World Cup Diary

A rugby miscellany compiled by JOHN O'SULLIVAN

Numbers Game: Some facts and figures after the quarter-final showdowns

5: The number of times Ireland have failed to win a Rugby World Cup quarter-final after being beaten in 1987, 1991, 1995, 2003 and for a fifth time in losing 22-10 to Wales on Saturday.

25: The match on Saturday between Ireland and Wales marked a quarter century of quarter-finals in Rugby World Cup history.

72: Minutes Ireland trailed during Saturday’s loss to Wales, compared to just the five minutes in the whole of the pool phase.

48: The most points scored by one team in a Rugby World Cup quarter-final, when New Zealand defeated Scotland 48-30 in 1995

836: The number of caps in the South Africa starting line-up that lost their quarter-final 11-9 to Australia, the most of any team in Test history.

20: Mils Muliaina became the 20th player and second All Black, to earn 100 Test caps when he took part in New Zealand’s victory over Argentina yesterday.

5: French Test match wins at Eden Park. Their 42 per cent success rate is better than any nation other than New Zealand.

0: The number of points England scored in the first half of their defeat to France. They were the ninth team not to score in the first half of a RWC knockout match and all nine lost.

6: The number of RWC quarter-final wins by France and New Zealand in seven appearances each. They share the quarter-final victories record after beating England and Argentina respectively at the weekend.

* THE devil may be in the detail so some of the statistics relating to Ireland’s travails on Saturday make for interesting reading. The Irish team made 93 tackles but missed 14. according to the official match stats; Wales made 57 more tackles (141) and missed three fewer (11). Ireland turned over possession on 14 occasions to Wales’ nine. The difference in styles can be gleaned from the fact Ireland produced 10 offloads compared to the Welsh total of none.

French call: Lievremont urges players to create history

“Outstanding French performances are sometimes followed by very weak ones. It is up to the players to decide whether they just want to walk in the shoes of previous teams, or if they want to write their own story.”

– French coach Marc Lievremont makes reference to the fact they have reached the semi-finals of the tournament for the sixth time. They have lost three semi-finals and two finals.

“It feels like they’re cheering us. It’s the first time I’ve been walking around New Zealand and everyone is saying ‘good luck’ and ‘I hope you do well.’ I think we might be favourites. I think they hate the Aussies more than they hate us.”

– Unfortunately for Springbok secondrow Victor Matfield the support of the locals didn’t help much as they lost their quarter-final to Australia.

Dragon's den: Welsh fans find a home from home

IT’S already been noted that the Welsh squad are self-regulating alcohol restrictions during the World Cup tournament but their supporters are definitely making up for it as they partied into the early hours of Sunday morning in Wellington.

To celebrate their 22-10 defeat of Ireland, and a first semi-final appearance in 24 years, the aptly named Dragon Bar in central Wellington was packed to the rafters.

Billed as “the only Welsh bar in the Southern Hemisphere”, patrons partied into the early hours.

And hardy revellers were back before noon yesterday to keep the atmosphere topped up.

A blackboard at the front door read: “Well done, boys. We are so proud.”

Pub talk: France coach's thoughts on Wales

IT appears the first thing the French players and management did when they got back to their hotel after defeating England on Saturday was to nip into the pub next door. Alcohol wasn’t top of the agenda but a chance to see a rerun of Wales, who France now meet in the semi-final, and their 22-10 victory over Ireland.

French coach Marc Lievremont was impressed: “I find them excellent and in really good shape. They play very good rugby, in all areas. I’ve been impressed by how they kept Ireland under control, because the Irish were in good shape, too.

“The Welsh play more or less the same rugby as three years ago, but their forwards are more mobile and still very courageous.

“They have a wonderful back line and the best centre of the competition, Jamie Roberts.

“I like their backrow, and their big secondrow, (Luke) Charteris (above).

“They are full of confidence, they came out of the toughest pool and should have beaten South Africa (in their Pool D opener on September 11th, which the Springboks won 17-16).”

Serious stamp of approval for Priestland: Legend Barry John sings outhalf's praises

WALES and Lions legend Barry John, in his column in the Western Mail newspaper, was lavish in his praise of the Principality’s victory over Ireland and for young Llanelli outhalf, the excellent Rhys Priestland, he might just ask someone to cut out the article as a keepsake.

John wrote: “This progression continued with the excellent performance against Ireland as Wales produced an epic showing in Wellington. It rates as one of the finest in recent times and I believe it was the best-ever Welsh display at a World Cup.

“The game plan was superb and was brilliantly executed by the players. I never expected them to be so clinical and so organised in every department, with the defence particularly outstanding. An experienced Ireland side were always going to be difficult, but the energy of Wales’ young bucks shone through with no inhibitions at all.

“Leigh Halfpenny was seen as a gamble, but he was quite magnificent at fullback, with superb attack and courageous defence. George North has become a star at this tournament, though he was quieter yesterday.

“And I can’t praise Rhys Priestland enough, He hit the post a couple of times, but these things happen and it was never going to affect the match.

“Priestland has come on in leaps and bounds and shown the justification of his selection ahead of Stephen Jones and James Hook . . . it is an an extraordinary luxury to have Hook on the bench.”

Manu overboard: England's off-field problems continue as Tuilagi jumps off ferry

ENGLAND’S off-field problems continued yesterday when Manu Tuilagi was detained by Auckland police after jumping from a ferry as it was about to berth.

Tuilagi swam to a nearby pier at the Auckland Ferry Terminal where he was met by police and taken to Auckland Central Police station.

The Leicester centre was given a pre-charge warning for disorderly behaviour before being released back to the England team management, who were said to have been “a little bit embarrassed”.

It has been reported that Tuilagi was returning from a day trip with to Waiheke Island with fellow England team-mates.

Neither the police nor the Rugby Football Union would confirm whether Tuilagi was drunk at the time he jumped from the ferry.

The off-field conduct of some England squad members has been in the spotlight since a group of players enjoyed a night out drinking in Queenstown.

England manager Martin Johnson had given the players permission to go out and some ended up in a backpackers’ bar which was staging a dwarf-racing competition.

Mike Tindall was captured on CCTV footage from the Altitude Bar in conversation with a woman, reported to have been an old flame.

Tindall later issued an apology for misleading the England management over his movements that night, having initially claimed he did not go on to another bar.

Johnson also reprimanded James Haskell, Dylan Hartley and Chris Ashton after a female member of staff in their Dunedin hotel was reportedly teased with lewd comments.