With France, England, South Africa and Argentina having advanced to the final four of Rugby Union’s World Cup, CSTB, with typical aplomb, directs your attention to one of the tournament’s more thrilling storylines, as covered by Wednesday’s edition of The Guardian :

The New Zealand winger Doug Howlett has apologised after being arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage by jumping on two cars outside the Hilton hotel at Heathrow airport.

A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed that police were called to a disturbance outside the hotel at 3am yesterday morning. “A 29-year-old man was arrested. He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage on two cars,” he said. “He was taken to Heathrow police station and bailed to reappear pending further inquiries.”

Howlett today described the incident as “tomfoolery”, admitting he was embarrassed and was working with the police to contact the cars’ owners to fix the damage. “I would like to say that I am sorry for what has happened,” said Howlett in a video statement released by the All Blacks and the New Zealand Rugby Union. “I am embarrassed that the events of one evening have led to me being in this situation. It was a little bit of tomfoolery that has caused me to be here.

“I apologise to people back home, family and friends, the New Zealand public, fans and my team-mates. There was drink involved, and that’s not an excuse, but I do take responsibility for what I’ve done.”

On the bright side, by virtue of playing, well, the wrong sport, the All Blacks have narrowly avoided moving out of the cellar in Pro Football Talk’s Turd Watch standings.