SCRUM’S THE WORD

THE Wallabies will wear a green shirt inspired by the Aboriginal people of Australia against Uruguay today. The away kit has yellow tribal patterns on it and Kurtley Beale loves it. ‘As a proud indigenous Australian I am very excited to be wearing the indigenous Wallabies playing strip against Uruguay,’ he said. ‘It is a true representation and acknowledgement of the First Nations people. It’s going to be a very special night for all involved. I can’t wait.’

AT THEIR captain’s run before today’s game against Japan, Samoa players took pictures of the Toyota Stadium and were admonished by a local reporter who claimed it was not part of Japanese culture. Prop Paul Alo-Emile said: ‘We play in clubs in New Zealand and Australia and we are from Samoa and we want to take photos and take as much of this home with us [as we can].’ URUGUAY have Luis Suarez’s favourite drink to thank for their World Cup win over Fiji. Los Teros are looking to give Australia a bloody nose today and Agustin Della Corte reckons it’s all down to traditional herbal tea. ‘When we are travelling we have a lot of leisure time, we like to share a

mate,’ he explained. ‘Each one of us brings our Thermos and mate [mug] but the yerba mate [the herb] came with the team — we brought 200 kilos!’

JAPANESE fans have innovative ways of getting autographs. Wales trained with 120 schoolchldren in Otsu yesterday, and were watched by about 1,000 more people. To get their memorabilia signed, some supporters dangled balls and shirts from pieces of string so the players could reach them!

NAMIBIA are rated as having no chance of beating the All Blacks tomorrow but they are hoping for a regal performance from the wonderfully-named Prince Rivaldo Gino !Gaoseb. The exclamation mark is no typo — it is part of the flanker’s full name. If they do not win, at least there might be some laughs from, ahem, fly-half Helarius Axasman Kisting.