Josh van der Flier would rather play at midnight than endure the scorching temperatures which caused him to ditch his distinctive red scrum cap in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup opener.
The world player of the year bolstered his side from the bench as they launched their campaign with a thumping 82-8 win over Romania on a baking-hot afternoon in Bordeaux.
Ireland’s other three Pool B fixtures – against Tonga, South Africa and Scotland – will each kick-off at 9pm local time, something Van der Flier was initially uneasy about.
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But, after enduring heat of 36 degrees Celsius, the flanker has had a change of heart, having felt ready to come back off just 15 minutes into a challenging Saturday afternoon cameo.
“I was thinking before the tournament that 9pm is so late, it’s a really long day,” he said.
“But then when I saw the weather in the captain’s run (on Friday), I said I’d happily play at midnight if it’s a bit cooler.
“In the first half, most of the pitch was in the sun, second half you were in the sun and it almost felt like a break when you got into the other half of the field where it was a bit shaded.
“It will definitely make a big difference (kicking off later).
“A lot of credit has to go to the lads who played 80 minutes out there. After 15 of my 20 minutes, I was nearly ready to get subbed off again. It was tough.”
Van der Flier looked slightly unfamiliar as he emerged without his customary scrum cap to replace Leinster team-mate Caelan Doris.
The 30-year-old also felt compelled to remove the distinguishing head gear, which was initially chosen to match his school’s kit, during Ireland’s pre-tournament training camp in the Algarve.
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“I tried wearing it in training in Portugal and I really, really struggled,” he said.
“It’s just an extra bit of heat and it makes a big difference when you take it off.
“I did notice that it just feels different not having a scrum cap on but definitely glad not to have it in this heat.
“Last World Cup, I didn’t wear it for the first game, then I got a cut on my head so I had to start wearing it.
“I had done it before but I would probably be more comfortable wearing it.”
Ireland take on Tonga in Nantes before Paris showdowns with reigning world champions South Africa and Scotland.
Wing James Lowe is braced for tougher tests against some “scary teams” and is not yet contemplating a potential quarter-final clash with his native New Zealand.
He said: “It’s not going to get any easier now, the further we get, is it?
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“Tonga are physical, we struggled against Samoa (a 17-13 win) a couple of weeks ago and Tonga are a very similar outfit: physical, combative.
“They’re going to run hard and tackle hard, so we’re going to have to be smart there, and the week after it’s South Africa, so it’s not going to get any easier the longer we last.”
Asked about possibly facing the All Blacks in the last eight, the 31-year-old replied: “There’s a fair few scary teams before we even think about a quarter-final.
“People are labelling our pool as the ‘pool of death’, fair play.”
England and Saracens number eight Vunipola fined after arrest in Mallorca
England international Billy Vunipola has confirmed he has been fined after an incident which saw him arrested in Mallorca on Sunday, with his club Saracens set to launch an internal investigation.
On Monday, widespread reports claimed Vunipola had been tasered by Spanish police in the early hours of Sunday morning, with an altercation taking place after he left a club in Palma.
Saracens later confirmed they were aware of an incident and said they would deal with it internally.
The number eight, who was born in Australia but has represented England 75 times, later released a statement of his own via his club, denying that any violence took place and confirming the police investigation was now closed.
"I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Mallorca on Sunday, which got out of hand," that statement read.
"Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.
"I was charged with resisting the law and, following an 'express trial', I have paid a fine of €240. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.
"I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved."
Fraser Brown ‘hugely proud’ of Scotland career as he announces rugby retirement
Fraser Brown declared himself “hugely proud” of his Scotland career as he announced his retirement from professional rugby.
The 34-year-old Glasgow hooker has not played since rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham last May and he has now conceded defeat in his bid to return to action.
Brown won 61 Scotland caps, with the first of them coming against Italy in 2013 and the last in the Six Nations match at home to Ireland in 2023, the same game incidentally in which Stuart Hogg won his final cap. The front-rower went to both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
“When you have a serious injury like I did with an ACL at the end of your career, it is always going to be hard to come back from,” Brown told Scottish Rugby.
“That probably made it a little easier to announce my retirement but it’s still a surreal and strange feeling.
“I’m hugely proud to have played so many times for Scotland during my career. To get one cap was great, but then my second one came against the All Blacks at Murrayfield which was such a special occasion.
“To reach 50 caps was a big moment as I had to deal with a lot of injuries throughout my career and to be part of the growth process of the team which has resulted in where they are now has been cool.”
At club level, Brown made 141 appearances for Glasgow after joining from Edinburgh in 2011.
The hooker helped them win the Guinness Pro12 in 2015 with victory over Munster in the final in Belfast, while his last appearance for Warriors proved to be last season’s Challenge Cup final defeat by Toulon in Dublin.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith paid tribute to Brown, saying: “Fraser is the epitome of a modern professional and someone who should serve as a role model to any young player starting their journey.
“The respect with which he is held, not only within the Glasgow Warriors community but within the wider rugby family, should serve to underline the achievements he has earned throughout his career and the manner in which he has achieved them.
“His work ethic and determination to bring the best out of the people and players around him has been clear to all throughout his career.
“I wish him the very best for whatever comes next and I know he will apply that same work ethic and determination that made him one of this club’s most distinguished Warriors.”
Brown becomes the second experienced Scotland front-rower to announce his retirement in the space of a month after Edinburgh prop WP Nel recently revealed he would be hanging his boots up at the end of this season.
England tap into knowledge of Brian Ashton to play entertaining brand of rugby
England have been tapping into the knowledge of veteran attack guru Brian Ashton to achieve their aim of filling Twickenham.
The Red Roses ran in 14 tries in an 88-10 victory over Ireland that places them on the brink of claiming a sixth consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations title when they face France on Saturday.
A thrilling attacking performance before a 48,778 crowd was born out of the belief that in order to play in front of a full house of Twickenham at next year’s home World Cup, they must play appealing rugby.
And helping them achieve that aim is Ashton, a former England men’s head coach regarded as a visionary in the game whose expertise has been enlisted by Red Roses boss John Mitchell.
“Brian makes us ask questions. ‘If this is the picture, what is the easiest way that you can take the wins?’” said Dow, who ran in a hat-trick against Ireland.
“I do think it is about asking those questions and having Brian Ashton available throughout the week…I absolutely adore the man.
“The way he phrases things almost makes you re-think the philosophy of rugby. I think in the English brand the philosophy is ‘let’s kick to the corner, let’s take the territory’. But is that the philosophy of all rugby? Can we expand that?
“At the end of the day, professional rugby is a business in its own way. We need to be proving to the whole of England that we can play an exciting brand of rugby.”
While England march on by overwhelming the opposition in front of them, Ireland’s blowout highlights the gulf in class in the women’s game and affects the credibility of the Six Nations.
The Red Roses have accumulated 228 points after four rounds and France are the only European team capable of taking the wind out of their sails when the rivals clash in Bordeaux.
“I 100 per cent think teams will catch up and as much as we may be on top now, it is on us to try and work to keep that place and demand more from ourselves,” Dow said.
“Because as much as we’d love the game to grow, we want to keep the gap ourselves and continue to prove that we can be the best.”
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