While you were sleeping: CNN explains the haka to the rest of the world

Ma'a Nonu of the New Zealand All Blacks and his team-mates perform the Haka ahead of the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool C match between New Zealand and Tonga. Photo / Getty Images.

All the latest news from the Rugby World Cup including Japan's heroic welcome home and CNN explaining the haka to the world

Whistle happy

Chirpy Welsh referee Nigel Owens will control the All Blacks quarter-final against France. Owens has probably overtaken South african Craig Joubert as the best in the business.

He's a chatty bloke, who came up with one of the best lines of the tournament with a put down of Scottish fullback Stuart Hogg after he dived. Wayne Barnes - who needs no introduction - gets the match between South Africa and Wales. Joubert - who has made the odd clanger in big games - will control Australia's game against Scotland. And Jerome Garces of France will whistle Ireland and Argentina. If Wales do not make the final, then Owens is probably favourite to take control of the ultimate match.

Jumping for joy

Former England captain Will Carling has outed himself as a big fan of the haka, in a CNN piece on the All Blacks pre-match ritual.

"I think it's one of the great spectacles in rugby," says Carling. "People say are you scared to face the haka and you go 'well, if you're scared facing that there's no point playing the game'. For me it's a challenge and if you challenge me then, fine, let's play."

I get a kick out of you

Hundreds of fans mobbed Japan's returning heroes at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
The star attraction was Ayumu Goromaru, whose distinctive preparation before kicking has become a huge hit throughout Japan.

Goromaru revealed English hero Jonny Wilkinson was his mentor. Wilkinson visited Waseda University in Japan in 2004, the year after he kicked England to World Cup victory in Australia, where Goromaru was a student.

"He gave a kicking session for one hour, and I saw how much passion and great work ethic he had towards kicking," he said. "I was shocked to see just how good he was. He helped me initiate my own style."

Georgia on their mind

Georgia's Lelos, who beat Tonga and Namibia to qualify for the next World Cup in Japan, were cheered by hundreds of fans on their return to Tbilisi.

Stat attack

The World Cup media mob have dug deep, and discovered nearly seven per cent of players who have represented Wales - who face South Africa on Sunday - have had the surname Williams. This is slightly above the Welsh national average. The Wales rugby name parade reads Jones (79), Davies (62), Williams (56), Evans (51), Thomas (40). Current Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones is their most capped World Cup player with 14 appearances.

Late addition

Ireland have called up Leinster second row Mike McCarthy to replace injured captain Paul O'Connell in the squad, ahead of Sunday's World Cup quarter-final with Argentina. Flanker Sean O'Brien is still to learn of his fate, on a charge with striking Frenchman Pascal Pape, at the judiciary. There is still no word on whether star inside back Jonny Sexton is fit to continue.