World Cup diary

Compiled by GAVIN CUMMISKEY

Drowned out: Pope unable to make his point

THE BELOW "debate" actually happened on RTÉ television last Saturday morning.

Frankie Sheahan: If he was being ruthless he would have driven him further into the ground.

Tom McGurk: But Frankie, if that French player had a broken neck, what sort of card would you have shown?

Frankie: The reality is it would absolutely have been a red card but . . .

McGurk (interrupting): That’s what George says.

Frankie: We don’t have it here in front of us but it does say the level of injury does affect the sanction . . .

Brent Pope (interrupting): Fortunately he’s not, fortunately he’s not . . .

McGurk (interrupting the interrupter): But why does he require to do that?

Frankie: There’s accidents in rugby too . . .

McGurk (interrupting): But that’s not an accident.

George Hook: It’s not an accident – that’s the key point.

Pope: But it’s not intentional . . .

Hook and McGurk (interrupting together): Of course it’s intentional!

Frankie: If it’s very intentional he would have followed off and finished him into the ground.

Pope: It’s not intentional. I believe. Hold on, we are all talking over each other now . . .”

It went to the break moments later with McGurk interrupting an exasperated Pope who said: “You are trying to put words in my mouth!”

Now, see can you spot the differences in the Après Match version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDD8UbN4WCI

Burst bubble: Contrite Tuilagi

ENGLAND CENTRE Manu Tuilagi has vowed to make amends after admitting his "stupid" antics in New Zealand last week let a lot of people down.

Tuilagi ended a World Cup in which England were dogged by off-field controversy by being fined €3,400 by the Rugby Football Union after he was warned by Auckland police for jumping from a ferry into the harbour.

The incident followed England's disappointing quarter-final exit at the hands of France and was the latest in a line of player indiscretions.

The 20-year-old Leicester centre admits he is "very disappointed" in himself.

He told the Mail on Sunday: "It was such a stupid thing to do, wasn't it?

"I've let down my family, I've let down Martin Johnson (England manager) and I've let down the people of England. I didn't mean to offend anyone.

"I didn't kill anyone, I just took a swim. It was a lot worse because it was the day after losing to France and it was at the end of a tournament in which too much focus had been on what the players had been up to off the field.

"I thought I had a decent World Cup on the field but people will be talking about my swim more than my play and, for that reason, I am very disappointed with myself."

"It's only really since I've returned to England and left the World Cup bubble that I've realised people are not too happy with us because of how we played and how we behaved."

Reaction on twitter

THE TWITTERATI went into overdrive from the 20th minute of Saturday's World Cup semi-final between France and Wales.

The sending off of the Welsh captain Sam Warburton sparked a wave of itchy fingers across the rugby landscape.

That was BS . . . Surely that wasnt intentional (Tackle) #RW2011

– Former All Black prop Neemia Tialata

Red card???? No no no!!! #TITG

– Will Carling

Wow what an outrageous decision . . . #rugbyworldcup

– Rob Kearney

– I always think that Paul OConnell is going to spear-tackle that kid he picks up in the O2 ad. Warburton would definitely have done it.

– Ross O'Carroll-Kelly

It definitely didnt deserve a red card for a semi final of a world cup . . .

– Matt Giteau

If Id been playing for Wales, they would have won the match 13-9. Fact.

– Ross again

"horse manure frankie," good aul George . . . I think its someone else who talks manure my friend

– Seán Cronin commenting on George Hook commenting on Frankie saying a yellow card would have been the "sensible call"

Cooper is a Kiwi

ITV interviewer: "Is Quade Cooper a maverick like you, Campo?"

Campo: "No. He's a Kiwi. I'm an Italian."

– David Campese is the latest Australian to call their number 10 a New Zealander.

Lievremont rant

"I went to bed in a bad mood, because I'd asked the players not to go out. And I found out that a few of them had gone out. So we spoke about it this morning and I told them they are a bunch of spoiled brats.

"Undisciplined, disobedient, sometimes selfish. Always complaining, always whingeing.

"And it's been like this for four years. It seems to be our way of functioning. I also told them I have a lot of affection for them, but it is a shame they don't look after themselves."

– France coach Marc Lievremont

South Africa's Craig Joubert yesterday became the first referee to take charge of six matches at a single World Cup

Gagged: IRB make it tricky for Samoan

SAMOA AND Gloucester centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu's punishment for the below tweets is a six-month suspended sentence (after he finally showed up for his International Rugby Board hearing in Auckland along with a few hundred singing Samoans).

The tribunal, led by judge Jeff Blackett, demanded Fuimaono-Sapolu serve 100 hours of community work in Samoa, which is hardly hard labour, but he was given a NZ$1,000 (€580) fine and must do a refereeing course for accusing Welsh referee Nigel Owens of racism.

Here's where it gets tricky. Blackett gagged Fuimaono-Sapolu, who studied law, from criticising the IRB, the disciplinary process or match officials.

If he does, the six-month ban will be reactivated.

Yesterday he tweeted: "I had to pay $1,000 within 48 hours to the RWCL or I was going to be suspended for 6 months. FACT."

And then: "1991 RWC, French Assistant Coach Daniel Dubroca choked referee after quarter final loss. RWC authorities left matter for French to deal with."

Other Fuimaono-Sapolu tweets:

September 18th – It's obvious the IRB are unjust. Wales got 7 days, we got 3. Unfair treatment, like slavery, like the holocaust, like apartheid. F*** u."

October 1st – "That's why we need a neutral ref. All I'm hearing is how bullshit the ref was! Haha. He was f**king shit! I can understand the hate!!

"Haha good luck u racist biased p***k. I'm proud to be Samoan! IRB my bum, kiss it!

October 15th: "I don't feel like playing rugby any more. I had to compromise."