Hotel status tells its own story
While France, the host nation, made the journey from the sunshine of Marseilles to the rain of Cardiff for their quarter-final, England made the reverse journey south from Paris though they may well ask if they were accorded the status of champions. A swift comparison of the hotels in Marseilles occupied by the four quarter-finalists in the city suggests that South Africa, beach-side, are number one, Fiji - looking out onto the old port - number two, Australia round the corner but looking out over the Mediterranean number three and England - on the long drag out to the Stade Velodrome - number four.
In fact England occupied the hotel now sprinkled with Springboks when they were here in August for their warm-up match with France. The limitations of their present accommodation are such that their press conferences this week are being held at the match stadium which, on Saturday, they play Australia for the fifth time in six World Cups.
Meanhile Fiji's fly half, Nicky Little, was able to limp across the road for a TV interview being relayed back to Italy where he is playing his rugby these days, for Padova. Little damaged the medial ligaments of his left knee in the islanders' win over Wales and will take no further part in the tournament but he has been gratified at the number of consolatory text messages received from friends in England and Wales, where he spent much of his career with Saracens, Sale Sharks and Pontypridd.
He was also delighted to be invited for a coffee and chat with a Sky Sports crew and emerged with a steak and beer as a result. It will, he said, cost him when Fiji hold their next court session - the old-style occasions when misdemeanours, real or imagined, by players are punished by a hearing of their peers. Little, 31, hopes to play again in two months' time and will be available once more for Fiji next year.
Australia pronounced themselves happy with the selection of Alain Rolland to referee their clash with England but John Connolly, the head coach, admitted he has been impressed with the displays of Wayne Barnes, the youngest referee here. Barnes, 28 and from the Forest of Dean, handled Australia in their Tri-nations game with South Africa in Cape Town in June and has been showered with compliments for his games so far; the acid test comes in Cardiff on Saturday when he takes charge of the most significant game of his burgeoning career, France versus New Zealand.
It's my understanding that hotels are allocated for the 1/4s by team managers tossing a coin. Similarly with match-day team uniforms.
Posted by: Alistair Hay | 4 Oct 2007 13:39:30