The All Blacks' forward pack prepares at the captains' run at St James' Park. Photo / Brett Phibbs
With no games tomorrow, and the All Blacks playing their last pool game on Saturday morning, Scott Yeoman looks at seven things you need to know going into tonight.
The All Blacks take on Tonga in their last Pool C match tomorrow morning at 8am (NZ time). The game is being played at St James' Park in Newcastle. The Herald's Wynne Gray and Dylan Cleaver have each put together a list of the three things they both want to see from the game. There are no other games being played tomorrow. Head-to-head live betting on the All Blacks to win is suspended at the TAB, but Tonga is paying $26 to win.
All Blacks: Ben Smith, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Waisake Naholo, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Brodie Retallick, Liam Messam, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Sonny Bill Williams.
Tonga: Vungakoto Lilo, Telusa Veainu, Siale Piutau, Latiume Fosita, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Kurt Morath, Sonatane Takulua; Viliami Ma'afu, Nili Latu (captain), Sione Kalamafoni, Joe Tu'ineau, Tukulua Lokotui, Halani 'Aulika, Elvis Taione, Soane Tonga'uiha. Reserves: Paula Ngauamo, Sona Taumalolo, Sila Puafisi, Sitiveni Mafi, Jack Ram, Samisoni Fisilau, Viliami Tahitua, Will Helu.
For the third weekend in a row, the number one game to watch is being played at Twickenham on Sunday morning (NZ time). This weekend, at 4.45am, the Wallabies and Welsh will fight it out for the top position in Pool A, or the "pool of death". The winner will play either Scotland or Japan in the quarter finals, while the loser will come up against the Springboks.
The Wallabies have gone with Sean McMahon instead of suspended flanker Michael Hooper, with David Pocock staying on at No 8. Fullback Israel Folau passed his fitness test after recovering enough from his injured ankle, but injured winger Rob Horne (shoulder) is being replaced by Drew Mitchell. The one other change is Dean Mumm starting at lock instead of Rob Simmons, who moves to the bench.
Wales, meanwhile, have moved captain Sam Warburton to blindside flanker, with Justin Tipuric coming on to the openside. Taulupe Faletau will stay at No 8 and George North, moving from the wing, will go into centre next to Jamie Roberts. Gareth Anscombe will start at fullback, making his Rugby World Cup debut. Alex Cuthbert and Liam Williams round out the back three. Luke Charteris will start at lock. Paul James and Samson Lee will start as the two props, while Gethin Jenkins, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies miss out. Thomas Francis also moves to the bench.
The TAB has Australia as the favourites, paying $1.35 to win. Wales is paying $3.
Australia: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, David Pocock, Sean McMahon, Scott Fardy, Dean Mumm, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (captain), Scott Sio. Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Greg Holmes, Rob Simmons, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.
Wales: Gareth Anscombe, Alex Cuthbert, George North, Jamie Roberts, Liam Williams, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies, Taulupe Faletau, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton (captain), Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Samson Lee, Scott Baldwin, Paul James. Reserves: Ken Owens, Aaron Jarvis, Tomas Francis, Jake Ball, Ross Moriarty, Lloyd Williams, Rhys Priestland, James Hook.
Samoa v Scotland is at 2.30am on Sunday (NZ time) at St James' Park in Newcastle. After battling injuries the past couple of weeks, Scotland has flanker John Hardie, first five Finn Russell and fullback Stuart Hogg all back in the starting line-up for this do-or-die game against Samoa. Hooker Ross Ford and centre Matt Scott will also start. Hardie is joined in the back row by Ryan Wilson and No 8 David Denton, while Josh Strauss moves to the reserves bench. Alasdair Dickinson lines up next to Ford and Willem Nel in the front row. Mark Bennett is starting at outside centre instead of Richie Vernon. Tim Visser is replaced by Sean Maitland on the left wing.
Samoa will be without winger Alesana Tuilagi, who was suspended for five weeks after an incident in the Japanese game. He is appealing the decision. Samoa have made seven changes from the side that lost to Japan 5-26. Rey Lee-Lo and George Pisi line up next to each other for the first time, while Maurie Fa'asavalu, Jack Lam and Alafoti Fa'osiliva also start this game. Halfback Kahn Fotuali'i will captain the side. Fa'atoina Autagavaia will start on the left wing instead of suspended Tuilagi and hooker Manu Leiataua will play for the first time this World Cup.
