The final warm-up matches for this year’s Rugby World Cup are this weekend with holders South Africa facing New Zealand on Friday and Australia heading to tournament hosts and leading contenders France on Sunday.
AFP Sport looks at three talking points ahead of the games:
Discipline danger
Over the past two weeks disciplinary issues have plagued teams’ preparations for the World Cup, which begins on September 8. England captain Owen Farrell will be banned for two pool games while Billy Vunipola will be unavailable for their potentially crucial tournament opener against Argentina on September 9. Both have been suspended for similar dangerous play, as the sport’s governing body World Rugby attempts to make the game safer by lowering the accepted tackle height. Tonga’s former New Zealand centre George Moala and Romania lock Adrian Motoc have also been the subject of disciplinary issues before the competition. With all but four World Cup teams in action this weekend there will be a some worried head coaches barely two weeks before the tournament starts.
Injury worries
The build-up to most major tournaments is fraught with fitness worries and the months before this edition have been no different. Defending champions South Africa will be without fly-half Handre Pollard, centre Lukhanyo Am and second-row Lood de Jager while the All Blacks have concerns over lock Brodie Retallick and Shannon Frizell. Elsewhere. Les Bleus have lost first-choice stand-off Romain Ntamack, England will be without back-three player Anthony Watson, centre Tommaso Menoncello will be missing for Italy and Argentina prop Nahuel Tatez Chaparro has torn his Achilles. Scotland, Georgia, France and the Azzurri, as well as the Boks and All Blacks are among the sides to pick strong outfits for this weekend’s run-outs, leaving coaches and fans watching on with worry.
Auditions
The final squads for the World Cup must be confirmed by Monday to tournament organisers but most teams have already announced their 33-man set-ups. This weekend offers an outside chance for players to impress. For the Springboks, fleet-footed winger Canan Moodie starts in the unusual position of centre against the All Blacks, fly-half Jack Crowley has an audition to be back-up for Johnny Sexton for Ireland against Samoa on Saturday and winger Jonny May has been brought into the England set-up at winger to face Fiji with Watson out. France prop Sebastien Taofifenua is on the bench against the Wallabies on Sunday and is set for his first Test since 2017, despite being omitted from Les Bleus’ squad. Coaches are able to call-up new faces to their squads during the World Cup, but only for injury and disciplinary reasons, leaving plenty of players waiting patiently.
