Quade Cooper's grandmother has leapt to the Wallaby flyhalf's defence after he was labelled a "boofhead" by Australian great Nick Farr-Jones and pilloried in the New Zealand media.
New Zealand routed a hapless Japan 83-7 in their World Cup encounter in Hamilton on Friday - a performance that provided as many questions as answers.
New Zealand coasted to their second successive World Cup bonus point victory as they outclassed Japan 83-7 at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium.
New Zealand maintained their unbeaten start to the World Cup tournament, as the hosts routed a hapless and hopelessly outclassed Japan 83-7 in Hamilton on Friday.
Australia will be out to record their first victory in 25 years at Eden Park in Auckland when they take on Ireland in a key Pool C clash on Saturday.
Argentina will aim to get their World Cup campaign back on track when they face Romania on Saturday in a Pool B game they must win to keep alive their hopes of once again reaching the last eight.
It will be anyone but Australia when Ireland soaks up the majority of the 'neutral' New Zealand support for their World Cup showdown at Auckland's Eden Park on Saturday.
Impressively bearded Canadian flank Adam Kleeberger has disappointed his growing army of fans by announcing he will lose his trademark whiskers at the end of the World Cup.
Warren Gatland believes Wales will take momentum with them into Sunday's critical World Cup clash against Samoa.
Georgia have made just the one change to their line-up for the Pool B encounter with England on Sunday.
It's the pragmatic against the romantic, when South Africa and Fiji meet ... the pedestrian against the flamboyant, the hard minds in hard bodies against the free spirits of the islanders and it is the hard men who are much more likely to win.
France set off for Napier on Friday and Sunday's match against Canada determined to put behind them a faltering start to the World Cup that has left its traces.
Pat Lambie will make his World Cup debut for South Africa against Fiji in Wellington at the weekend with much expected of the rising young Springboks talent.
United States skipper Todd Clever on Friday became the second player to be cited at the World Cup.
Australia flanker David Pocock is a doubt for the crunch World Cup pool game with Ireland after he missed training on Friday.
