[Off-topic] Sib64:
Summary of the following matches:

New-Zealand - Namibia

Samoa vs Chile

Wales v Portugal

Ireland vs Tonga
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NEW-ZEALAND vs NAMIBIA : 71 - 3 => Offensive bonus for New-Zealand

A week after losing their opening match 27-13 to France, New Zealand bounced back with a 71-3 thrashing of Namibia at Toulouse Stadium. Ian Foster's men did their opponents no favours in the rain, scoring eleven tries to put their minds at rest. They come away with the attacking bonus point and are back in the race to qualify for the quarter-finals. Namibia, who had lost heavily to Italy on the opening weekend of the World Cup (52-8).

The All-Blacks next face Italy on 29/09, while Namibia meet France on 21/09.

SAMOA vs CHILE : 43 - 10 => Offensive bonus for Samoa

A scrappy match, even if the Samoas did get a bonus-point win. Chile kept up the pace in the 1st half before being overwhelmed by Samoa's physical density. The Samoas were generally sloppy and approximate, which made the match fraught with numerous fouls on both sides and 4 yellow cards.

Samoa's next match is against Argentina (which should be a very physical game)

and Chile will play England.

WALES vs PORTUGAL : 28-8 => Wales get the offensive bonus

A week after their hard-fought victory over Fiji, Wales once again came out on top in Nice, albeit by a larger margin but not necessarily with a great game, against a very playful Portugal (28-8). The Lusitanians played some very fine rugby and outwitted a reshuffled Welsh XV, before cracking in the second half. The Welsh still took the attacking bonus in what could have turned into a trap match. It should be pointed out that the majority of the Portuguese players are amateurs and are not professionals like the Welsh.

The Red Dragons were taken by surprise by the enthusiasm and play of the Os Lobos, who managed to outwit them and set the game alight. However, they showed themselves to be realistic and effective, and came away with the five points they needed to win, but a number of indisciplinary errors failed to reassure them ahead of their meeting with Australia on 24/09.

The Portuguese craze had taken hold of Nice for the duration of a Rugby World Cup match. A very enjoyable match

Georgia vs Portugal (23/09) and Wales vs Australia (24/09)

Ireland vs Tonga : 59 - 16 => Offensive bonus for Ireland

Despite a big win for Ireland against Tonga, the Irish team made a number of errors of hand (perhaps due to the slippery ball in the heat and humidity) that the Tongans were unable to exploit. The Tonga team, despite the reinforcement of former All-Blacks who had returned to their native island - an opportunity made possible by changes to the rules governing eligibility for selection* - were unable to impose themselves and produced a performance full of far too many imperfections for them to win even a defensive bonus.

📌South Africa - Ireland - the clash of the day on 23/09 💥

And Scotland vs Tonga 24/09

What is this rule that has evolved for this Rugby World Cup and that the Pacific teams have used?

As a result, prop Charlie Faumuina (50 caps), crowned French champion with Stade Toulousain in June, third row Steven Luatua (15 caps) and fly-half Lima Sopoaga (16 caps), all former New Zealand internationals, will wear the Samoan colours in September. Fly-half Christian Leali'ifano (26 caps) represented Australia at the 2019 World Cup and will also strengthen the Samoan squad. The Tonga squad features five former All Blacks - Charles Piutau, Vaea Fifita, Malakai Fekitoa, George Moala and Augustine Pulu - as well as two ex-Wallabies: Adam Coleman and Lopeti Timani.

"It's obviously a huge difference from the teams we've been able to put together in the past, and these eight players will be X factors," explained Tonga coach Toutai Kefu in June.

How can these significant reinforcements be explained?

World Rugby authorises changes between teams

To understand these moves between teams, we have to go back to November 2021. At that time, World Rugby, the governing body of world rugby, decided to simplify rule eight on eligibility. From now on, to be eligible to play for a new team, you must not have been selected for your original national team for 36 months (i.e. three years) and be born in the country for which you wish to play, or have a parent or grandparent born in that country.