World Cup gossip: NFL scout England stars

Rugby World Cup

Members of the England team have caught the attention of NFL scouts. (Mail) 

England's Sam Burgess, 26, has vowed to stick with rugby union until 2019 - but wants to play in the next World Cup as a blind-side flanker rather than a centre. (Times - subscription required) 
England flanker James Haskell had an angry row on Twitter with World Cup winner Neil Back - over his use of a selfie stick. (Times - subscription required) 
 
Fly-half George Ford says he has no hard feelings about being dropped to the bench for England's matches against Wales and Australia. (Guardian) 
Winger Chris Ashton - who was cut from England's pre-World Cup training squad in August - believes players will be reluctant to take part in the Rugby Football Union's tournament review. (Telegraph) 

 
Fly-half Danny Cipriani, 27, says he still dreams of playing for England, despite being left out of the World Cup squad and having a training-ground row with coach Mike Catt. (Sun - subscription required)
 
World Cup winner Steve Thompson does not believe Clive Woodward and Jonny Wilkinson would be the right coaching combination for England. (Mirror) 
Former New Zealand number eight Zinzan Brooke says England have had an "underlying fragility" since their 2003 World Cup win and invariably "crumple" under pressure. (Telegraph) 

Irish sporting legends including AP McCoy, Barry McGuigan and Sonia O'Sullivan were presented with shirts at a dinner with the Ireland World Cup squad 

Fitness coach Paul Stridgeon lightened the mood in the Wales camp last week by turning up for a team gym session in the outfit worn by Scorch - the team's dragon mascot. (Mail) 
It seems the New Zealand public are losing confidence in their team's title defence. A Kiwi bookmaker has kept tabs on the wagers being placed and only 37% of bets were on an All Black triumph last week, down from a high of 56% in July 2014 and 43% on the eve of the tournament. (NZ Herald) 
South Africa prop Frans Malherbe is facing allegations he bit USA lock Matt Trouville during the Springboks' 64-0 win on Wednesday. (Daily Mail) 

Comedian Rob Brydon was a speaker at a team dinner in aid of the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust

Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson has turned wildlife programme-maker, filming sleeping team-mate Iain Henderson while providing a David Attenborough-style voiceover on the "two-metre long beast". (Instagram) 
International players past and present condemned the decision to ban Samoa wing Alesana Tuilagi for five weeks for striking an opponent with his knee. (Independent) 
Australian actor Bryan Brown - most famous for his role as Tom Cruise's character's boss in 1980s hit Cocktail - congratulated the Wallabies in the dressing room after their win over England on Saturday. (Sydney Morning Herald)