NAMES like Kees Lensing and Jacques Burger will mean little or nothing to the vast majority of Irish rugby fans this morning.

LAMBS to the slaughter: that’s the unappetising spectre for Pool D’s whipping boys, Namibia, when they face one of the tournament’s favourites, Ireland, at Stade Chaban-Delmas tomorrow. Namibia concede, on average, over 70 points every time they step on the field at the World Cup but will hope to improve on that statistic against Ireland’s strongest available XV.

YOU’D think the Rugby World Cup organisers would make life easier for Namibia, one of the tournament’s minnows.

London Irish boss Brian Smith today hit out at Leeds prop Kees Lensing for pulling out of an agreement to join the Exiles.