Sunday Social: Milestones, pranks and atrocious weather

Add as a preferred source on Google

It is time for Planet Rugby’s Sunday Social, your quirky recap of the serious and not so serious talking points from the past week’s action.

We begin in Cardiff where it was an eventful day for Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones in his side’s loss to New Zealand. The 36-year-old wore a special shirt as he became rugby’s most capped international when he ran out for the 149th time for Wales.

An injury meant the veteran lock only lasted 18 minutes before he was forced off the field in similar fashion to the time he played for the British and Irish Lions against Japan at Murrayfield earlier this year.

Jones wasn’t the only one celebrating a milestone in that match as All Blacks fly-half Beauden Barrett also had reason to smile when he became the 11th Test centurion for New Zealand.

In an interesting twist, Barrett went head-to-head with a former New Zealand U20 team-mate – Wales playmaker Gareth Anscombe.

Meanwhile, notorious pitch invader Daniel ‘Jarvo’ Jarvis caught everyone one by surprise in Cardiff when he lined up alongside New Zealand’s players while their anthem was played ahead of the Test.

After that game, All Blacks replacement scrum-half Brad Weber surprisingly extended an invitation to the prankster.

But unfortunately, the end result was a disappointing one.

Staying with the pranking theme, Joe Marler was also up to his usual tricks when he caught England front-row partner Kyle Sinckler by surprise during a gym session.

Ahead of the Wales v New Zealand Test at the Principality Stadium, Daily Mail rugby reporter Will Kelleher had some issues with his accommodation in Cardiff. Thankfully, it was all sorted out eventually.

Elsewhere, with it being Halloween today, the BallCarrier guys came up with some good rugby theme movie choices.

In the Premiership, it looks like Gloucester have perfected the art of mauling on their new artificial pitch.

While Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter is hitting the nail on the head in this interview about not taking things for granted in England’s top flight.

And finally, we head over to France where Toulon’s Top 14 game against Biarritz was played out in atrocious weather conditions at Stade Mayol.

England