Rugby World Cup: Coming up tonight

With eight Rugby World Cup games over the next four days, Scott Yeoman looks at six things you need to know going into tonight.

1. Tomorrow morning's game

The All Blacks have their second pool game against Namibia at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London at 7am tomorrow morning (NZ time).

Namibia are ranked 20th in World Rugby Rankings and are the lowest ranked side in the tournament. This is the first ever test match between New Zealand and Namibia.

There has been plenty of build-up coverage for the game in overseas press, with most newspapers looking into the recent history and tournament goals of the largely-amateur Namibian side.

This piece by the Telegraph's Jonathan Liew makes for some interesting reading and outlines some of the everyday struggles these tier-two rugby nations overcome to compete on the world stage.

This article from the BBC does the same, while also explaining the sensible yet obvious differences between the likes of Japan and Namibia - differences that demonstrate the unlikeliness of us seeing an upset like we did on the weekend.

TAB head-to-head live betting on the All Blacks to win the match is suspended, but a Namibia win - or a draw - is paying $41. Here are the odds available for the All Blacks winning by...

*101+: $4.50
*91-100: $7.50
*81-90: $4.50
*71-80: $3.75
*61-70: $5.50
*51-60: $7
*41-50: $13
*31-40: $26
*1-30: $26

2. Messam ruled out

Liam Messam will not take part in tomorrow's match against Namibia due to a tight calf. The All Black flanker is being replaced by Jerome Kaino, who was originally rested for the game due to a minor hamstring injury. Kaino is said to have made a quicker recovery than first thought.

The All Blacks team to play Namibia:
15. Colin Slade
14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
13. Malakai Fekitoa
12. Sonny Bill Williams
11. Julian Savea
10. Beauden Barrett
9. TJ Perenara
8 Victor Vito
7. Sam Cane (c)
6. Jerome Kaino
5. Sam Whitelock
4. Luke Romano
3. Charlie Faumuina
2. Codie Taylor
1. Ben Franks

Reserves
16. Keven Mealamu
17. Wyatt Crockett
18. Tony Woodcock
19. Kieran Read
20. Richie McCaw
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow
22. Ma'a Nonu
23. Ben Smith

3. Other games to be played this weekend

After Friday morning's game between New Zealand and Namibia and Saturday's between Argentina and Georgia, we have two mornings of back-to-back Rugby World Cup action to look forward to.

First, Italy and Canada face off at Elland Road Stadium in Leeds at 1.30am on Sunday morning (NZ time). But it is the game between Samoa and South Africa a few hours later at 4.45am at Villa Park in Birmingham that will be the one to get up early for.

The Springboks, who dropped eight players after their historic loss to Japan, will be coming out with something to prove. Our Pacific neighbours, meanwhile, will be looking to last weekend's Japanese upset for courage.

Then we have the game of the weekend, with the two hosts England and Wales facing off at Twickenham at 8am. This is sure to be a blockbuster, and a very loud and colourful one at that.

On Monday morning at 12am Australia take on Uruguay at Villa Park and at 2.30am Scotland will be playing USA at Elland Road Stadium. The Irish will then be looking for their second win of the tournament when they come up against Romania at Wembley Stadium in London at 4.45am. Monday could be a day to start work late.

4. Standings after this morning's games:

5. Top try scorers so far in the tournament:

6. World Cup scheduling:

A lot has been made today of the way the Rugby World Cup pool fixtures are formed, with both Japan and Fiji having to play two tier-one nations in a row, with only four or five days rest in between. Both teams had losses this morning.

The Daily Mail reported that Japan's coach Eddie Jones refused to blame fatigue after this morning's 10-45 loss to Scotland, who were making their tournament debut, but did suggest some changes could be made to the scheduling of games.

"You could move it so it starts on Thursday and spread the games a little bit more. It's probably to do with television. Ask them. I am not an administrator; I am just a silly rugby coach," Jones told the paper. "You need a six-day turnaround, but you have to accept it, suck it up. We play a high intensity game and the boys need a break now."

Former Australian great David Campese also hit out at the World Cup scheduling in an opinion piece in the Telegraph this morning.

EXTRA TIME:

This short video on the World Rugby YouTube channel gives you a brief taste of the 2015 Rugby World Cup fan zones in England and Wales.

How do you think they rate against our fan zones in 2011? Email me with your answers: scott.yeoman@nzherald.co.nz