In their infinite wisdom, World Rugby chose to schedule the World Cup in a country that is prone to typhoons at this time of year, and to make absolutely no contingency plans should a typhoon threaten.
In a development that appears to have taken the organisers completely by surprise, there is a typhoon headed in Japan’s direction, and two matches have been cancelled, with Japan v Scotland still in doubt.
France will miss out on the possibility of beating England to top their group, and Italy will miss out on a historic chance to beat the All-Blacks and progress to the quarter-finals for the first time.
All right, nobody thinks that Italy would have beaten New Zealand, but it’s a funny old game and a couple of red cards, or another sneaky peek at the rule-book, could have produced the upset of the century. Apparently we’ll never know.
As Parisse said:
“It is ridiculous that a decision of this nature has been made because it isn’t like the fans arrived yesterday. It is ridiculous that there was no plan B, because it isn’t news that typhoons hit Japan.
“Sure everyone might think that Italy versus New Zealand being cancelled counts for nothing because we’d have lost anyway, but we deserved to be respected as a team. We had the chance to play in a big stadium, against a great team.
“The alternative is plan B. When you organise a World Cup you should have one in place.”
Should the Japan v Scotland match be cancelled, all three teams in Pool A contention will have reason to feel aggrieved also: Scotland for obvious reasons, Japan because it is not the way you’d want to go through, and Ireland because they miss the chance to top the pool (that being in Scotland’s gift, rather than Ireland’s hands, of course).
Quite frankly, World Cup should be handed a red card for bringing the game into disrepute. Players and fans alike (and no doubt the sponsors too) are rightly furious.
These matches should be rescheduled in alternative locations.
Last weekend’s rugby
For a rundown on the state of play as of 07/10, please see Deebee’s excellent synopsis.
On the telly this week … or not
Friday 11th October
| Australia 27 – 8 Georgia | 11:15 | ITV4 |
| Cheetahs 40 – 16 Munster | 17:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Dragons 14 – 38 Connacht | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 / TG4 / S4C |
| Leinster 40 – 14 Edinburgh | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Gloucester 24 – 26 Bath | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 12th October
| New Zealand v Italy | 05:45 | CANCELLED |
| England v France | 09:15 | CANCELLED |
| Ireland 47 – 5 Samoa | 11:45 | ITV |
| Kings 17 – 42 Ulster | 15:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Scarlets 54 – 10 Zebre | 15:00 | Freesports |
| Ospreys v Treviso | 19:35 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Glasgow v Cardiff | 19:35 | Premier Sports 1 |
Sunday 13th October
| Namibia v Canada | 04:15 | ITV |
| USA v Tonga | 06:45 | ITV |
| Wales v Uruguay | 09:10 | ITV / S4C |
| Japan v Scotland | 11:45 | ITV |
Nice Thaum.
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Good, Thaum. Deebeed me fair and square.
From the Cat on the last notablog:
“The other problem here is that Italy’s game is against the Blackness. Who we know are going to be like Fisto onna rampage against them. As such, we know it’s a loss. Bar a Foinaven type long shot, they’re getting a beating and heading home. This is as close to a foregone conclusion as can be imagined.
“Whereas Scotland v Japan isn’t.”
My reply:
“The rules were in place before the competition and if they’ve kept to them then I’ve got no problem. But if the conditions in the original location mean Scotland v Japan can’t be played there, then it shouldn’t be moved to another city/stadium. If it is, why not for Italy v NZ. Yes, it would be an astounding result for Italy to beat New Zealand but it is possible – and more Leicester City than Foinavon.
“It all depends on the weather on Sunday. From the forecasts it seems the storm will have passed and subsided so the game’ll probably take place.”
Which is more or less what you wrote above.
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TomP – yep! I did read all the comments.
Given that it’s typhoon/hurricane season, all the matches should have had pre-arranged alternative locations organised. There’s just no excuse for not having done so.
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Words Thaum.
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Everywhere you go,
Always take the weather with you,
Everywhere you go,
Oita to Tokyo,
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WR created problems by splitting countries up into tiers of 10 nations.
They then chose certain countries as worthy of assistance to break into the tier above based on an assessment of potential for sport in that country.
This means that nations hanging towards the bottom of each tier without such ‘potential’ have every reason to fear the chosen nations at the upper end of the tier below.
Japan and USA have clearly been designated as the best markets to ‘grow the game’ in T2. Let’s face it, Scotland, Italy and perhaps even Argentina are likely to be eclipsed by these teams in the future.
Other teams favoured by WR include Russia, Georgia (yet Romania are ignored) Brazil and Germany.
Teams receiving less opportunity and support are Hong Kong, Romania, Namibia, Canada.
There’s a good argument to be made that the Pacific Islands are being cruelly let down. They provide hundreds of professional and international players, yet are deprived meaningful fixtures at international and club level.
What seems to matter is the country size, the rate at which the sport is growing, potential for a professional club competition, increasing participation rates (bums on seats and boots on the ground) and the results trend of the teams.
One an argue that it isn’t fair, but to make a comparison:
the US now has 10 more professional teams than Scotland, with an average crowd of 2-3000 at each of the 6 games of each round. This means more bums on seats watching pro rugby in the US than in Scotland. It’s not something i have data on, but it’s entirely possible that more people are watching TV coverage of the MLR than there are people in Scotland watching Edinburgh and Glasgow games on TV. And this is just after one season too.
In business terms, Scotland and Italy are struggling mature markets, USA and Japan have huge potential.
