Inside Russia's rugby national team ahead of 2019 World Cup Russia, a future great rugby nation? While it took an improbable combination of circumstances to see a Russian team qualify for the World Cup in 2019, the world's largest country has immense potential that remains to be exploited. "We have a good chance (for the World Cup) because our team is promising. We have something to show and we have nothing to lose. And such teams are always dangerous," smiles Tagir Gadzhiev in an interview with AFP. IMAGES of the Russian national team during a training session and match in the European Championship with Belgium and SOUNDBITES of the head coach and players