France faced up to the Haka, and also faced an automatic £2,500 fine

What’s Hot and What’s Not from October

By Rugby World reader Larissa Falls

Hot:

New Zealand…Rugby World Cup 2011 Winners

WRU…For opening Millennium Stadium for the Wales v France clash, and were rewarded after seeing more fans pack the stands there in Wales, than at Eden Park!

Luke Pearce…23 year old English Ref who’s been appointed to take charge of matches during the Sevens World Series

British Army Rugby Union…Defeated Australia to become World Defence Champions

Retiring Internationals…Fantastic servants to world rugby who will each be sorely missed

IRB Award Recipients… Thierry Dusautoir; Player of the Year, George Ford; Junior Player of the Year, New Zealand; Team of the Year, Cecil Afrika; Sevens Player of the Year, Graham Henry; Coach of the Year and Ruth Mitchell; Women’s Personality of the Year

Midweek Matches…The 2015 World Cup will finally see Tier 1 Nations playing midweek

Lions…Crowned Currie Cup Champions after thrashing the Sharks 42-16

Solid Wins…Harlequins unbeaten in 8 matches, Castres 7 consecutive wins, Tigers second half performance against Sale, Treviso’s four wins in a row, and their 54-24 triumph over the Dragons, and Saracens away form

Vasily Artemyev…Six tries in just three matches and a very good signing for Northampton

Not:

Missoup-Martin Dispute…Should have been settled out of court!

IRB… Fined France for their response to the Haka, which was one of the most iconic moments of the 2011 RWC. And why were Les Bleus fined £2,500 when the Australian Women’s team were fined only £1,000 last year…?

Rankings…Absurd that Wales should finish fourth in the RWC yet drop to eighth in the World Rankings. An overhaul of the system please!!

Big Losses…Biarritz bottom of the Top 14 after a sole win, Perpignan defeated 38-0 by Toulon and 39-3 by Clermont, and Newcastle with a mere 5 points from 6 games and occupying last place in the Premiership