Steve Hepburn

All Black coach Graham Henry is not crying over spilt milk and has nominated Piri Weepu as the man to navigate the team round the field.

Mils Muliaina says players caught out drinking last week have learnt being a member of the national side is a job which never ends.

Into the semifinals with all the panache and style of a clapped-out Hillman Hunter.

The French. Who knows what you are going to get from them?A shambles one week, on fire the next.

All Black skipper Richie McCaw is expected to line up against Argentina tomorrow but is not certain to be seen in the rest of the tournament.

Over-confidence is in short supply in the Argentinian camp and blunt reality rules the roost.

Colin Slade gets it. So does the team he is playing for. Now he wants the rest of the country to cotton on.

Do not look too far ahead is the motto for the All Blacks at this World Cup, but the overall season is in need of a shake-up, assistant coach Steve Hansen says.

Twelve teams have gone home. But among the also-rans, there was some pretty good talent. Rugby writer Steve Hepburn looks at a World Cup side made up of departed players.

Italy may have a big scrum and a couple of hefty props but Ireland believes you need more than that to be successful at this World Cup.

Otago co-coach Phil Mooney has insisted he was not pushed and that he enjoyed coaching Otago over the past two seasons.

The Irish side might have won the past 15 tests against Italy but that does not mean it will be thinking victory is assured on Sunday.

He cannot really tell you how he does it but Israel Dagg has that skill that every player needs - an ability to get to the tryline.

Smashing the French on Saturday night was not about making a statement to the other 18 teams in the competition.

This is a plot that not even Shakespeare could come up with.