1.   Norman discovered by accident that he was being counted on to do more than warm the bench this season.

2.   The new Pistons mentor then noted that he used to play a lot with Barros over at Boston College when Carlisle was warming the bench for the Celtics.

3.   He was on the Yale baseball team, but he warmed the bench.

4.   McCarthy thinks the younger Keane, who appears eager for action after largely warming the bench this season at Leeds, could be the key to Irish success.

5.   Most of the time, he has warmed the bench, although he did play a few matches in the Dutch league.

6.   Gatland, a former top class hooker for the All Blacks who warmed the bench while Sean Fitzpatrick bestrode the scene, remained the soul of discretion.

7.   Giuseppe Signori, top scorer with three goals, will probably have Croatian Alen Boksic as his striking partner while two-goal Pierluigi Casiraghi warms the bench.

8.   Centre Danie van Schalkwyk, who warmed the bench in Christchurch, has been omitted from the squad.

9.   Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi is hoping months spent warming the bench for English club Portsmouth will serve as a springboard to a successful World Cup campaign.