Rugby Union Today: Team of the Week and Hot and Not

Colin Newboult

Another busy day in the rugby union game as we look back at the weekend’s action in the World Cup warm-ups and name our best XV from the matches that took place.

What’s on the site

It was an excellent Saturday for Wales, who secured the number one ranking after beating England, and they are rewarded with three players in our Team of the Week, but it is France that lead the way with six.

Those matches are discussed in ‘who’s hot and who’s not,’ which also looks at New Zealand’s impressive victory and Italy’s dominant win over Russia.

Finally, our ‘My Rugby World Cup hero’ feature continues with Thierry Dusautoir, who produced one of the great individual displays in the 2007 quarter-final against New Zealand.

What’s in the news

Argentina have named their 31-man squad for the upcoming World Cup in Japan and have left out stars from the 2015 campaign Facundo Isa and Santiago Cordero.

Another player who unfortunately won’t be there is South Africa’s Marcell Coetzee, with the back-rower suffering an ankle injury against the Pumas on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Rieko Ioane is in danger of permanently losing his place in the All Blacks XV ahead of the global tournament. Although the wing should be named in the wider squad, he is one of nine players released to play in the Mitre 10 Cup this week.

What’s on social media

This is a hugely important read, particularly for those who are suffering with depression and are concerned about speaking out.

What’s on TV

There are two more World Cup warm-ups this weekend as England host Ireland at Twickenham on Sky Sports, while Scotland and France go head-to-head in the reverse fixture on Premier Sports.

Sky are also showing the Currie Cup and Mitre 10 Cup, which continues with Hawkes Bay’s encounter against Otago on Thursday.