A Rugby World Cup 2015 Diary - Week 3
The casualty list at this year’s Rugby World Cup continues to grow.
Ovidiu Tonita, Romania’s try scorer against Ireland, is the latest to say farewell to the tournament. The 35-year-old has been forced out by a broken thumb. Tonita is one of only three players to feature at five World Cups. His replacement is 21-year-old Vlad Nistor, summoned from his club Castres in France.
Retired Australian international Tim Horan hosted a #askmeanything session on Twitter yesterday. Among his answers was that “there’s certainly no more minnows in this Rugby World Cup. The gap between the second- or even third-tier and first-tier nations is closing quickly”.
The All Blacks will give a much-anticipated second cap to winger Waisake Naholo in tomorrow’s Pool C clash with Georgia.
Naholo earned his first cap against Argentina in The Rugby Championship in July.
“We’ve selected what we think is the best 23 for this Test match and [it] reflects where we currently are with our progress in the Rugby World Cup,” said All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen.
“We’re looking forward to seeing Waisake back on the track, he’s been jumping out of his skin at training and I’m sure he can’t wait for game day.”
Four players weren’t considered for selection due to injury — Ma’a Nonu (shoulder), Colin Slade (hamstring), Liam Messam (calf) and Beauden Barrett (whiplash).
Ben Smith, Waisake Naholo, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Charlie Faumuina, Brodie Retallick, Samuel Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read.
The youngest player at the tournament is Georgia’s Vasil Lobzhanidze. The 18-year- old scrum-half has started both of Georgia’s pool games so far. Lobzhanidze turns 19 a week after Georgia’s final pool game. He is one of eight players U21 at the tournament and is the youngest player ever to have played in the Rugby World Cup, so young that the game had already turned professional before his birth.
The Tongans were declared part of the family after having their dinner in the Exeter branch of Nandos for 10 days straight. Known as ‘Ikale Tahi (Sea Eagles) it appears they prefer chicken to fish, with the restaurant reporting a high demand for piri from the islanders.
While the Tongan team have been enjoying Nandos, their Samoan counterparts have been banned by their team management from going to the fast-food outlets near their base in Milton Keynes. The Daily Mail reports that Samoan out-half Tusi Pisi has not yet explored the town. “All I can see of Milton Keynes is the fast-food restaurants across the road, coach has barred us from there,” said Pisi.
Jean de Villiers reckons his injury exit from this year’s World Cup might be a good omen for the Springboks, according to South African site sport24. De Villiers also departed the 2007 tournament early due to injury, with both injuries picked up in games against Samoa.
There is also the hat-trick theory against Samoa. In both 2007 and 1995, South African wingers scored a hat-trick of tries and then the team went on to win the tournament.
This one may be stretching the comparison a little, as the scorers, Bryan Habana and Chester Williams, actually scored four tries in those games, not just three, as scored by JP Pietersen this year.
“Our World Cup final has come a little earlier and it’s a massive game against Australia. The hunger is unbelievable,” – England lock Geoff Parling looks ahead to Saturday’s do-or-die clash with the Aussies.
“Lots of negativity being written about #ENG at the minute. We are at home and should all unite behind the team” — Former England scrum-half Austin Healey (@IamAustinHealey) rallies the home support.
So far, almost a million fans — 982,924 to be precise — have turned out to see World Cup action. The seven-figure barrier will be broken at the Millennium Stadium turnstiles today when Wales take on Fiji at the 74,500-capacity ground.
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