World Rugby has announced the shortlist for the inaugural Breakthrough Player of the Year 2015 award, with the winner set to be revealed at the World Rugby Awards dinner at Battersea Evolution, London, on 1 November.
Georgia alongside Japan won our hearts. Out the blocks quickly; Georgia beat Tonga, frustrated giants New Zealand, Argentina and ground out a scrappy win over Namibia which allowed them to secure third
The quarter-finals of Rugby World Cup 2015 are now set and although no Tier 2 sides were unable to escape from the pools, they have been the shining lights of the tournament so far.
New Zealand moved into the World Cup quarter-finals by predictably beating Georgia in bonus-point fashion - but it was a performance laced with errors.
Welcome to a new regular feature at Talking Rugby Union where will take a look back at the good, the bad and the funny of the Rugby World Cup over the past week.
There will be no shortage of expectations hoisted upon the likes of Julian Savea, Duane Vermeulen and George North when the Rugby World Cup begins later this month.
It was one of those famous Kingston Park nights to say 'I was there', Newcastle Falcons convincingly defeating the 13th-highest ranked team in world rugby.
Dave Foley and Dominic Ryan will make their Test debuts against Georgia on Sunday in an Ireland team showing 13 changes from last weekend's victory over South Africa.
In stark contrast to Round 1, there are ten games in the November Internationals 2014 Round 2 and if you get through this round with a 100 per cent record then as Fitzy used to say, "full credit".
The November Autumn Rugby Internationals Round 4 features ten mouth-watering matches including the All Blacks vs Ireland match which is sure to see history made
Rugby is often referred to as a global game, implying its tentacles stretch into every continent. In fact, it is global in appeal but it is far from globally competitive.
England claimed a bonus point victory in their second match of the Rugby World Cup, but they had to work for it by a Georgian team who refused to lie down and produced a brilliant performance.
The return of skipper Lewis Moody is just one of the nine changes Martin Johnson has made to the side that eventually overcame Argentina in their opening World Cup game last Saturday.
Scotland endured a nervy start to their Rugby World Cup 2011 campaign, and although they eventually overcame a feisty Romania 34-24 there was enough evidence in their scratchy performance to give great encouragement of a scalp for European Nations Cup holders Georgia.