Emergency action:There has been much opinion spilled over the selection of scrumhalf Eoin Reddan for Ireland's match against France on Friday. Many see it as an honest effort to give Reddan his deserved chance ahead of an out-of-sorts Peter Stringer, while others see it as a desperate act of a team in crisis.
The latter view has encouraged whispers around the bistros of Bordeaux that Reddan's initials happen to be appropriate enough for the occasion - Emergency Room.
TV record beckons
Whatever about the RWC ratings for TV3 and Setanta, the French television network TF1 appear to be satisfied with the way things have worked out for them. The figures for the French match against Namibia had an audience of 12,243,000, the third-highest viewership for a rugby match. At that rate the match against Ireland could find its way into the television record books.
Inching closer
Frankie Sheehan's patience didn't seem to be wearing too thin at the team hotel yesterday. The hooker, who has been selected for the bench for this week's match, went to the last World Cup and didn't play. Ireland are now into their third game of this one as he inches closer to the field. The Munster player observed, "There is a lot of nervous tension and that was the fear. There is no harm in having a little fear. We are going into the lions' den on Friday night and there are no passengers."
Well, not this time for Frankie, we hope
Quote of the day
"First of all it is their faith in themselves that they could. They believed and needed others to believe. Blessed is he who believes."
- Malkhaz Cheishvili, the Georgian head coach explaining what allowed them heroically raise their game against Ireland.
Williams wins 50th cap
Wales wing Shane Williams will win his 50th cap tomorrow when he leads his team on to the field at the Millennium Stadium for the Pool B match against Japan.
Williams has scored a Welsh record 14 tries against Japan, including four in one match.
Outhalf Stephen Jones will lead Wales for the eighth time in the absence of the injured Gareth Thomas, ruled out for two weeks with a rib injury.
Colin Charvis, who plays at openside flanker while Martyn Williams takes the night off, will equal Gareth Llewellyn's Welsh forward record of 92 caps.
James Hook, who was replaced by Jones in the opening match against Canada, will start in the centre with Jamie Robinson.
In the forwards, hooker Rhys Thomas gets his first World Cup start.
WALES:K Morgan; D James, J Robinson, J Hook, S Williams; S Jones (capt), M Phillips; D Jones. R Thomas, C Horsman; W James, A-W Jones; J Thomas, C Charvis, A Popham. Replacements: H Bennett, G Jenkins, I Evans, M Williams, G Cooper, C Sweeney, T Shanklin.
Saying it as he sees it
Eddie O'Sullivan's problems appear to be similar to those of his former defence coach Mike Ford, now assistant to England coach Brian Ashton. Ford has good old north of England directness.
On Mike Catt he said, "You can't just step in and expect a first-class performance."
On Andy Farrell he said, "He's getting to grips with it (union) but he is probably a bit too late with his age to be where he wants to be."
On selection he said, "We're still finding out how players perform under intense pressure."
A little late for epiphanies you would think.
