From the Touchline

A lighter look at Rugby World Cup 2011.

Numbers 

0 - Points England scored in the first half of Saturday's quarter-final against France. They were the ninth team not to score in the first half of a RWC knockout match and all nine lost.
 
5 - Test match wins by France at Eden Park, where their 42 per cent success rate is better than any nation other than New Zealand.
 
6 - RWC quarter-finals France have won from seven appearances (a record). New Zealand have the opportunity to equal this in their quarter-final against Argentina on Sunday.
 
72 - Minutes Ireland trailed during their Saturday quarter-final loss to Wales, compared with five minutes in the whole of the pool phase at RWC 2011.

He said it

"... outstanding French performances are sometimes followed by very weak ones. It is up to the players to decide whether they just want to walk in the shoes of previous teams, or if they want to write their own story.”
- With France in the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup for the sixth time, coach Marc Lièvremont told his players on Sunday it is up to them to make history. France have lost three RWC semi-final matches and two finals.

Land of oats and glory

A selection of compelling photographs depicting New Zealand rugby through the ages was whetting the appetite of foreign fans ahead of the much-anticipated quarter-final between Australia and South Africa on Sunday.

About 100 blown-up images have been adorning the Wellington quayside for RWC 2011. Most are iconic shots of All Black greats, others celebrate the unsung heroes of the club game and all carry evocative behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

One showing legendary scrum half Dave Loveridge has a caption recalling an era when Sundays were most definitely not the day for crunch internationals.

After a particularly vigorous post-match celebration one Saturday night, Loveridge's son was asked by his coach at Taranaki rugby club how his father was faring.

"He isn't well," the pig farmer's son replied. "When he leaned over this morning, all his porridge fell out."

Don't put your shirt on it

Among the legion of fans thronging the South Africa team hotel on Sunday morning was the country's Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula.

Asked whether he would don a Springbok shirt in the celebrated manner of Nelson Mandela at RWC 1995, when the former South African president presented the Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar, he suggested he was not about to celebrate prematurely.

"I do have a shirt." he replied. "But I am not going to put it on just yet."

Dragon's pour

The triumphant Wales team may be under self-imposed alcohol restrictions as they prepare for their first RWC semi-final in 24 years, but their fans were showing little empathy with their heroes on Saturday night.

After the 22-10 defeat of Ireland, the Dragon bar in central Wellington was packed to the rafters.

Billed as "the only Welsh bar in the southern hemisphere", patrons partied into the early hours. And hardy revellers were back before noon on Sunday to keep the atmosphere topped up.

A blackboard at the front door reads: "Well done, boys. We are so proud."

In Auckland, meanwhile, assistant coach Rob Howley said the Welsh squad were being bombarded with text messages from home. "It's the best of times for us," he said. "I am sure Wales is going mad at this time."