Compiled by Johnny Watterson

Closet technicians

What scallywags players at this World Cup can be - especially the Welsh boys. One Welsh journalist at the team hotel in Pornichet at the weekend was wondering what had happened to his mobile, when some of the players "found" it and returned it to him.

To his suprise, his sent messages folder contained a text to all his friends and family - including his wife - saying he had a boyfriend and was considering coming out of the closet. It took the unfortunate scribe a while to reassure his loved ones, however, as the culprits had set his display language to Turkish. For that they deserve a quarter-final against South Africa!

Touching faith

Japan's Philip O'Reilly was asked two weeks ago by a journalist whether there were any superstitions within the team. The reporter was assured there weren't. The Kiwi-born flanker was then asked if he thought he could last 80 minutes of game-time with his hip injury. O'Reilly replied, "Yeah bro, no problem, touch wood."

Rumours travel faster

The Irish team management had it reinforced for them why it is better that their training sessions in Bordeaux should remain closed to prying eyes. This week was the first workout at which journalists were allowed to remain for the duration.

The session was interrupted, however, by a phone call to the media manager from a newpaper in Ireland that wanted to know about Brian O'Driscoll's damaged hamstring. O'Driscoll had sat out the session with a knock on the knee but the word had gone out to Ireland that his famous hamstrings were again acting up. They weren't.

Down in the mouth

Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan was asked yesterday (in a pull up a chair my oul flower and let it all out sort of way) how was he feeling after all of the controversies and criticism of the last two weeks.

"I'm certainly not enjoying the World Cup the way the team is playing," he confessed. "It's a tough time but it's part of the job and you just get on with it."

Do we sense a fatalistic air creeping in?

Prosecution lacks bite

Springboks are normally vegetarian but following a citing complaint against South Africa player, Francois Steyn, which was dismissed, the search is on for a Springbok carnivore.

Steyn was cited for allegedly biting Tongan number 11 Joseph Vaka in the match in Lens last Saturday. The citing was initiated by the Tongan management but they couldn't make it stick as the video evidence was inconclusive. The judicial officer, who heard the complaint, did say that based on the evidence - bite marks - a citing complaint was justified but accepted the explanation by Steyn that the sequence of events was such that he could not have been involved in the contact that led to the mark on Vaka's hand. A job for Miami CSI.

Quote of the day

"If we can get four tries, we will, if we can't we'll die trying."

- Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll at the team announcement yesterday illustrating that he knows a good sound bite when he hears one.

No classic in St Etienne

Italy expect an encounter high on intensity and emotion but low on open running rugby when they meet Scotland in their final Pool C match in St Etienne on Saturday.

With a berth in the quarter-finals of the World Cup at stake Italy backs Gonzalo Canale and Kaine Robertson expect neither side will take too many risks.

"I don't think we'll see a spectacular match, in a sense that there won't be too many fancy plays," New Zealand-born wing Robertson told reporters at the team hotel in Saint-Remy-de Provence yesterday.

"It's going to be a very fraught match because both teams will expose years of hard work in 80 minutes. I imagine a match in which both Italy and Scotland will try and make the most of every opportunity, every kick.

"It's very important we stay calm because if during the match we don't have the patience, we won't be able to play the game we want."