I, for one, am excited about the 2008 World Cup - especially with the recent New Zealand tri-series win and the continued development of nations such as Papua New Guinea, the United States, and particularly, France & Lebanon.

For those interested, below is the list of seeded entries as well as the description of the qualifying process as it stands.

AUTOMATIC ENTRANTS
Australia
New Zealand
England
France
Papua New Guinea

EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP

Preliminary Round (Top tow qualify for European Nations Cup)
Georgia
Russia
Holland
Serbia

Cup Proper (Top two qualify for World Cup, third goes to Reparcharge)
Top two from preliminary round
Lebanon
Ireland
Wales
Scotland

ATLANTIC CUP (Top one progresses to Repacharge match)
United States
South Africa
West Indies

REPARCHARGE (Winner qualifies)
Third placed European nation vs. First placed Atlantic nation

PACIFIC NATIONS CUP (Top two nations qualify)
Tonga
Samoa
Fiji
New Caledonia
Cook Islands

So, whilst it's only ten teams, the qualifying process does showcase a number of the league playing nations (and not all, as the absence of sides like Italy, Greece, Tartastan etc indicates).

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HOW I THINK IT WILL PAN OUT
Russia should dominate the European Nations Preliminary Round and it's hard to pick from the remaining three. I'll say Serbia make it into the European Nations Cup. Unfortunately for Russia - I think it'll be Wales and Ireland, with Lebanon & Scotland feuding for the third spot.

That person (I'll say Lebanon) would meet the United States, as West Indies and South Africa shouldn't be in their league. Tomahawks fans may have to wait again, as I'd say the third best European team is still better than the US.

In the Pacific Nations Cup I'd go with Tonga and Samoa, but Fiji are dark horses. That'd set up a World Cup of:

Australia
New Zealand
England
France
Papua New Guinea
Samoa
Tonga
Wales
Ireland
Lebanon