U 20 WCH Pools

[Murina]

Pool A
Thailand
China
United States
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Germany

Pool B
Brazil
Italy
Japan
Puerto Rico
Croatia
Ukraine

I don't think the USA could have asked for a better draw!

[VolleyTX]

I would say so!

[foreignball]

I'm a little surprised to find out the WC 2005 silver medalist (Serbia) couldn't qualify. I also expected RUS to be among the finalists.

[sIsam]

foreignball said:

I'm a little surprised to find out the WC 2005 silver medalist (Serbia) couldn't qualify. I also expected RUS to be among the finalists.

Germany was the surprise winner out of the qualifier in Russia. Both Ukr and Cro are also strong teams so it is not surprising for serbia not to be there... With the exception of Germany, we are looking at the top 3 teams of Europe there...

[baywatcher]

If I'm reading the web site right, the host team is automatically seeded #1 in bracket A, then the next three teams are seeded according to world ranking and placed in pools via "serpentine" seeding, meaning 1 and 2 are automically in bracket B, unless one hosts, then #3 (here China) goes into the first bracket. World rankings show USA at 4, so in a reasonable world they would be in with Brazil, instead getting #3 China. After the first four are set the rest done by draw. International vball is very strange, pretty much guaranteeing 1 and 2 will be in the same bracket. Nice to see Dominican Reppublic instad of Puerto Rico on our side of the draw.

[Murina]

You are reading the site correctly. They do it this way for several reasons. It gives the host team a fighting chance to reach the second round (if there is one). It also gives the weak host a chance for some competitive matches which will get the home crowd excited and make for better TV. The problem with the top 2 seeds being in the same pool is expected to wash itself out in the second round either by cross over or by re-seeding.

It's really only a problem in tournaments with 2 pools. 3 or 4 pool tournaments don't have this problem.