With so much going on around the grounds each week in the rugby world, it's easy for some of the interesting, fun and crazy stories to slip through the cracks.
These are some of the stories you might have missed.
'LET THE F---ERS COOK': JONES'S PLOY FOR MIDDAY KICKOFF
England prop Joe Marler has revealed the lengths Japan coach Eddie Jones has sought to get the edge over his former side when they meet later this year.
Preparing for his first match in his second stint as head coach of the Brave Blossom, and his first clash against England since he was sacked in 2022, Jones attempted to have the match kickoff in the glare of the June midday sun.
After an ill-fated 10 month with the Wallabies last year, which saw the side eliminated from the World Cup at the pool stages for the first time, there's no doubt Jones enters the mid-year Test window ready to prove a point. According to Marler it's seen the 63-year-old attempt to have the game played during the hottest time of the day in conditions many of the England players wouldn't be used to.
"I heard he was trying to get kickoff at 11:30am, 12pm," Marler told the Kick Offs and Kick Ons podcast. "He was like, 'Let the f---ers cook, they can't f---ing handle the heat can they?'
"But we've managed to get that pushed back, which is nice."
A mainstay of Jones's squad during his seven year tenure with England, Marler is more than aware of the coach's media antics and expects he'll be using them to his benefit in the lead up to the clash.
"Whether I'm involved or not, I'm just looking forward to the media bombs that are going to come flying out from Eddie in that week leading up to England-Japan because he won't be able to help himself will he?
"With his former understudy Steve, they are very different blokes, very different characters, I'm intrigued to see how that week goes."
England will play Japan before heading to New Zealand for a two-Test series in June.
CRON TAKES SWIPE AT NZR AS HE JOINS WALLABIES
It's been a busy week for new Wallabies assistant coach Mike Cron, spending time with Wallabies and Melbourne Rebels prop Taniela Tupou before he took aim at New Zealand Rugby for their treatment of former All Blacks coach Ian Foster and had a dig at former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.
Unveiled as the Wallabies new forwards coach on Tuesday, the 'scrum doctor' as he's affectionately known, labelled the treatment of Foster as appalling after he was almost given the sack from his position following dreadful All Blacks results in 2022 before it was announced Scott Robertson would be taking over the All Blacks coaching gig following the World Cup, leaving Foster out in the cold.
"[He's] a great man, great coach," Cron told Newstalk ZB. "He was hard done by. It was s--- what they did to him, I thought, between the media and NZR [New Zealand Rugby].
"He didn't deserve it. [He's] a far greater man than that. Hopefully they never go down that path again."
Cron spent seven years working alongside Foster in the All Blacks backroom and NZR's treatment of the 58-year-old clearly left it's mark on the scrum coach.
Meanwhile, speaking to Australian media on Tuesday, Cron also sent a shot at Jones after the Wallabies poor performances at the World Cup, while backing up fellow Kiwi Dave Rennie who was unceremoniously dumped from in early 2023.
"There were a few wildcards, weren't there, in that World Cup team," Cron said of Jones' World Cup selections.
"I actually thought Dave Rennie was doing a good job. That's my personal view. We [the All Blacks] could see the Wallabies improving. Now sure, your win-loss ratio didn't quite match that. But you could see the boys every Test were getting better. That was my humble opinion.
"And then all the staff that were with him and the players - and then whatever happens, happens [replaced by Eddie Jones] - and he's gone. So I thought they were pretty much heading the right way back then."
Already hitting the ground running, spending time with Tupou in Melbourne, it's clear Cron plans to make the most of his 16-month stint in Australia.
SWINTON HAS HIS BLONDE MOMENT FOR MILESTONE 50TH CAP
Preparing to line-up for his 50th Super Rugby appearance when the Waratahs take on long-time rivals the Brumbies in Canberra, Lachie Swinton made an interesting sight at training in the lead up to his milestone moment, changing his usual red-coloured tresses for a new bright blonde look.
"It's a coincidence, bit of a dice-roll, a team thing," Swinton joked when asked about the change.
