Here are the stories making the rugby news on Monday, July 11
Biggar - World Cup 'a level playing field'
Wales captain Dan Biggar believes next year's World Cup is "very much a level playing field" after northern hemisphere nations served emphatic notice of their credentials.
England remain the only European country to be crowned world champions following a Jonny Wilkinson-inspired triumph in Australia 19 years ago. And while there is still more than a year before rugby union's next global extravaganza takes centre-stage, the form guide is taking tantalising shape.
Ireland's first victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand, England beating Australia in Brisbane, Wales ending 58 years of hurt on South African soil and Scotland toppling Argentina away from home represented a staggering July super Saturday.
READ MORE: Biggar's fitness fight in battle to play in deciding Test
All four touring teams now enter series deciders next Saturday, while the sport's world rankings are set for a considerable power-shift.
"It is really exciting looking forward to 12 months or so time in France," Biggar said after Wales toppled the world champions 13-12 in Bloemfontein. "There is not really one stand-out team going into the World Cup, as there has been the last couple of times probably where New Zealand have been streets ahead of everyone.
"It is very much a level playing field, and anyone can beat anyone."
A week after pushing South Africa to the limit in a first Test thriller, Wales levelled when Gareth Anscombe kicked a touchline conversion two minutes from time after fellow substitute Josh Adams claimed his 20th Test try. It was Wales' first victory over the Springboks in South Africa, arriving at the 12th attempt, and came little more than three months after Biggar and company were defeated by Italy in Cardiff.
"Credit to Wayne Pivac and the management that we probably didn't over-react to the end of the Six Nations," said Biggar, who took a blow to his shoulder and went off early in the second half at Toyota Stadium.
"We definitely should have won against France, we could have won against England and we were obviously disappointed with the way things finished against Italy. We stuck true to our guns and game-plan in terms of what we are trying to achieve.
"I think professional sport is so cut-throat. When you lose, those defeats tend to last for months and months, as opposed to sometimes your victories are over before you blink. There have been some very, very good Wales teams to have come here and been sent packing. We are a really tight-knit group, and everyone deserves a pat on the back."
Wales wait on walking wounded
Wayne Pivac will assess Wales' walking wounded in the next 48 hours before naming his side to take on the Springboks in the Cape Town decider.
The main concern will be over captain Dan Biggar, who was forced off in the 50th minute of the match on Saturday night with a right shoulder problem. If he is forced out, Gareth Anscombe, Saturday's match-winner, will come into the starting side and Rhys Patchell, yet to see any action on this tour, will likely be on the bench.
The potential absence of Biggar also poses questions over the captaincy, with Adam Beard likely to be given the armband.
Wales' depth at tight-head is going to be tested like never before. Dillon Lewis, who was spotted walking around after the match with his left arm in a sling, is a major doubt and Tomas Francis has gone home.
The inexperienced Sam Wainwright could start, although the option of Wyn Jones covering tight-head will be considered.
Alex Cuthbert is another who left the field injured with an arm injury.
Georgia make history and stun Italy
Georgia made a bit of rugby history on Sunday night beating Italy 28-19.
In front of a raucous capacity crowd, Levan Maisashvili's side saw off a tier-one nation for the first time. Calls will only grow louder now for the eastern Europeans to join the Six Nations. They certainly made their case in Batumi.
The Adjarabet Arena thronged with noise as fly-half Tedo Abzhandadze scored 20 points to see off the Italians, who had beaten Wales in Cardiff in the spring to record their own milestone. Georgia will play Wales this autumn and at next year's Rugby World Cup.
Despite the victory, Maisashvili says he doesn't believe the result will shake up the formation of the European tournament.
“I don’t think today’s result will change much in terms of if Georgia should maybe join the Six Nations,” Maisashvili told reporters after wild scenes of celebration were witnessed at the full-time whistle.
“I absolutely don’t think they are going to open the door on the back of one result."
“Georgia were really physical, they put us under a lot of aerial pressure, they really deserved the win,” Azzurri captain Michele Lamaro told RugbyTV Georgia.
“On our side, we could have done a lot more,” the flanker added.
England injury crisis
England must enter their series decider against Australia without both of their 'Kamikaze Kids' after Sam Underhill was ruled out of the third Test because of concussion.
Underhill was replaced during the second-half of the 25-17 victory at Suncorp Stadium having suffered a head injury while tackling wing Marika Koroibete and he has now been stood down for Saturday's clash in Sydney.
It comes in the wake of Tom Curry returning home last week after being concussed in the first Test and England have only escaped a full-blown injury crisis at flanker by the news that Jack Willis has been cleared to train.
Willis withdrew from the bench just hours before the series was levelled in Brisbane due to a rib problem, but he is on course to provide cover in the pivotal Test while Lewis Ludlam is set to join Courtney Lawes and Billy Vunipola in the starting back row.
England have suffered a heavy toll from concussion during the series with Maro Itoje already confirmed as unavailable for the final instalment because of the blow he took when tackling Hunter Paisami in Brisbane.
Including the Wallabies' Jordan Petaia and Allan Alaalatoa, a total of five players have now been ruled out indefinitely because of brain injuries sustained in the first two Tests.
"Maro Itoje and Sam Underhill have been withdrawn from the England squad after suffering concussions in last weekend's win against Australia. No replacements will be called up," a Rugby Football Union statement read
Ireland ready to beat the Blacks again
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says his history-making side "back themselves against anyone" after setting up a mouth-watering decider against New Zealand.
The Irish ended their wait for a first away victory over the All Blacks thanks to Saturday's stunning 23-12 success in Dunedin. A milestone victory at Forsyth Barr Stadium came just seven days after the tourists were blitzed 42-19 in Auckland to leave the three-match contest tantalisingly poised at 1-1.
Farrell is braced for a Kiwi backlash during this weekend's Wellington finale but insists his players return to the North Island brimming with belief.
He said: "We always get a response, don't we? Everyone knows that, history tells you that. We're used to it. We'll look forward to that.
"We've created a little bit of history for ourselves, little old Ireland, but we've earned the right to take it to the last weekend to see what we can do in the final week. The players back themselves against anyone and the more we can keep giving them these occasions of playing the best teams in the world, the better they're going to get."
Scotland ready for their own decider
Gregor Townsend warned Argentina that Scotland were just "scratching the surface" after levelling their three-match Test rubber with a comprehensive 29-6 success in Salta.
Scotland ran in four tries through Hamish Watson, Mark Bennett, Matt Fagerson and Sam Johnson and scored 21 unanswered second-half points as Los Pumas were blown away on Independence Day in Argentina
The summer showdown will be decided in Santiago del Estero next Saturday, with head coach Townsend insisting the best is yet to come from Scotland.
"There's a lot of togetherness in the squad, it's a group that cares about each other and playing for their country," Townsend told Sky Sports. "We are scratching the surface with that performance, we'll be working to bring our best performance next week.
"We started the game well. It was a mixed performance after that, but at the start of the second half we really took the ball to them. I thought some of the running lines and the effort in contact was outstanding.
"There are a lot of areas to improve, but to win a Test match in Argentina takes a lot of hard work. So real credit to our team for that."
READ NEXT:
Graham Price names the Wales team Pivac should name and the improvement needed for deciding Test
