Rugby news in brief
Inside information
Sportsmen are a superstitious bunch. Some have to be first off the team coach; some put one sock on before the other. Some always wear the same boots. Opponents of Japan flanker Hare Makiri might want to think twice about any waist-high tackling after he revealed his own superstition: "I don't wear any undies - ever."
Eh, Hare, oversharing, oversharing.
Big target for Little
The Fiji outhalf Nicky Little will become the 13th player in international rugby to pass 600 points if he scores against Japan today. Little will be the first player from one of the Pacific Islands to achieve this milestone. England's Jonny Wilkinson is 18 points short of becoming the third person to reach 1,000. Ronan O'Gara, meanwhile, has some distance to go but could well reach the mark before his international career ends. He is currently on 767 points.
Emerick ruled out
It took some time to decide what everyone already knew - that USA centre Paul Emerick was guilty of a dangerous tackle on the England outhalf Olly Barkley. It was deemed the offence was "intentional, that there was a deliberate tipping motion in the tackle with an element of force driving the outhalf in a downward motion". This led to Barkley being stunned immediately after the tackle, making him vulnerable and unable to protect himself.
It was deemed the lifting and twisting of Barkley were premeditated, and this was considered to be a "top end" offence. Still, in consideration of Emerick's good behaviour they gave him a five-week suspension where a 10-weeks-plus ban is the norm.
Quotes of the day
We've got to stop throwing the ball around like confetti at a wedding. - Eddie O'Sullivan, again talking up his Irish team. They weren't that accurate, were they?
Do you think we're elephants or gorillas or something? - Kiwi Aaron Mauger, when asked whether he thought the All Blacks had the potential to physically hurt Portugal.
Player making waves
Jacques Haspekian, the founding father of Georgian rugby. A native of Marseille, he started coaching the Georgians in the late 1950s but in the mid-1960s retrieved his French passport and returned home.
Jako introduced rugby despite opposition from the Communist regime, who condemned the "alien, capitalist pastime". The first rugby session was held on October 15th, 1959, at Tbilisi racecourse.
Press night out
Quiet nights out are hard to come by. Imagine Eddie O'Sullivan's surprise when he stepped out of his the car at La Tupina, one of the best restaurants in town. On his left was Caleb Powell, former IRFU president. To his right was the rugby correspondent for the Daily Mirror and chief sports writer for the Irish Sun. In front sat writers from the Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, London Times and The Irish Times. The food was great though.
Laporte gets shirty
Rugby and business have long been the two passions of the French coach Bernard Laporte, as L'Équipehighlighted yesterday with one interesting revelation.
On his personal internet site is an offre exceptionelle, a French jersey personally signed by Laporte with a reputed 20 per cent reduction to €146. There are 10,000 available and, uniquely, Laporte is quoted as saying it will be personally signed for the purchaser with the number of his choice.
L'Équipe notes that on the FFR site the replica French jersey is selling for €76.
Smith returns
Centre Conrad Smith has returned to the New Zealand starting team after recovering from injury in one of 11 changes to their team for the Pool C match against Portugal in Lyon on Saturday.
NEW ZEALAND:M Muliana; I Toeava, C Smith, A Mauger, J Rokocoko; N Evans, B Leonard; N Tialata, A Hore, G Somerville; C Jack, A Williams; J Collins (capt), C Masoe, S Lauaki. Replacements: A Oliver, T Woodcock, C Hayman, R So'oialo, K Mealamu, A Ellis, L McDonald.
