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Continuing our new regular feature, our rugby columnist Jeff Ball makes his predictions for this weekend’s round of matches, including Newcastle Falcons vs Sale Sharks and London Wasps vs Gloucester. Let us know your predictions either in the comments below or on Twitter @Ballintouch

After last week’s fairly successful start, we are back again with our latest set of predictions for this week’s fixtures. The highlight of last week was Saracens’ demolition of Sale Sharks, while the admirable efforts of Tom Homer against Leicester went cruelly unrewarded. Exeter surprised us, and most of the Shed, with their last minute win against Gloucester and the Falcons failed to take any points despite the best wishes of a certain rugby columnist.

Leicester Tigers v Worcester Warriors

Leicester are without the cited Ben Youngs and Worcester have lost Jake Abbott to an ankle injury, creating opportunities for James Grindal and Matt Kvesic respectively.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Spoilers Alert: If you don’t want to know that New Zealand won the World Cup, England didn’t impress and the ‘magical’ Quade Cooper was more Debbie McGee than Houdini, do not read on.

Of course if you are reading this there is a good chance you are a rugby fan and knew all that, or at least I hope you did. It’s quite interesting now to review this dvd several month on from the tournament, with the dust settled and the rose tinted glasses firmly in place, we are taken back to New Zealand by the good folk of Sky Sports Nz.

Anyone that watches sport dvds, more so the official ones, will understand my hesitation at getting too excited when putting this one in the dvd player. Regularly they are unsubtle cash-ins by someone clearly with no understanding of the sport. Thankfully...

Despite wearing all white in contrast to the All Blacks, by no means was it a sign of surrender by the French who performed admirably and pushed the hosts to the final minute before New Zealand eventually came out on top.

After a lively haka to which the French walked towards in defiance, the play started frantically with both sides desperate to set a foundtion. The first chance of points was given to Piri Weepu when Parra was overly hasty out of defence. Despite not being the easiest of kicks, the All Black sent it quite wide, the nerves evident in several players already.

The French started brightly, matching New Zealand in the opening ten minutes just as they had in their last meeting in the pools. A succession of well placed kicks pinned the All Blacks back, with play continuing around a starry eyed Morgan Parra who had his...

As Andrea Bocelli is so keen to tell us, it is time to say goodbye. Sunday sees the culmination of 48 matches over seven weeks to decide who will be crowned world champions as the seventh Rugby World Cup comes to a close. And it’ll be New Zealand, right?

Well, quite simply, yes, probably. Sunday’s game has seen the rugby world come together in the opinion that New Zealand will win it. At last. One bookmaker has already paid out, such is the certainty that they keep the Webb Ellis trophy in Auckland for the next four years.

Despite appearances, there will actually be another team present in the form of France, but I use the word ‘team’ loosely. Never has a team played so badly and still got to the Final (Well, apart from England in 2007). The difference to of the class of 2007 English though is the fractious...

Richie McCaw’s metatarsal and Dan Carter’s groin have occupied the minds of many New Zealanders recently, with more men than women thinking about the latter than is typical.

Luck was not something that smiled on the All Blacks in the last couple of weeks, highlighted by the loss of two fly half’s in a week, with Colin Slade suffering almost the same groin injury as the man he was understudying. Such is there fear of anything happening to 3rd choice Aaron Cruden he has been banned from his favourite past time of skateboarding.

To add injury to insult, Mils Muliaina fractured his shoulder last week in what was his 100th All Black appearance. But injury equals opportunity, and Stephen Donald and Hosea Gear are the chosen ones and who knows, they could be the next ones to “do a Priestland”

The Aussies are New Zealand’s closest...

Tokyo - October 30:  Mark Chisholm of the Wallabies runs during an Australian Wallabies Captain's Run at the National Stadium on October 30, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.  (Photo by Junko Kimura/Getty Images)

Tokyo - October 29:  Dan Carter signals the back line during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at Kubota Spears Rugby Field in Chiba on October 29, 2009 in Funabashi, Japan.  (Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

Tokyo - October 29:  Stephen Donald in action during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at Kubota Spears Rugby Field in Chiba on October 29, 2009 in Funabashi, Japan.  (Photo by Ross Land/Getty Images)

Tokyo - October 29:  Rocky Elsom of the Wallabies passes during a Qantas Wallabies training session at Ricoh Kinuta Ground on October 29, 2009 in Tokyo, Japan.  (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

Tokyo - October 29:  Dan Carter passes the ball during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at...