Your Sunday morning rugby headlines on October 30.
New Zealand fresh double blow
New Zealand have been hit by a huge new double blow ahead of Saturday's clash with Wales after captain Sam Cane and hooker Dane Coles were ruled out of their entire UK autumn tour.
Overnight tests have shown Cane fractured his cheekbone in the narrow win over Japan in Tokyo, while Coles injured his calf during the warm-up.
Win free tickets to see Wales play New Zealand in Cardiff courtesy of Dove Men+Care
The Blacks are also almost certainly without inspirational lock Brodie Retallick, who was sent off for dangerous play. His judicial hearing is likely to be on Tuesday.
The troubled few months for New Zealand under Ian Foster increases the hope Wales can finally beat them for the first time in almost 70 years when Justin Tipuric leads Wayne Pivac's men into action at the Principality in six days' time.
Cane and veteran hooker Coles will return home instead of travelling with the rest of the squad to the UK ahead of Tests against Wales, Scotland and England..
The pair will be replaced by uncapped flanker Billy Harmon and hooker Asafo Aumua.
Coach Foster told journalists in Tokyo overnight he had decided who the replacement captain would be against Wales, but would not reveal a name.
“We’ve got an answer, but we’ve got about three different flights and players left late last night or early this morning so I haven’t had a final conversation with the person,” said Foster. “I’m just going to reserve that for a day, but it’s sorted.”
One of Cane's fellow flanker Ardie Savea or lock Sam Whitelock is expected to get the captaincy nod. They have each done the job previously.
Cane's turbulent season comes to an end, after his form and leadership was heavily criticised during a mixed run results.
Of the double injury blow Foster said it will give an opportunity against Wales to others.
"It's the reality of rugby, you always want to get through your first couple of games injury free. It hasn't worked out this way, and it doesn't change the challenges coming up."
New Zealand 'don't scare' any more
Wales have been offered fresh belief they can finally break their New Zealand jinx after claims All Blacks have lost their aura of invincibility and don't scare teams any more.
Ian Foster's side are due to land in the UK today for their autumn tour, with a clash against Wales in Cardiff this coming weekend first up following their warm-up game against Japan on Saturday.
Japan came close to springing a huge surprise in Tokyo before eventually succumbing 38-31.
New Zealand have already lost at home to Ireland during a turbulent year, as well as being thrashed in South Africa and enduring a maiden loss on home soil to Argentina.
Wales have not beaten them since 1953, but there is quiet optimism that this could finally be the year. Pivac's men already have one moment of history to their name after beating the Springboks on South African soil for the first time and are looking to make it a double with victory at last over New Zealand as well.
Japan coach Jamie Joseph, who won 20 caps for the All Blacks in the early 1990s, offered real words of encouragement to Wales, saying his own side went into their match "with full confidence" that they could win.
"Everyone is thinking about the All Blacks and that's part of their armour, really," he said. "Having played for the All Blacks, one of the things we used to talk about 25 years ago was that everyone was a wee bit scared of us.
"Perhaps that's not the case any more."
Japan back-rower Michael Leitch also believes the All Blacks' air of invincibility has gone.
"In the past, teams have come up against the All Blacks and psychologically you think they are unbeatable but now those cracks are showing," he said.
"It's doable, and we showed that. Give us an extra 10 minutes and who knows what would have happened."
Scotland's Australia anguish
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend felt his team blew victory in their Murrayfield autumn opener with Australia.
Glen Young's second-half yellow card proved pivotal as the Wallabies came from behind to win 16-15 in a dramatic clash.
The Scots looked on course for a fourth consecutive victory over the Wallabies when they led 15-6 after a couple of excellent tries from Ollie Smith and Blair Kinghorn.
But the sin-binning of Edinburgh lock Young on his first Murrayfield appearance allowed Australia a much-needed foothold and they managed to turn the game in their favour in the closing quarter. Captain James Slipper forced his way over on the right and Bernard Foley converted, before Foley kicked a 70th minute matchwinning penalty.
"We think obviously we should win it. We've had opportunities. It made it tougher when we were a man down and conceded a couple of penalties, but I was proud of how we played," said Townsend.
Kinghorn, playing at number 10 following Gregor Townsend's contentious decision not to include Finn Russell in the squad, could have won it for Scotland at the end but sent a penalty agonisingly wide.
With the match taking place outside the international window, the Scotland XV was made up entirely of Edinburgh and Glasgow players.
Australia meet Wales in Cardiff at the end of the November campaign.
Davies delight at Flanagan
Dragons fly-half Sam Davies talked up the impact Dai Flanagan has had since taking over from Dean Ryan at Rodney Parade.
The Dragons' revival continued in emphatic fashion at with a five-try 47-7 trouncing of Zebre .
A third victory of the campaign sees the Men of Gwent occupying the heady heights of mid-table in the United Rugby Championship, with more wins by the end of October than the two they managed last season.
"It's probably the first time since I've been here, three years, that we've been able to relax in the final quarter though we could have been more clinical and we're still looking for ways we can get better," said Davies.
He explained the coach "has brought a bit more freedom, he's come in and he's got his attacking philosophy going, he understands what this group needs. He's getting the most out of us and you'll see this group play some good rugby, but in the right areas of the field, and the set-piece is streets ahead of last year."
The confidence derived from an impressive 32-25 victory against the Ospreys six days earlier was clear to see in the way the home side began the game. They monopolised possession and revelled in slick passing and probing the wider channels, easing to a resounding win.
WRU D-Day as clubs prepare to vote
Clubs today face a key vote at the Welsh Rugby Union's Annual General Meeting in Cardiff.
The headline proposal is for the WRU Board to be provided with the option of appointing an additional independent director as chair, should they deem it necessary.
At present, the WRU chair is elected from the eight directors on the Board who have previously been put in their position by votes from district representatives on the WRU Council.
But current chairman Rob Butcher is putting forward a reform that would give the Board the ability to appoint its own independent chair, who hasn't been elected by clubs. It would give them the option to look outside for an individual with the skills required to be at the head of a circa £100 million business.
In order for the resolution to pass, Butcher will need a voting share of 75% at the AGM.
Even if the proposal gets voted in by the clubs today, the Board still has the power to appoint a chair from within its own ranks.
READ NEXT:
Louis Rees-Zammit 'destined for greatness' as he blows everyone away on eve of Wales v All Blacks
Ospreys issue Gareth Anscombe update as Wales make call on injured fly-half
