GOOD DAY
For two of the key men in the Australian squad as they looked ahead to joining the elite band of players to have won 100 caps when they met Scotland in the World Cup quarter-final.
Not that Stephen Moore, their captain, is in the mood for celebrating, his only reflection on his personal development since winning his first cap a negative one as he opted
“I probably had a bit more hair back then, that’s the main difference,” he joked.
“For me, it’s not really a week to be reflecting on things. We’ve got a great opportunity to play in the quarter-final of a World Cup and that’s more than enough to play for. These personal achievements are things you probably look at when you hang up your boots.”
Giteau, however, was very happy to look back as he admitted that this was a day he never thought would happen and not only after he left Australia to join Toulon which, at the time, ruled him out of consideration for Wallaby selection.
“I certainly remember my debut,” he recalled.
“We lost by a point. I think I went on with about eight minutes to go. At the time, Eddie Jones (their then head coach) had a score system where you got a point for every positive thing you did and where you lost a point for every negative. I think I was the only player to finish with a minus. After that game, I never thought I’d get to a hundred. I didn’t think I’d get past one."
BAD DAY
For Ross Moriarty who claimed to have felt a bit miffed at missing at discovering that he is not one of those and such as those in the Wales within the Wales set-up.
The great and the good among those involved in this World Cup, including All Black skipper Richie McCaw and head coach Steve Hansen, Springboks Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield and Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw, visite dBuckingham Palace for a special reception hosted by the Queen and Prince Harry, who has enthusiastically supported England through the tournament.
However Moriarty expressed some disappointment that the invitations to their squad were snaffled by his slightly better known back-row colleague Sam Warburton, the Wales and British & Irish Lions captain and Warren Gatland, head coach of both those teams.
"I didn’t get the invite,” he complained.
“Some of the boys got to go to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen. Only a handful of people got to go and I wasn't one of them. I've met a few famous people so wouldn't mind meeting the Queen."
We think he was joking but there’s a sure fire way of making sure he gets to meet her in a few weeks’ time since, having enjoyed the better of things when he and his little brother were supporting rival teams in the crucial Pool A match a couple of weeks ago, Prince William is bound to sort out honours for all if Wales can now go the distance.
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