Rugby World Cup: four players who can light up semi-final weekend | Ben Ryan


England will rely on Owen Farrell’s pragmatism to topple Beauden Barrett’s New Zealand while Wales flanker Justin Tipuric will be out to stop flying Bok wing Makazole Mapimpi

It can all be cart before the horse in the days preceding such big games as we await the World Cup semi-finals in Japan. Coaches take to front and centre – some by choice, others by the path of convention and process. Perhaps it’s mindgames to distract their opponents or perhaps to allow players the shelter before the show. However, if those coaches have got their planning and peaking right then they will slowly step back into the shadows and it will be their players that step into the limelight.

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