The All Blacks began their tournament with a defeat to hosts France in Paris but had no such trouble in their second outing.

The second day’s play at Wentworth finished amid farcical scenes which saw four groups waiting on the 18th tee and Thomas Bjorn exchanging words with a drunk spectator up ahead on the closing hole.

“Today is a tough day for me, it’s my gran’s funeral today,” he said. “I’m sorry to my family that I’m not able to be there but gran, this one’s for you.”

Gareth Anscombe has revealed how he feared his Rugby World Cup hopes might have been destroyed by injury for a second successive tournament.

Lewis Ludlam comes in at No 8 with Ben Earl shifting to openside flanker.

Castlebar man's family have travelled to Paris to be with him after he lost his wife and he was hospitalised amid the Bordeaux botulism outbreak

Ludlam has been rewarded for his defensive masterclass as a replacement in the 27-10 win over Argentina on Saturday.

Mr Jackson was among the first of a dozen people who ate preserved sardines in a Bordeaux wine bar last week to be hospitalized with what French authorities believe is the rare and potentially fatal illness.

The large majority of the victorious squad remain unavailable for this month’s Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland, saying they are not yet “in a safe place” to return and that the problems at the RFEF run far deeper than Rubiales.

Rubiales appeared in front of Judge Francisco de Jorge and denied any wrongdoing when questioned about kissing Spain player Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony

The former All Black will be amongst the side out to upset Andy Farrell's side in Nantes.

The nerves aren't just because of the belief coursing through the current Ireland camp but because the 33-year-old accepts it will probably his final appearance on rugby’s greatest stage.

Toland was banished from the squad in early 2020 after falling out with Vera Pauw.

Richarlison admitted he would “seek psychological help” on his return to England and while Postecoglou has vowed to give the 26-year-old the support he needs.

“Remember, our contracts are based on 40% win bonuses. So it's tough to tell an assistant coach we need to build squad depth but we might lose this Test match, which is 40 percent of your salary.” 

Ireland arranged a pre-tournament Test against Tonga’s fellow Pacific Islanders Samoa on August 26 in Bayonne to use a run-through for Saturday’s pool game.

Three Talking Points from our man in Nantes ahead of the second weekend of action at the Rugby World Cup

CJ Stander will scrum down with our rugby experts and a live audience to discuss all the tournament talking points.

High performance teams, including the Irish rugby squad, are embracing new technologies for a competitive edge

We look ahead to that showdown in Nantes and the rest of the weekend action.