These are your rugby headlines on the morning of Sunday, October 8.
Warburton needs Japan
Former Wales captain Sam Warburton says he would fairly Wales face Japan than Argentina within the quarter-final after Warren Gatland’s males sealed the highest spot of their Rugby World Cup pool with a win over Georgia. Wales made it 4 wins from 4 to arrange a quarter-final conflict with both the Japanese or Argentines subsequent weekend. The two international locations meet on Sunday afternoon to battle it out for the chance to fulfill Wales within the last-eight.
Warburton, on punditry responsibility for ITV, stated he feels he would fairly Wales face the Japanese. “I’d most likely fairly Japan,” he stated after Wales’ win over Georgia in Nantes. “The purpose I wouldn’t say Argentina is, some groups in rugby simply hit these emotional peaks. I feel Argentina are a kind of groups, you might be stood there as a participant, he’s belting out the anthem you might be pondering ‘oh my god’, you may hear them by means of the gang, they’re up for it right this moment!
“These boys do get these emotional peaks, I don’t think we’ve seen a good performance from them. If we haven’t seen it in the pool stages, we could see it in the quarters. I feel the ceiling is highest for Argentina. If I had to choose I’d say Japan.”
Ireland’s harm record grows
They might have made it by means of to the quarter-finals however Ireland are counting the cost of their win over Scotland on Saturday night time with quite a few key gamers struggling accidents. Andy Farrell’s males put in one other assertion efficiency as they blew the Scots away within the first half in Paris and emerged as 36-14 winners to prime Pool B and ebook their place within the final eight the place they’ll play New Zealand.
But the win got here at a worth with Mack Hansen, James Ryan and James Lowe all changing into harm issues forward of the All Blacks conflict. After the sport at Stade de France, Farrell admitted the harm record was rising, with Hansen going off for an HIA earlier than he “felt his calf immediately” later within the recreation. Meanwhile, Ryan may have a wrist harm assessed whereas James Lowe, who obtained on-field remedy for an eye fixed harm, “could not see a lot” though his imaginative and prescient was beginning to come again.
Best: We bought away with one
Former Ireland skipper Rory Best has raised questions over a attempt scored within the victory over Scotland. Andy Farrell’s facet scored three tries earlier than half-time to place them in command of the competition, with James Lowe crossing for the primary rating little greater than a minute into the sport. However, Best, on punditry responsibility within the ITV studio, observed an infringement from Tadhg Beirne within the build-up to the attempt that he stated was “most likely a penalty”
“It’s the proper begin for Ireland,” he stated as he analysed the attempt. “Two minutes right into a recreation the place you realize we wished to start out effectively. This form of form is what Ireland do higher than anybody else on the planet, that form of ahead carrying with choices outdoors Johnny Sexton, turning the nook after which Garry Ringrose discovering the hole after which there’s simply so many individuals flooding by means of.
“[But] I feel once we have a look at the reverse angle, when you have been Scottish, you would be a bit of bit irritated on the TMO not having checked out this as a result of, finally, when you get in entrance of the ball and also you block any person, or any person’s potential or the opposition’s potential to make a deal with, that’s most likely a penalty.”
Dupont nears return
France celebrity Antoine Dupont is edging nearer to a outstanding return to World Cup motion, with the scrum-half stated to be in “nice form” simply over two weeks on from fracturing his cheekbone in opposition to Namibia. There have been fears that the captain would miss a lot of his facet’s World Cup marketing campaign after he was compelled off with the harm within the group-stage recreation, however after present process surgical procedure he has continued to defy the percentages as he targets a quarter-final return. French assistant coach Karim Ghezal has given a glowing evaluation of Dupont’s progress, with the star set to be taught if he will likely be cleared to play subsequent week in a gathering together with his surgeon.
“His bodily qualities are spectacular,” Ghezal stated. “He’s labored exhausting bodily, performed lots of operating, lots of pace work. Those are his sturdy factors. The subsequent step, is the appointment together with his surgeon, who will determine. Physically, he hasn’t misplaced a lot within the week he’s been off, fairly the alternative in reality. Physically, he’s in nice form.”
Ghezal additionally gave an update on try-scoring sensation Damian Penaud, who was seen limping within the win over Italy, easing fears that he could be sidelined for the knockout levels. “Everything’s fine. It happens to him in training too,” Ghezal added. “I think it’s a slight knock to his tibia. All the players are going to have a medical assessment. From what I’ve heard, we don’t have any concerns with any players. Damian is 100 percent.”
Crowley hits out after elimination
The departing Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has hit out on the nation’s rugby chiefs after his facet have been knocked out of the World Cup following a heavy defeat to France. The Azzurri have been despatched packing by the event hosts as they have been smashed 60-7 in France’s greatest ever win over an Italy facet. To make issues worse, that defeat got here only a week after a humilating 96-17 loss in opposition to New Zealand.
Italy had confirmed previous to the event that Crowley would get replaced as head coach by former Stade Francais boss Gonzalo Quesada forward of the 2024 Six Nations, with the New Zealander heading to Japan to take cost of Honda Heat. The transfer has been criticised by many after the 62-year-old had helped ltaly finish their winless run within the Six Nations and led them to historic wins over Australia and Wales simply final 12 months. And after his time within the hotseat got here to an finish together with his facet’s elimination, Crowley slammed these accountable for Italian rugby, accusing them of missing respect for these taking to the sphere.
“These boys, they’d die for you; they’ve got a lot of pride,” he stated. “I simply hope they begin getting handled with a bit extra respect after this. For the following World Cup cycle, there will likely be lots of gamers with 50 or 60 Test matches by then, in order that will likely be good.
“I’ve stated earlier than I want to take this staff ahead; I feel the following World Cup is their cycle. What must occur, although, is these gamers want to start out being handled with a little bit of respect off the sphere. They have to get a few of their stuff sorted.
“So, fairly actually, I don’t know whether or not I’d wish to be concerned until they get it sorted. I’d like to take these boys ahead, however I will likely be consuming some sushi and watching from afar.”
