“You either go into the history books or I go home to my wife and kids, and everyone's healthy.”

Hammer the hammer.

Maybe it says everything about the way the All Blacks are that the day after they learned their final pool game against Italy had been cancelled, they woke up super early and battered themselves senseless in a training game.

We've rounded up the best tries of the Rugby World Cup group stages, featuring some outrageous rugby skills.

Hansen was in typically mischievous mood when he set the scene on Monday.

After the cancellation of their game against Namibia this morning, the Canadian players headed out to help the host nation's recovery efforts.

“The safety of all involved in Rugby World Cup 2019 is our primary consideration and fans are advised not to travel to Kamaishi or the venue, which will be closed.”

Rassie Erasmus isn't a man for one kind word when a few dozen can be spread lavishly, like honey on toast.

Joe Schmidt is hoping Ireland’s long lead-in to their final pool game will help his team put in the performance tomorrow that will take them into the World Cup quarter-finals.

Peter Jackson Time to call a halt as refs fail to implement penalty rules

New Zealand scored a try of the tournament contender in today's match against Namibia.

Ireland managed to end up on the wrong side of the penalty count in both the win over Scotland (7-6) and loss to Japan (9-6). That is atypical for a team that takes great stock in its accuracy and discipline.

Well, well, well. There was a buzz around the Springbok camp with the news that Japan had beaten Ireland 19-12 just before South Africa were due to kick-off against Namibia.

South Africa claimed their first win of the 2019 World Cup with a 57-3 thrashing of Namibia.

Conor O'Shea's side ran out easy winners against callow Canadian side.

Thomas Du Toit should have really just been fighting off the jetlag but he looked for all the world yesterday like a guy whose head was still in the clouds after being parachuted onto the South African bench for tomorrow’s Pool B encounter with Namibia.

Rassie Erasmus tried to play the game.

The answer to whether the Springboks are Rugby World Cup 2019 contenders remains a strong ‘yes’ after Saturday’s epic battle against the All Blacks in Yokohama.

They were patting down sweat-filled brows around RTÉ’s control bunker yesterday as Montrose battled technical glitches at the start of Hugh Cahill and Donal Lenihan’s television commentary from Yokohama.

The scenarios in Pools A and B may already became clearer ahead of Ireland’s kick-off against Scotland yesterday but asking South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus about quarter-final permutations following this defeat was a fool’s errand.

CAPE TOWN - After years of inane platitudes from All Black coach Steve Hansen about the rivalry with the Boks after his side racked up record scores against their old foes, things changed this week.

Ever wondered who has won the most matches. Who has yet to wn any and who won in 1991?

When asked to cast his mind back to the last time he took part in a competitive boxing match, all Conor McGregor can do is glance skywards and let out a long exhale of breath. It has been so long for him that he can’t even remember.

I’ve just been writing a letter to a German painter whom I met on a long trip outdoors last February; some readers may recall my dispatches from Namibia and the Kalahari Desert, writes Damien Enright.

The rising superpower has built up enormous holdings in poor, resource-rich African countries – but its business partners aren’t always thrilled, writes Brook Larmer

Ireland bounced back from their opening defeat in the Desert T20 Challenge with a five-wicket win over eliminated Namibia in Abu Dhabi.

Ronan O’Gara looks forward to what promises to be an exciting weekend of rugby action and warns that Ireland should not underestimate Argentina who, he suggests, are playing better than ever before.

Namibia 16 Georgia 17: Georgia captain Mamuka Gorgodze broke stubborn Namibia to inspire his side to a nervy second win of the World Cup in Exeter.

Brendan O’Brien looks at what was learned from the weekend’s action at the Rugby World Cup...

There may be a full round of pool games to go over the course of the next seven days but already five teams, including Ireland, have booked a safe passage to the knockout phase of the Rugby World Cup.

Rugby World Cup Pool C

All in all, it’s been the best opening week we could have asked for. Certainly, as Rugby World Cups go. 

As Namibia lock PJ Van Lill rose to claim the lineout he began to topple over. He lurched to a 40 degree angle and was only saved by the strength of the two props holding him airborne.

Jacques Burger is afraid of nothing. Completely fearless, he says. Then he remembers. “No, but I am afraid of things off the pitch, I promise you that. Oooh, snakes for instance. I don’t like snakes very much,” he says with a theatrical shudder.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has demanded an improved performance from the world champions in tonight’s Pool C clash against minnows Namibia.

World Cups can be yawn-inducing events for players who have so much time to kill between their daily duties and Steve Hansen’s All Blacks could do worse than spend an afternoon staring at the walls of their Lensbury Park Hotel.

Sonny Bill Williams made an instant impact as New Zealand opened their World Cup defence with victory against Argentina, but says there is plenty of work to do.

Ireland 50 Canada 7: As opening weekends of a World Cup campaign go, Joe Schmidt will have been pretty satisfied as Ireland hit the road and headed for the English FA’s training base.

ANALYSIS of Ireland’s encouraging start to World Cup 2015 has to be put on temporary hold as a consequence of what Japan achieved in defeating the most experienced South African side ever fielded when the sides met at Brighton Community Stadium on Saturday.