Rugby World Cup 2015: Seven things you need to know

Richie McCaw and the rest of the All Blacks' side will be named at midnight. Photo / Brett Phibbs

After a two day hiatus - and a big weekend of quarter-final rugby to prepare for - Scott Yeoman looks at seven things you need to know going into tonight.

1. All Blacks

The All Blacks side to play France will be named at midnight tonight. The team naming, taking place at Swansea University, will be followed by a press conference with coach Steve Hansen and five players. The team will then train at the university at 2am (NZ time), before travelling from Swansea to Cardiff at 5.30am. The team will be staying at the Cardiff Marriott Hotel. The All Blacks quarter-final is being played at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 8am on Sunday morning (NZ time). Visit nzherald.co.nz tomorrow morning for full coverage - including video footage, reaction and analysis - from the team naming, press conference and training session.

2. France

The French are also expected to name their side overnight, but this is no certainty. There appears to be a bit of friction within the Les Bleus camp, with a photo published in a French newspaper supposedly showing lock Yoann Maestri shoulder-barging coach Philippe Saint-Andre in the players' tunnel after France's loss to Ireland last Monday morning. Whether this is good or bad news for the All Blacks is unclear, as the Herald's Patrick McKendry explains.

3. South Africa name side

The Springboks have only made one change to their starting line-up for the quarter-final against Wales at Twickenham at 4am on Sunday morning (NZ time). Winger JP Pietersen replaces Lwazi Mvovo on the right wing, while Bryan Habana moves back to the left wing. Veteran lock Victor Matfield has been left out altogether as he is still recovering from a hamstring injury. See more on the South African team announcement here.

4. Scottish suspensions

The Scottish will be without lock Jonny Gray and hooker Ross Ford after the pair were suspended for three weeks for committing a dangerous tackle against Samoa last weekend. This is a huge blow for the Scots ahead of their difficult quarter-final against Australia at Twickenham at 4am on Monday morning (NZ time). The judicial decision was met with a fair amount of anger and disappointment in the Scottish camp.

5. Irish injury concerns

The Irish are still waiting anxiously to find out if star first five Jonathan Sexton will be fit for their quarter-final against Argentina at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 1am on Monday morning (NZ time). Sexton injured his groin against France last Monday morning. Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek has suggested, however, that Sexton might play even if he is not fully fit. Keith Earls is also a minor injury concern for the Irish, but is expected to recover in time. The absence of either player would be a big blow after Jared Payne (foot), Paul O'Connell (hamstring), and Peter O'Mahony (knee) have all been ruled out of the World Cup. Sean O'Brien was also suspended for one week for punching Frenchman Pascal Pape, and will miss the quarter-final.

Meanwhile, Argentina's Marcelo Bosch has also been suspended for one week for a dangerous tackle in the game against Namibia last Monday morning.

6. Player rankings

7. Team rankings

EXTRA TIME

Here's a quarter-final preview by Kiwi sports broadcaster Grant Nisbett to read heading into Friday and the weekend. Nisbett has made his predictions, what are yours? Email them to me at: scott.yeoman@nzherald.co.nz.