro to win the title fairly comfortably. The smart money from punters certainly went on Aitor Karanka's men.

Having almost won promotion last season, losing out to Norwich City in the Play-Off Final, they will be desperate to go one better this time.

If they do it will be very similar to New Zealand who won the World Cup in 2011, after losing out to France in the quarter-finals in 2007, finally handing coach Graham Henry his desired World Cup winners medal.

Both Boro and New Zealand are, on paper, the best in their current competition and I would back against either achieving their goals this season.