Making his debut in the sky blue in 2018, Swinton has been a wrecking ball in the backrow, but has also often found himself in disciplinary trouble. Making his way back into the Tahs starting line-up this year, the hard hitter will join a list of some of New South Wales' greats.
"It's awesome, it's been a bit of a grind to get there, but to get to run out for my 50th game for the Tahs and join some impressive and good lads who've done the same thing, plus more, so I'm really honoured to do that and join that club," Swinton said.
"Not really [ever think it would happen]-, it's always a bit cliché, but it really is a dream come true to tick that off. To be here for a fair bit of time now and gain some consistency, it's been good.
"I grew up somewhat in this club, from a raw youngish kid, to I hope someone a bit more mature, but it's been good."
After four straight losses - three by less than three points - the Waratahs season is close to rock bottom with a win over the Brumbies on Saturday night the only chance for the side to turn their season around.
"It's obviously really frustrating. You look at our performances and they have been really tight, and it is just a couple little fixes. If we can achieve that, everyone knows we can do well, we've just got to execute when the crunch time comes.
"Across the board they're good match-ups, take someone like Valetini, a big physical ball-runner. I always get up and get excited to play that bloke cause he's a good player and I like challenging myself against that, especially when going to someone like France, you come across those caliber ball-runners every week, so it'll be a good test for myself."
BEALE NAMED FOR SHUTE SHIELD RETURN
Wallabies star Kurley Beale has been named to make his Shute Shield return for defending champions Randwick in Round one this weekend, but there's a possibility the rugby star may miss the match.
Randwick coach Stephen Hoiles revealed he's left the door open for Beale to step back from duties if he is too overcome with emotions following his brother's funeral on Friday.
Beale played his first rugby game in over a year last month when he pulled on the Randwick myrtle green in their preseason Australia Club Championship clash with Brisbane's Brothers. It was just two days after his younger brother William died unexpectedly.
"He has got his brother's funeral tomorrow [Friday] so we do have a contingency, to be fair he's probably had a harder couple of weeks now after that Brothers game because the reality of what's happened has sent in, and he's still grieving," Hoiles told the Daily Telegraph.
"I'm not certain about this week, I do have a plan if he has a tough day tomorrow and turns around and says, 'It's all too hard'."
Beale impressed with his contributions against Brothers, looking sharp with ball in hand and taking on the defensive line. Hoiles has been excited by what he's seen at club level and believes he's still got plenty to give at professional level.
"Assuming he does play, I'm really excited. You know what he can do, you know he brings value to a team, but I've really enjoyed the other guys latch onto him, the centres have spent heaps of time with him talking about the game.
"He was really good against Brothers, he's kept his speed, he's got spark. I actually think there is a physical benefit of him missing so much rugby over the past 15 months, he's been able to put time into his body and his life and his family.
"He's looking really good as a result; he hasn't taken 30 games of contact in that time."
Randwick will take on Hunter Wildfires in Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.
RUGBY'S MOST VERSATILE PLAYER
There are not many players in world rugby who can so easily switch between the backline and the forward pack, but Wallaroos and Melbourne Rebels star Ash Marsters is becoming a master of all positions, recently making an impact for the Rebels in the centres.
She began her career at fullback before she made the move into the centres and then flyhalf. It wasn't too long before she was selected for 2014 World Cup as a centre, before she shifted to halfback and then transitioned to the forwards.
From hooker to the backrow and most recently during her stint with French club Montpellier she played across all three positions in the front row. The only position she's yet to play is second row.
"At one point I think I was playing tight-head and then had to throw at the lineout, before changing to loosehead," Marsters told rugby.com.au.
"It's all a little 'how ya going' but it's a lot of fun. They're so fast over there and the quality of their skills is outstanding."
Transitioning back to outside centre for the Rebels this season, Marsters admits it's been an adjustment with the game moving on since the last time she stood in the backline.
"It's been a bit of an adjustment. It's been a while since I've played in the backs moving into the forwards and just moving around within there," she said.
"It's been a positive learning curve for me, especially with the game changing quite dramatically since I've been in the backs."
Who knows, by the time she ends her career she could have a set of jersey 1-15 hanging in her closet!
