26 Sep 2019

Rugby World Cup: Top stories from the tournament

12:03 pm on 26 September 2019

Analysis - Some days the Rugby World Cup seems to stretch on and on like a foregone election campaign. To help out, we've been reading all the coverage so you don't have to.

Australia's wing Reece Hodge is tackled during the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool D match between Australia and Fiji at the Sapporo Dome.

Reece Hodge on attack during his side's match against Fiji at the Rugby World Cup. Photo: AFP

The three match ban on Wallaby winger Reece Hodge for a dangerous tackle on Peceli Yato in the Fiji match has got a lot of people (well, Australians) upset.

One commentator called it "utterly ridiculous"; the Australian's deputy sports editor used words in a tweet which we can't use on a family website like ours, but they were fairly strong. Spoiler alert: upset Australians.

It turns out New Zealanders aren't the only ones having viewing issues.

Ireland's public broadcaster, RTE, has apologised after it was forced to switch to English commentary (the horror) for the Ireland vs Scotland match because its commentators were so muffled they sounded like they were "commentating in a Coke can" as one critic complained.

Surely, this has to be story of the day. The USA's first-five eighth Will Magie reveals that his great great aunt invented Monopoly and then sold it for too little.

Sadly for Fijian fans, everyone loves Uruguay now. That everyone includes Sir Clive Woodward, who once brought a team to New Zealand; they lost.

Uruguay's players celebrate after winning the Pool D match against Fiji in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Japan

Uruguay's players celebrate after winning the Pool D match against Fiji in the 2019 Rugby World Cup Japan Photo: AFP

Was it unfair that Fiji had to play another test just four days after having to play the Wallabies? Well someone has to, according to this analysis of time between matches at the Rugby World Cup.

The problem is that having pools of five means someone has to play two games within five days.

Here's an interesting take: Why aren't there more talented teenagers at the Rugby World Cup? Probably because the international game is all about strength and collisions, argues Guardian sports correspondent and former Fijian sevens coach Ben Ryan.

And then there's this; the story of the Japanese bloke who is body painting every one of the 20 jerseys on show at the World Cup. Good on him.

What are the All Blacks doing today? Nothing, not a thing. They have a day off in Beppu in southern Japan.

Enjoy the brief respite from All Black press conferences. We'll be scanning the headlines and back with more as the world cup progresses.

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