Diego Maradona celebrates in the Argentina dressing room. Photo / Getty Images
Diego Maradona celebrates in the Argentina dressing room. Photo / Getty Images
All the latest news from the Rugby World Cup, including an inspiring Argentinian legend and England's scapegoat.
Sam slammed
Big Sam Burgess, who has become a scapegoat for England's woeful World Cup, has been dropped from the match day 23 for their final game against Uruguay in Manchester on Sunday.
England have made a load of changes from the team which capitulated against Australia, sending them out of the tournament.
"This is an important game for rugby in the north of England and we want to give those people who have been looking forward to this game something to cheer about," coach Stuart Lancaster said.
The north of England is also a stronghold of rugby league, where Burgess made his name.
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Romanian comeback
There were scenes of wild jubilation in Leicester as Romania mounted a comeback and kicked a late penalty to beat Canada 17 - 15.
Still on the ball
England could be look further afield for a scapegoat. Diego Maradona has been seen firing up the crowds and the Pumas at the World Cup, and he's been known to cause England misery at World Cups.
Argentina's players are lauding the influence Maradona is having on the team.
"He always has wise words when speaking to the players face to face," Fernandez Lobbe told ESPN. "Him coming today and telling us that he is here because we make him happy says a lot and it is important. [He is] a guy who carried a country on his shoulders."
Maradona danced to Rodrigo's song La Mano de Dios - The Hand of God - together with the squad, and also did some kick-ups with a rugby ball.
"You make a country happy," Maradona said. "They say it is a football [country], and today it is a rugby [country] because of you."
Maradona inspires Argentina to go for glory. Photo / Getty Images
Soccer ball or rugby ball, it doesn't matter to Maradona. Photo / Getty Images
Hero worship: The Pumas pose with Maradona. Photo / Getty Images
Maradona is an expressive and emotional rugby fan. Photo / Getty Images
Lucky break
Star openside Michael Hooper has been suspended out of Australia's mighty clash against Wales - a game that will almost certainly decide which team faces the power of the Springboks in the quarter-final. It could have, should have, been worse as the normal minimum sentence for his charge into England fullback Mike Brown is two weeks.
The World Rugby statement said the judicial officer found mitigating factors including his early admission, good conduct during the hearing, good character and the absence of any off-field aggravating factors."
Good conduct during the hearing? Are they serious?
But wait, there's more bad news for Aussie
Fullback Israel Folau is in doubt with an ankle injury, and Rob Horne (shoulder) is almost certian to miss the Wales match.
Famous last words
There are no big games tomorrow in terms of the World Cup outcome. South Africa should be too strong for the USA, although we all said that about their match against Japan. Pool C minnows Namibia and Georgia clash in their final match of the tournament.
