The World is Oval

Seán puts spoke inThe rugby squad are not the only famous Irish sportsmen in France these days. The cycling legend Seán Kelly is working for Eurosport television in Paris and is staying at the Villa Escudier, near the Bois de Boulogne.

The complex is close to Parc des Princes and Roland Garros and is a popular stopover for tennis players during the French Open.

Kelly, you will be glad to know, is still clocking up the miles. He was spotted the other day donning cycling gear and heading off on the bike. He returned a couple of hours later looking in remarkable fettle.

Percy equals record

Percy Montgomery will equal Joost van der Westhuizen's South Africa record for caps won when he takes the field in today's Pool A match against England. Ollie Le Roux, who makes his way to Leinster this season, comes in at ninth on the Springboks' list with 54 caps, earned between 1994 and 2002.

Leinster get the aging prop, while Munster get the red-hot Doug Howlett.

Ronan needs big hit

If Ireland reach the quarter-finals, and a possible meeting with New Zealand, Ronan O'Gara may have some points to prove. The New Zealand press are not known for subtlety and discretion and they like to call a spade a spade.

If the Irish outhalf read the match programme for the game against Namibia, he would have seen a newspaper quote from the Lions tour of two years ago dusted down and used again.

"Ronan O'Gara knows how to kick to the corners but Ronan Keating would be a better tackler," said the Herald. Ouch!

Eithne rolls out carpet

The Irish naval vessel the LE Eithnewill this weekend visit Bordeaux, where members of the public and visiting fans will have the opportunity to go on board tomorrow and Sunday, from 2pm to 5pm.

The Eithnewill dock close to the World Cup village on the quays in the centre of Bordeaux (124 Quai des Quinconces). And if that is not enough excitement, Hector Ó hEochagáin is threatening to drop-kick rugby balls at the boat.

Dictaphone dictat

The time-honoured tradition of clicking on your tape recorder and leaving it on the table in front of Eddie O'Sullivan or Brian O'Driscoll during post-match press conferences has been axed by the RWC organisers. The acoustics are good enough for the words to be picked up around the room, we were assured at Stade Chaban-Delmas last week.

Helpful indeed, until it was discovered the reason for the change was not so much to help the hardworking hacks as to save face, the fear being dictaphones not made by the official sponsor Toshiba might be picked up by television cameras, thus giving free publicity to the competition.

You just cannot be too careful these days.

Quote of the day

"They (Andy Farrell and Mike Catt) will both be playing as inside backs and that's all I will say . . . I said they would be both playing as inside backs. It doesn't matter, does it (who plays at 10)? Alright, Catt at 10, Farrell at 12."

- England coach Brian Ashton feeling the pressure as injury and suspension turn English hopes of defending their title pear shaped.

Juan butts out

The Portugal flanker Juan Severino Somoza has been banned for four weeks after being cited for headbutting Scotland's Nathan Hines during their Pool C game on Sunday, tournament organisers said yesterday.

"The player admitted the act of foul play," the official website www.rugbyworldcup.com wrote.

"In considering a sanction, the judicial officer concluded that the offence was intentional, namely was a deliberate strike with the head," the statement added.

Somoza is free to play from October 8th but since Portugal won't progress from Pool C, which also contains New Zealand, Scotland and Italy, the ban effectively rules him out of the rest of the World Cup.

He has two days in which to appeal.