Uruguay assistant insists his side are focussed on ‘winning the game'

Uruguay assistant coach Guzmán Barreiro has stressed that his side are intent on beating the All Blacks rather than worrying about potentially suffering an Italy-like thrashing.

“None of those in the squad think about anything other than winning the game,” Barreiro said in Lyon yesterday. “We know how challenging and difficult it is against an opponent of the standard of the All Blacks, with the statistics and the game they have. But today we are convinced of the game plan, the strengths and the opportunities that may arise.

“We know that a large part of the strength of their game comes from the speed at the breakdown; another aspect in which they become notoriously good is in recovering balls and attacking from kicks.

“When we have possesion we will have to be very careful and retain it as much as possible. Play a game as orderly and structured as possible to get them to play on our terms. When they attack, (the way to approach) the breakdown will be with tackle, double-tackle. We have had players that have turned over ball very effectively in the tournament and have received a low number of penalties, so it will also be there. It depends on each situation.”

Team News – Uruguay

Rodrigo Silva makes his first appearance of the tournament for Uruguay, with the back-three man deployed at full-back in a side containing seven changes from the win over Namibia. Lucas Bianchi starts for ths first time at the World Cup, with Manuel Diana also joining standout Manuel Ardao in the back row, while lock Manuel Leindekar has a chance of playing every minute of Uruguay’s campaign after again being named in the run-on team.

Uruguay XV: 1 Mateo Sanguinetti, 2 German Kessler, 3 Diego Arbelo; 4 Ignacio Dotti, 5 Manuel Leindekar; 6 Manuel Ardao, 7 Lucas Bianchi, 8 Manuel Diana; 9 Santiago Arata, 10 Felipe Etcheverry; 11 Nicolas Freitas, 12 Andres Vilaseca (captain), 13 Tomas Inciarte, 14 Gaston Mieres; 15 Rodrigo Silva.

Replacements: 16 Guillermo Pujadas, 17 Matias Benitez, 18 Ignacio Peculo, 19 Juan Manuel Rodríguez, 20 Santiago Civetta, 21 Agustin Ormaechea, 22 Felipe Berchesi, 23 Juan Manuel Alonso.

Team News – New Zealand

Captain Sam Cane returns to skipper the New Zealand starting side after featuring from the bench against Italy, with coach Ian Foster ringing the changes. Lock Sam Whitelock will win his 150th cap and make a record 23rd World Cup appearance, surpassing compatriot Richie McCaw and former England prop Jason Leonard.

Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa’i, Luke Jacobson, Cam Roigard, Anton Lienert-Brown, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Damian McKenzie are all also brought into the run-on fifteen. Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick and Rieko Ioane are among those rested.

New Zealand XV: 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax; 4 Sam Whitelock, 5 Tupou Vaa’i; 6 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 8 Luke Jacobson; 9 Cam Roigard, 10 Richie Mo’unga; 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Jordie Barrett, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 14 Will Jordan; 15 Damian McKenzie.

Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Ethan Blackadder; 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Caleb Clarke.

Team news…

Right, we are little more than an hour away from kick off in Lyon, so let’s take a closer look at the two teams…

Rugby World Cup power rankings: Who tops our list of contenders with quarter-finals nearing?

The Rugby World Cup is firmly in the swing of things with the quarter-finals drawing ever nearer.

Just one weekend of pool fixtures remains in France before the last eight are decided.

Wales and England are already through, while New Zealand’s thrashing of Italy leaves them and the hosts well-placed to progress from Pool A.

A mouthwatering meeting between Ireland and Scotland will decide the fate of the sides in Pool B.

How has all of the action in France affected our power rankings? Here, The Independent assesses how every nation stacks up as the World Cup rolls on.

Rugby World Cup power rankings: Who tops the list as quarter-finals near?

How has the fourth weekend of fixtures affected our rankings?

Incoming coach Scott Robertson banned from attending New Zealand World Cup games, says ex-All Black

Incoming New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson has been barred from attending All Blacks games at the Rugby World Cup, former international Justin Marshall has claimed.

Robertson, who has overseen the establishment of a Crusaders dynasty in Super Rugby, will take over from Ian Foster at the conclusion of the tournament.

The 49-year-old is one of the world’s most highly-regarded coaches and was thought to have been close to taking over from Foster during the All Blacks’ struggles last year.

Ex-scrum half Marshall was a longtime teammate of Robertson’s for province, club and a country as a player, and has suggested that, while the coach is in France watching the World Cup, he has not been allowed to attend games involving the side he will soon be coaching.

“Can I tell you something really interesting – Scott Robertson has been here in France. You would have seen him. He’s been floating around.” Marshall, who won 81 New Zealand caps, explained on South African broadcaster Supersport. “[But] he’s not allowed to be at All Blacks games.”

Incoming New Zealand coach banned from attending World Cup games, says ex-All Black

Justin Marshall claims the former Crusaders coach has not been allowed to attend All Blacks games in France

New Zealand vs Uruguay: Who is Rugby World Cup referee Wayne Barnes?

New Zealand vs Uruguay referee: Who is Rugby World Cup official Wayne Barnes?

The Englishman is one of the officials at the tournament

The state of play in Pool A

Remaining fixtures

New Zealand vs Uruguay, 5 October, Lyon

France vs Italy, 6 October, Lyon

France will top the group if they beat Italy in their final game, while New Zealand are all but certain to be quarter-finalists provided Uruguay are beaten. If Italy win, though, they should be through – France’s failure to get a bonus point against Uruguay leaves them vulnerable. Even if the two European teams finish locked together on 14 points – Italy win without a bonus point and France finish within seven – and New Zealand take care of business to finish on 15, Italy will advance due to their final weekend win.

The complex scenario could come if Italy beat France with a bonus point, while the hosts take both a losing and try bonus point – coupled with a five-point All Blacks win, it would leave all three teams locked on 15 points. In that case, the group winner would come down to points difference – with New Zealand top, and Italy, again, through by dint of their head-to-head victory over France.

Technically, Uruguay are still in with a shot, too the South American side to progress. If Italy take no points from their meeting with France, Los Teros would have to beat New Zealand by a sufficient margin to take their points difference above both Italy and the All Blacks – which is obviously unlikely.

Namibia were the first team to play all four of their pool fixtures and leave the competition without a pool point.

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