Who's hot ….and who's not!
We take a look at who has their name in lights at the moment… and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
We take a look at who has their name in lights at the moment… and who is making the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
They're smooooookin!
All Blacks: New Zealand underlined their status as World Cup favourites with an emphatic demolition of France. The All Blacks' commanding 37-17 Pool A win guaranteed the hosts a last-eight place and banished bad memories of their 20-18 defeat by the French in the quarter-finals of the 2007 tournament. It also gave a nation high on World Cup fever some real hope that this might be their time again.
Fiji v Samoa face-off: Ok, the game was a bit of a letdown, but nobody can fault the pre-match war dance from both sides as the two Pacific islanders faced off in a blood-boiling confrontation performed simultaneously that left spectators with butterflies in their stomachs afterwards. Seeing all 30 players gather together in a circle to pray afterwards was also genuinely moving.
George North: For claiming a place in the Rugby World Cup record books during Wales' rout of Namibia at Stadium Taranaki. The winger scored two of his team's 12 tries in an 81-7 success as Wales moved closer towards securing a quarter-final place. And in doing so, he eclipsed former Australian star Joe Roff as the youngest player to claim a World Cup touchdown. At 19 years and 166 days, North is 87 days younger than when ex-Wallabies wing Roff scored during the 1995 tournament in South Africa.
Sportsmanship: In the dying moments of Australia's clash with the USA, centre Anthony Fainga'a had to be stretched off the field having been knocked out cold by a blow to the head. The Wallabies had already been decimated by injuries, with loose forward Radike Samo forced onto the wing and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau packing down at the back of the scrum. With Fainga'a off there were no subs left to come on.
Down 67-5 the Eagles had already been condemned to a heavy defeat but with a scrum on the halfway line and their opposition in disarray the Americans had an opportunity to make the final movement of the match count. However, in a great show of sportsmanship, the Eagles made no attempt to attack, with the ball hoofed off the field straight from the scrum. It was a small gesture but underlined the great spirit that majority of the World Cup has been played in.
Namibian grit: Their goals may not be lofty and their play not of the highest quality but the attitude of the Namibian players at this World Cup was fantastic.
Put the kettle on…these guys need to warm up!
Marc Lièvremont: France's coach has become quite the focus at the World Cup, but for all the wrong reasons. Relations between him and sections of the French press have steadily deteriorated especially over criticism of his ever-changing selection policies, and the ill-feeling has been apparent in New Zealand. When asked by a French journalist at the end of his team's loss to New Zealand if France could still win the World Cup, Lièvremont angrily replied: “Go to hell with your question”. Sacré bleu! Perhaps Lièvremont can take some tips from Bok coach Peter de Villiers on how to deal with the media… erm… maybe not.
World Cup-ending injuries: Australia number eight Wycliff Palu (hamstring), Argentina vice-captain Juan Fernández Lobbe (knee) and Italy hooker Tommaso D'Apice (ligament damage) have all had their Rugby World Cup campaigns cut short through injuries. Not nice. Get well soon chaps!
Injury stoppages – or lack thereof: As was mentioned in this week's edition of Loose Pass, Wayne Barnes' failure to stop the game when Juan Fernández Lobbe was injured during the Pumas game against Scotland was quite ridiculous.
The initial decision was perhaps understandable; while Fernández Lobbe was in considerable pain, it was not a serious injury in the sense that he needed emergency attention, precautionary or otherwise, and was not directly in the way of the upcoming phase of play.
However, as play went on and Fernández Lobbe and the medics that surrounded him began to really get in the way of proceedings and at this point Barnes should have brought the game to a halt. The Englishman had more than one opportunity to do so but decided against it. Barnes was referring to the letter of the law but sometimes a bit of common sense is the best way forward.
Namibia: Yes, the Welwitschias get the green and the red arrow. It's a bit harsh on the African minnows, but they still leave New Zealand with zero points after losing to Fiji, Samoa, South Africa and Wales – conceding 36 tries in all and allowing the Springboks and the Welsh record wins at a RWC tournament.
Compiled by Dave Morris and Julia Harris