The TAB has Scotland as the favourites, paying $1.22 to win. Samoa is paying $4. A Scotland win will ensure they go through to the quarter finals and play either Wales or Australia.
Scotland: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott, Sean Maitland, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (captain), David Denton, John Hardie, Ryan Wilson, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray, WP Nel, Ross Ford, Alasdair Dickinson. Reserves: Fraser Brown, Gordon Reid, Jon Welsh, Tim Swinson, Josh Strauss, Henry Pyrgos, Peter Horne, Sean Lamont.
Samoa: Tim Nanai-Williams, Paul Perez, George Pisi, Rey Lee-Lo, Fa'atoina Autagavaia, Tusi Pisi, Kahn Fotuali'i (captain), Alafoti Fa'osiliva, Jack Lam, Maurie Fa'asavalu, Kane Thompson, Teofilo Paulo, Census Johnston, Manu Leiataua, Sakaria Taulafo. Reserves: Motu Matu'u, Viliamu Afatia, Anthony Perenise, Faifili Levave, Vavae Tuilagi, Vavao Afemai, Patrick Fa'apale, Ken Pisi.
England v Uruguay is at 8am on Sunday (NZ time) at Manchester City Stadium. England have made eight changes to the side that lost to Australia in Twickenham last weekend. Four players - Henry Slade, Jack Nowell, Danny Care and Alex Goode - will start for the first time this World Cup. Meanwhile, Mako Vunipola starts ahead of Joe Marler at loose-head prop, and James Haskell and Nick Easter replace Tom Wood and Ben Morgan. George Ford starts at first five, with Owen Farrell moving to No 12 to fill the gap left by the injured Brad Barritt. Former league player Sam Burgess has been left out altogether.
Uruguay has only made two changes to the side that lost 47-15 to Fiji earlier in the week. Alejo Duran is being replaced by Felipe Berchesi at first five and Mateo Sanguinetti comes in for Alejo Corral at loose-head prop.
Uruguay is paying $36 to beat England at the TAB, while head-to-head live betting on England to win is suspended. Both sides have already been eliminated from the World Cup.
England: Alex Goode, Anthony Watson, Henry Slade, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell, George Ford, Danny Care, Nick Easter, Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Geoff Parling, Joe Launchbury, Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola. Reserves: Jamie George, Joe Marler, David Wilson, George Kruis, Tom Wood, Richard Wigglesworth, Jonathan Joseph, Mike Brown.
Uruguay: Gaston Mieres, Santiago Gibernau, Joaquin Prada, Andres Vilaseca, Rodrigo Silva, Felipe Berchesi, Agustin Ormaechea, Alejandro Nieto, Matias Beer, Juan Manuel Gaminara, Jorge Zerbino, Santiago Vilaseca (captain), Mario Sagario, Carlos Arboleya, Mateo Sanguinetti. Reserves: Nicolas Klappenbach, Oscar Duran, Alejo Corral, Mathias Palomeque, Diego Magno, Agustin Alonso, Alejo Duran, Manuel Blengio.
Argentina plays Namibia at Leicester City Stadium at 12am on Monday and Italy is up against Romania at Sandy Park Stadium in Exeter at 2.30am. Then France v. Ireland is at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at 4.45am, and Japan v. the USA is being held at Kingsholm Stadium in Gloucester at 8am. The teams for these games will likely be named overnight tonight or tomorrow.
The two games to watch on Monday morning are France v. Ireland (to see who finishes top of Pool D and who finishes runner-up and likely plays the All Blacks in Cardiff) and Japan v. the USA. If Scotland somehow lose to Samoa on Sunday morning, this game will be an absolute cracker - the Brave Blossoms fighting for their place in the quarter finals.
Those four games conclude the pool round of the Rugby World Cup, with the first quarter-final (South Africa v. the loser of the Australia and Wales game) being played on October 18 at Twickenham.
To get you ready for this weekend's blockbuster, here's a good breakdown of the biggest and best Wales-Australia clashes over the years. After 25 games against each other, the Welsh have only won two. The Aussies have won 22 and there has been one draw. Can Wales record their third win against the Wallabies and finish top of Pool A?
Former All Blacks' frustrations began before he coached his first All Blacks test.