IRB: Some say it stands for International Rugby Board. Others might think it stands for Ignorant Rugby B%$^*'s.
Samoa - one player accidentally wears a branded mouthguard (which most wouldn't be able to see anyway) and get fined $10,000.
England - They cheat and get let off with a slap on the wrist and a touchline ban for a couple of low-ranking team officials after illegally switching the ball for two conversion attempts in their game against Romania. I notice that the player - Jonny Wilkinson - doesn't suffer.
What a bunch of pricks. Maybe they should just stay in their ivory towers up in the climes of Pommyland.
When news of the fine hit the media reaction to the IRB's treatment of the cash-strapped Samoan team was immediate - anger and crys of injustice.
"So England swap the ball for conversions and the IRB does nothing. Samoa wear the wrong brand of mouthguard and get fined 10k. Incredible," wrote John Campbell of TV3 show Campbell Live. Now TV3 are running a 'Sausage Sizzle' to raise money for Samoa. I think that is a brilliant idea - it would embarrass most but it won't even register with the IRB.
At a time when the IRB is under fire for its inequitable distribution of massive World Cup profits and its unwillingness to provide financial tournament support for some of the lower-ranked nations, this move will no doubt draw criticism.
What was it Will Carling said about the RFU - a bunch of Old Farts.
What can one say about the IRB?
