From the Touchline

A daily look at the lighter side of life at Rugby World Cup 2011. Numbers 17 - of the 30 named starters in the Ireland v Wales quarter-final toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in 2009. He said it “The management got a cake, but the players had tiny slithers and the management had the biggest slices.” - Birthday boy Sam Warburton pointing out that the coaching staff took the cake in a bid to stop the players stooping to temptation. Carter part of social fabric The guerilla knitters of Devonport have joined the national grieving over Dan Carter's exit from RWC 2011. A knitted Carter doll, with sad face, an 'Ow' on his injured leg, and the caption, 'Dan's still our man', has joined the woolly exhibits adorning the guard rail at the Devonport ferry terminal on Auckland's North Shore. Guerrilla knitting, also known as yarnbombing, yarnstorming or graffiti knitting, is a type of graffiti or street art that has become a worldwide phenomenon, adding colorful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth to personalise public places. Facts about Devonport: Home of the Royal New Zealand Navy; once a borough in its own right but was dragged kicking and screaming into North Shore City in 1989, and from 2010 it has been in Auckland City, an amalgamation of local bodies in greater Auckland; the North Shore Rugby Club is based in Devonport and its greatest All Black is arguably former captain Buck Shelford. Brazen Zane Perhaps inspired by the infamous Sonny Bill Williams' wardrobe malfunction earlier in the tournament, South African Zane Kirchner was happy to provide an eye candy moment of his own. Asked to don the Springbok jersey for an official photo to be taken at the team hotel, Kirchner proceeded to casually remove his training shirt in the middle of the hotel lobby. Several nearby admirers could barely contain their delight. Needless to say the dedicated fans hung around for the photo to be taken, no doubt to ensure Kirchner didn't need any help getting his training shirt back on afterwards. Sam the quiet man When Wales skipper Sam Warburton turned 23 on Wednesday there were no riotous celebrations. The champion openside flanker covered himself in glory during the pool stages and is doubtless hoping for more of the same stunning form in Saturday’s sudden-death quarter-final against Ireland in Wellington. With such a big match only days away, Warburton, who does not drink, settled for blowing out the candles on a birthday cake provided by the team and having a quiet night in. Wales’ youngest Rugby World Cup captain also opened a mountain of birthday cards that family and friends had given him before his departure for New Zealand. And with one eye presumably on excess baggage, he left his birthday presents at home to open when he returns. Gorillas down by 'ere A television journalist who told a member of the Wales management team that their Wellington training base at suburban Newtown shares a boundary fence with the zoo, also mentioned that monkeys have been known to escape. He said the fugitives have been known to head to the rugby ground for a bit of ape R and R. “Well if they come down here over the next couple of days they’ll get on very well with the gorillas in our front row,” the Welshman offered dryly. Chin up, Jebb Canadian flanker Jebb Sinclair is feeling a little cooler around the chops after shaving off the beard that formed part of a cult-forming collection of hirsute chins among the Canadians. So popular were the Canadians and their beards of various shades, the locals of Napier, where the Canucks spent several days and played France and Japan, wore fake beards in their hundreds as a tribute to their new-found heroes. Facts about Napier: The biggest city in Hawke's Bay, population about 60,000 (nearby Hastings' population is slightly smaller) was severely damaged by the 1931 earthquake, which claimed 256 lives throughout the province and led to its distinctive art deco architecture being adopted in its rebuilding; All Blacks Israel Dagg and Zac Guildford are natives of Napier, whose most famous former All Blacks were George Nepia, Kelvin Tremain and the first All Black to be sent off in a Test, Cyril Brownlee, who was dismissed in a 1925 Test against England at Twickenham. No keeping up with Jones boy Young Wales fly half Rhys Priestland has been practising his drop goals since a fluffed attempt in the dying minutes against the Springboks condemned his team to a 17-16 defeat in their opening Pool D match. But he has found the efforts of his supposedly less-able teammates rather off-putting. "It's been a bit disheartening actually," said the 24-year-old after a press conference at the team hotel on Thursday. "The other day as we were walking off the training pitch (prop) Adam Jones knocked one over from about 40 yards out. I told him he had to cut that out, as it wasn't helping."