Rugby World Cup 2011

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Full Time:

South Africa 17 - 16 Wales

What a cracker game!!!

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Wallabies: We can cope without Ioane

AUCKLAND, 13 Sept. - The Wallabies are confident they have the depth in their squad to fill the gap left by injured wing Digby Ioane.

Teammates were rocked by news that Ioane had fractured his right thumb during Australia’s 32-6 victory over Italy on Sunday and would need surgery.

"That was a real shock actually,” Adam Ashley-Cooper said. “It's thrown a real spanner in the works."

"I think it's a massive blow,” added scrum half Will Genia.

“He's someone who gets us over the advantage line more often than not and he's always looking for work. He's always an extra runner because he loves getting his hands on the ball.”

With the flashy wing ruled out of Australia’s match against Ireland on Saturday, centre Anthony Fainga'a believes Ioane’s absence will put pressure on the team.

"With Digby topping the tackle counts and topping the attacking runs, it brings a lot of pressure to everyone,” he said.

Chip in

“It just means everyone has to chip in a bit more."

Australia must also decide who will replace Ioane, though the team is confident in the quality and depth of their squad.

"While it's unfortunate to lose 'Diggers' for however long he's out for with his injury, the group covers that,” second row Dan Vickerman said.

“It's sad to see him go but I have every faith that the guys that are coming in will do just as good a job.

"That's the beauty of having a strong squad. Our group from 1 to 30 is a pretty well-balanced group and the guys coming in have played a lot of Test matches."

Anthony Faingaa added: "James O'Connor, Drew Mitchell, we've got some guys who've played good Super Rugby, Tri Nations and World Cups before."

After surgery this week, Ioane should be able to return to the Australian line-up later in the tournament.

Genia said his Queensland Reds teammate was remaining upbeat despite the setback.

"He's in good spirits,” Genia said. “There's nothing he can do about it. Obviously he's disappointed and would like to play but he's still going to be around the group and hopefully all goes well and he'll be back training.''

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Seven changes as McCaw to plays 100th test

Richie McCaw will become the first All Black to play 100 tests when he leads out a side containing sweeping changes to play Japan in their World Cup match on Friday.

Mils Muliaina will start at fullback and Dan Carter is included at fly-half – with a question mark – as the All Black selectors made seven changes to the run on side that beat Tonga 41-10 in their first game.

Conrad Smith and Keven Mealamu have also been returned to the starting line up with Smith playing his 50th test.

Adam Thomson, who only returned to full training after suffering an elbow injury last month, has been named at No 8 with Victor Vito dropped to the bench.

Head coach Graham Henry paid special tribute to McCaw saying he provides "inspiration to New Zealanders because of his total commitment to enhancing the reputation of New Zealand through the success of the All Blacks team.

"He is incredibly brave, skilful and a hugely intelligent player who has the total respect of his team through the many deeds and successes he has achieved on the rugby field, and his ability to lead from the front."

The 30-year-old McCaw played his first test against Ireland on the 2001 end-of-year northern tour, and was blooded as captain three years later before taking over the leadership fulltime in 2006.

McCaw described being the first All Black to reach 100 tests was special but his focus was primarily on leading the team through the game then "I'll look back and reflect on it with pride.

"To play it in New Zealand is pretty special, and at the World Cup couldn't get a bigger stage to do it, but you've still got to remember to do the job."

Carter, who received a torrid time in the Tonga match, continues to be affected by a sore back and although he has been included in the team his starting role was not assured.

Henry said the ace playmaker wanted to take the field but a final decision would not be made until the All Blacks wrapped up training.

The All Blacks were under no illusion about the challenge from Japan who were within four points of a boilover against France in their first World Cup game before Les Bleus piled on 22 points in the closing 10 minutes to win 47-21.

"There is no doubt they are a very good team and well coached by John Kirwan and Mick Byrne," Henry said.

"They are physical at the breakdown, play the game at speed and will be a real threat if we let them play like that so we will have to be on top of our game.

Kirwan is a former All Black and Byrne is the All Blacks kicking coach who has been on loan to Japan for the past two years but will return to New Zealand after the World Cup.

Team

Mils Muliaina; Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Richard Kahui; Dan Carter, Andy Ellis; Adam Thomson, Richie McCaw (Captain), Jerome Kaino; Sam Whitelock, Brad Thorn; Owen Franks, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: Andrew Hore, John Afoa, Ali Williams, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Colin Slade, Sonny Bill Williams.

