Break a leg
With the knockout phase of the 2011 Rugby World Cup fast approaching, team doctors are having to earn their keep as anxious coaches and fans obsess over potentially crucial blows to their playing stocks.
Argentina may have taken a massive step towards a quarterfinal berth with their tense victory over Scotland at Eden Park, but what will the hard-fought win cost them further down the road?
Dynamic loose forwards Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Manuel Leguizamon suffered injuries in the attritional battle and many will argue that their presence is key to Argentina’s hopes of advancing in the tournament.
Both Australia and New Zealand received encouraging news on the injury front on Sunday with the key pair of David Pocock and James O’Connor available for the Tri-Nations champions going forward and All Blacks utility back Richard Kahui the only player in the squad set to miss their final pool match.
Samoa have tried to sound as hopeful as they can about their influential flyhalf Tusi Pisi’s dodgy hamstring, and for their sake let’s hope that the power of positive thought pulls through.
Pisi really does give them a whole lot more structure when he is on the park and his presence in the starting line-up will be vital if they are to upset the defending champions and secure a place in the last eight on Friday.
The Springboks have quite an interesting injury situation with coach Peter de Villiers explaining that unless Bakkies Botha and Butch James can prove their full fitness he may have to send them home at the conclusion of the pool stage of the tournament, and he will be holding thumbs that his charges are able to come through the clash with the notoriously physical Samoans without any more casualties.
There is no doubt that there will be more injuries that will have a big impact on the tournament, and with some vital matches which will decide which teams will be sticking around to play knock-out rugby coming up you can almost sense the stress levels of those invested (financially or emotionally) in the World Cup rising.
Hanmer hen night of horror:
A dozen Christchurch lasses on a hen night could not believe their luck when they spotted a trio of Wallabies watching the All Blacks game in a Hanmer Springs pub on Saturday night.
Sporting fishnet stockings and flashing red horns, they made a bee-line for Australia captain James Horwill and his forward partners Stephen Moore and Rob Simmons.
But they were soon sent scurrying away.
“Luckily we were out with our own girls,” explained Horwill, whose table included a coterie of delectable WAGs. “Our girls gave them the evil eye and the hen party soon got the message.”
Maybe. Or perhaps it was the menacing figure of Australia assistant coach Jim Williams prowling by the door.
Polota-Nau logs off:
There was one lovelorn member of the Aussie squad in Hanmer Springs, though.
“For me personally I need to get to know (how it feels) because that’s obviously what makes them better gentlemen,” said hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau. “But I am looking for one for myself. Hopefully Hanmer can provide.”
Not that it seems he’s been trying too hard. Asked what he did on Saturday night, Polota-Nau said: “I put my feet up on the coffee table, chucked some logs into the fire and just ‘kumbaya-ed’ all night long.”
Dogged Smit:
South Africa’s inspirational leader John Smit can never be accused of being lazy. The 33-year-old has played in all 15 of the Springboks’ RWC matches since 2003.
But coach Peter de Villiers said he would hand the hooker a well-earned rest when the defending champions clash with Samoa in Auckland on Friday.
“John needs a rest. He’s like Duracell (batteries) at the moment, he just keeps on going. Not that he squeals, but I have to manage him, too,” de Villiers said on Saturday.
Mrs Castro lays down the law:
Italian tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni will definitely not be adding the Maori design that adorns the meaty right thigh of the artist at the makeshift tattoo studio in the team hotel.
“My mother said I’m not to, otherwise I can never go home,” he said, “and how can I refuse? After all she is my mother.”
One thing he did pick up from Mrs Castro is an ability to cook. Castro has regularly been invited to work his magic at the barbecue on team days off, even if he is having trouble with the New Zealand barbecues.
“It is different here because they are all gas barbecues, but even if you don’t have coals the secret is leave the meat to cook for a long time.”
Such troubles did not stop the Italian front rower from tucking in, with teammates estimating that he wolfed down 15 steaks during one team barbecue.
With thanks to RNS
