Former England captain Will Carling has outed himself as a big fan of the haka, in a CNN piece on the All Blacks pre-match ritual.
"I think it's one of the great spectacles in rugby," says Carling. "People say are you scared to face the haka and you go 'well, if you're scared facing that there's no point playing the game'. For me it's a challenge and if you challenge me then, fine, let's play."
I get a kick out of you
Hundreds of fans mobbed Japan's returning heroes at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
The star attraction was Ayumu Goromaru, whose distinctive preparation before kicking has become a huge hit throughout Japan.
Goromaru revealed English hero Jonny Wilkinson was his mentor. Wilkinson visited Waseda University in Japan in 2004, the year after he kicked England to World Cup victory in Australia, where Goromaru was a student.
"He gave a kicking session for one hour, and I saw how much passion and great work ethic he had towards kicking," he said. "I was shocked to see just how good he was. He helped me initiate my own style."
Georgia on their mind
Georgia's Lelos, who beat Tonga and Namibia to qualify for the next World Cup in Japan, were cheered by hundreds of fans on their return to Tbilisi.
Stat attack
The World Cup media mob have dug deep, and discovered nearly seven per cent of players who have represented Wales - who face South Africa on Sunday - have had the surname Williams. This is slightly above the Welsh national average. The Wales rugby name parade reads Jones (79), Davies (62), Williams (56), Evans (51), Thomas (40). Current Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones is their most capped World Cup player with 14 appearances.
Late addition
Ireland have called up Leinster second row Mike McCarthy to replace injured captain Paul O'Connell in the squad, ahead of Sunday's World Cup quarter-final with Argentina. Flanker Sean O'Brien is still to learn of his fate, on a charge with striking Frenchman Pascal Pape, at the judiciary. There is still no word on whether star inside back Jonny Sexton is fit to continue.
