Scrum half Andrey Bykanov spoke less from the managment-speak thesaurus, and more from the heart:
"First of all, we must show a true team game, as if we were brothers united as a single unit."
Replacements:
16. Dylan Hartley17. Matt Stevens18. Tom Palmer 19. Tom Wood 20. Ben Youngs 21.
Toby Flood 22. Matt Banahan
Replacements:
16. Yusuke Aoki 17. Nozomu Fujita 18. Hitoshi Ono 19. Itaru Taniguchi 20. Atsushi Hiwasa 21. Murray Williams 22. Alisi Tupuailai
Fun fact: Georgia are nicknamed 'the lelos' after
lelo burti
, a game similar to rugby. They also call tries 'lelos'. Here's hoping for some cracking lelos from these minnows.
"He's (France head coach Marc Lièvrement) picked a very strong side. I can't see too many weaknesses. We thought that might happen. We're happy and pleased it's such a strong side, cause that's what we wanted."
As well as pressure on the field, he also seemed concerned about a certain expert who would be watching Japan very closely:
"I'm under added pressure on Saturday night because my mum's coming. She's 82 and she knows the game, so there's going to be a bit of added pressure on Saturday night."
Here's the team to play their opening match in Pool B against Romania at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill, on Saturday, 10 September:
1. Allan Jacobsen 2. Ross Ford 3. Geoff Cross 4. Richie Gray 5. Alastair Kellock (c) 6. Kelly Brown 7. John Barclay 8. Richie Vernon 9. Mike Blair 10. Ruaridh Jackson 11. Simon Danielli 12. Sean Lamont 13. Joe Ansbro 14. Max Evans 15. Chris Paterson
Replacements
16. Scott Lawson 17. Alasdair Dickinson 18. Nathan Hines 19. Ross Rennie 20. Chris Cusiter 21. Dan Parks 22. Rory Lamont
"The Kelston Boys Sports Institute training clashed with music class, and he gave me the nod to go with the sports side, because I quite liked my music as well."
- Andrew Suniula (USA) remembers his days at Auckland's Kelston Boys High when New Zealand coach Graham Henry was headmaster.
"I think 1 to 22 are the key players for France."
- Japan's forwards coach Mick Byrne (AUS) refuses to single out any one French player as a danger man.
"The food is good. To be honest, I was expecting worse, not because New Zealand food is bad, but because I wasn't used to it. I've been very surprised by the pasta, it's very tasty."
- Gonzalo Canale (ITA) finds New Zealand is very much to his taste.
"Everyone knows what he can do. He's a megastar and a rock star and a great athlete. If he can do his magic, hopefully I can run off him."
-Ma'a Nonu tries his best to keep SBW's feet on the ground
You can learn more about those players by having a look at our Tonga team profile.
A lot is being made of the physicality the Tongans are known for, but coach Maka was quick to downplay the issue saying, "It's not just about smashing each other and going into contact, maybe we could surprise by playing a different style of game."
That sentiment is in stark contrast to Ma'a Nonu's perspective on the potential Tongan game plan (at 2:13): "I assume they want to bash us."
Tongan captain Finau Maka, had just two words to say when asked if his ankle would keep him out of the opener against the All Blacks - "I'll play."
Have we all managed our expectations well enough in those four years? It's a point not lost on Bryn Palmer, as he writes for the BBC, "the potential for further pain and humiliation is right on their doorstep." Ouch...