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Half Time:

Samoa 25 - 0 Namibia

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Full Time:

Samoa 49 - 12 Namibia

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Tuilagi hat-trick puts Namibia to the sword

ROTORUA, 14 Sept. - Samoa made a powerful statement of intent in their opening match of Rugby World Cup 2011 by making all the running in a 49-12 victory over Namibia on Wednesday.

Wing Alesana Tuilagi grabbed a hat-trick and scrum half Kahn Fotuali'I recorded the fastest touchdown of the tournament so far as the islanders showcased their attacking capabilities at Rotorua International Stadium.

But for a 10-minute lull early in the second half after they were reduced to 14 men by Paul Williams’ sin-binning, they were all muscle and menace as their forwards linked deftly with their free-running backs.

When Williams returned along with a raft of replacements, they picked up the pace again and stretched the 25-0 half-time lead well beyond the Welwitschias’ reach.

Tuilagi sprinted over for his third in the 53rd minute before Williams got in on the act five minutes later by stepping through the flailing Namibians to make it 40-0.

Only a growing injury toll could dampen their spirits and six of their seven replacements had taken the field with a quarter of the game still remaining.

Consolation score

Namibia grabbed a consolation score when Danie van Wyk ran in for a try from halfway after a neat kick-and-gather by Llewellyn Winkler.

But after flanker Rohan Kitshoff was sin-binned, they came under increased pressure and referee Romain Poite awarded a penalty try when they illegally stepped in to stifle a pushover by the Samoans.

Namibia fly half Theuns Kotze wrapped up proceedings when he scored and converted a try with two minutes remaining.

Fotuali'I had got his side’s RWC 2011 campaign off to the brightest of starts when he fielded a poor clearance kick and bullocked his way along the right touchline to dot down in the corner after 49 seconds. Fly half Tusi Pisi converted a difficult kick.

Namibia,who lost 49-25 to Fiji on Saturday, found it hard to cope with the early onslaught by the powerful islanders and went 10-0 down after a Pisi penalty in the 10th minute.

Hamstring injury

The Welwitschias tried to muscle their way back into the contest, with skipper Jacques Burger leading from the front, but Samoa's backline was always a threat and left wing Tuilagi sprinted over for Samoa's second try after a pass from number 8 George Stowers in the 17th minute.

Pisi converted and was again on target with a penalty before limping off 10 minutes later with a hamstring injury.

Five minutes before half-time, Tuilagi got his second after a quick tapped penalty by Maurie Fa'asavalu found Stowers again combining well with the three-quarters.

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Some great images from the World cup so far

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Half Time:

Tonga 7 - 10 Canada

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Canada 25 - 20 Tonga

Tenacious Canada defeat Tonga

WHANGAREI, 14 Sept. - Canada mounted a storming comeback to edge past Tonga 25-20 in their Pool A encounter at Northland Events Centre.

Tries in the last quarter of an hour from number 8 Aaron Carpenter and wing Phil Mackenzie helped Canada maintain their 100 per cent record against Tonga in Rugby World Cups.

Two tries from Siale Piutau had helped Tonga to a 20-13 lead midway through the second half before the Canadian try-scorers struck.

Piutau crossed just before half-time and again on 53 minutes to register the first brace of tries by a Tongan player in a Rugby World Cup.

Canada went into the break with a slender 10-7 lead but Tonga full back Kurt Morath levelled straight after the interval with a penalty.

James Pritchard replied almost immediately to restore Canada’s three-point lead before Piutau’s try, successfully converted, like his first, by Morath.

As the second half wore on Tonga began to find more shape to their play and another Morath penalty took them 20-13 ahead.

Then, however, Canadian number 8 Aaron Carpenter powered through for a try on 67 minutes after good work from Conor Trainor.

Pritchard missed the conversion, leaving the sides poised at 20-18, before Mackenzie's try and Pritchard's conversion took the Canucks clear.

Canada had opened the scoring in the 13th-minute when DTH van der Merwe scythed through the Tongan defence and fellow centre Ryan Smith passed to Jebb Sinclair for the second row to crash over, full back James Pritchard adding the extras.

With Canada beginning to exert territorial advantage, Tonga crept offside to allow Pritchard to extend the lead to 10-0 before Piutau's first try pegged them back.

Canada have now won all three RWC matches played between the two.

[hawlass]

That was an awesome game, but bloody cold here at the moment- gotta be 9c with the windchill