What’s going to be interesting is if this ‘affirmative action’ will succeed in establishing new rugby powers (at the possible / probable expense of existing ones). In the past the powerful unions have seemingly pulled rank to protect their status and privileges and previous challengers such as Canada, Samoa and Romania have dropped away alarmingly. For example the decision to disallow Pasifika players capped by Australia or NZ to play for their home islands at the tail end of their careers was a major blow to the chances of the Islands competing with the tail end of the Tier One grouping,
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Craigs @18:23:
Goin’ where the weather suits my clothes
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” For example the decision to disallow Pasifika players capped by Australia or NZ to play for their home islands at the tail end of their careers was a major blow to the chances of the Islands competing with the tail end of the Tier One grouping,”
More players played for Samoa first then New Zealand (6) than played for New Zealand then Samoa (3).
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Good words Thauma.
Feck off, World Rugby.
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Any news on who is left standing for Wales? Apart from us on yer.
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Ah. Iks.
*Waves onions*
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No World Cup should go by without our 9s literally winging it.
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Ah BB.
*Thrusts parsnip*
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Get an allotment you two!
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Dear lord I’m on a train heading home from Bonn. Being out of work might be troubling, but being in work and coping with this old mallarkey puts things in perspective.
I’ve served my time and should be floating in clouds, not cramming into the restaurant carriage to try to get a warm beer and internet connection. I also suspect everyone has wind because the whiff of sulphur is getting troubling.
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“More players played for Samoa first then New Zealand (6) than played for New Zealand then Samoa (3).”
Michael Jones played for Samoa before New Zealand, he was born in Auckland
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I’d like to be reincarnated as Cat Iks. Even with the nipping of certain earthly pleasures.
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Is Trump making a surprise visit to Bonn? (Hat tip to Hugo Chavez as well as the obvious Trump pun.)
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Beard’s gonna be back, Iksy. Saw on WO that there was a possibility Owens might get cited. He was very very lucky but it wasn’t a red card offence.
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“Michael Jones played for Samoa before New Zealand, he was born in Auckland”
As was Frank Bunce. And Pat Lam. And Junior Tonu’u was born in Wellington.
John Schuster and Ieremia were born in Samoa.
I got it wrong earlier. Only 2 players have ever gone from NZ to Samoa – Stephen Bachop, born Christchurch, and the swesome Va’ainga Tuigamala, Samoa-born.
Bunce, Tuigamala and Lamb are 3 of my all-time favourites. Michael Jones was sui generis.
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*Thrusts parsnip*
Karl.
Having trouble liking certain posts. The system doesn’t record my likes. Some do make me chuckle, or sagely nod my head in agreement.
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Avs – I find that clicking on the star rather than the Like text works more often.
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This is beautiful from Mr Crace:
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How many of the Samoan squad this year have come through the NZ system? Can’t remember off the top of my head but it’s shedloads. Same as the last one. Samoa doesn’t produce players at the rate Fiji do.
There’s a shaft scale and I’d appreciate if it was applied when we scream ‘shaft’.
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I’m 99% sure I went to a wedding at Thornton Manor. We got a train to Lime Street and taxi from there. Mispronounced the name of the village Thornton Manor is in and the cabby asked if we’d been in Liverpool before to which we said no. A couple of days later we got a taxi back to Lime Street – correctly pronounced – and said that yes we’d been to Liverpool before. The return taxi fare was half the price of the outward fare.
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Samoa have 3 pkayers who came through the system in Samoa in their squad.
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Confirmed. My mate whose wedding it was just sent me this picture:
https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/resources/images/10527514.jpg?display=1&htype=0&type=responsive-gallery
And said that I passed out early on in the room next door.
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TomP
(Karl)
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Top top shaft of all shafts
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Thaum, if we are going down that road…
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Conor O’Shea was adamant on the radio earlier that the same rule needs to be applied to the Scotland-Japan match as has been applied to the Italian one and of course he has a point. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
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Ticht – looks like he’s climbed through a window and shot someone there. Not a good start.
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Found a boomgate shaft in the store today that I hadn’t seen for a while.
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As for the growing of the game and all that I’m afraid I just like the Six Nations, was at least as happy when it was five and am coming round to being able to warm to a World Cup every now and then since Gats got involved.
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“Conor O’Shea was adamant on the radio earlier that the same rule needs to be applied to the Scotland-Japan match as has been applied to the Italian one and of course he has a point. ”
The same rule will be applied – there is a cat 5 hurricane on its way to the venue at the time Italy are playing.
When Scotland and Japan are scheduled to play the hurricane will be 500km away.
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@Avs – “The system doesn’t record my likes”
Thought you were just a hard man to please.
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1991
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@Ticht – he wasn’t asking for it to be cancelled, just strongly of the opinion that it shouldn’t be rearranged if the weather means it can’t be played when and where it is scheduled to be.
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Glynn Edwards, who played Dave the barman at the Windsor in Minder, is in a Shaft film.
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@CMW, I do feel for the Italian players, I’ve just read a rant on FB from a former Scottish number 8 who said it’s a disgrace that Parisse’s career is going to end this way. There is ample time and opportunity for these games to be played – even if they play on Tuesday the turnaround is the same as Scotland have now.
If Japan get through and play the All Blacks it will be a huge game, but lets be honest here, there is only one winner in that, same as if it were Scotland.
This game is the host nation’s cup final, every effort should be made to ensure it takes place, even dog help us if it means breaking a rule – some might not believe this but I’d feel exactly the same way if it was Ireland or anyone else in our shoes
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Craigs – if we’re having a Three Dog Night night, it can’t be complete without this tribute to Spaffer Johnson:
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I think if Japan get through they play the Boks.
I’m not sure it has to be the end of Parisse’s career. Ghiraldini maybe as he is perhaps hanging his boots up all together? Their game should be rearranged as should Japan-Scotland if necessary.
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I would look forward to Scotland playing NZ – last time I saw them do so it was a fantastic match.
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Ah a Liar Johnson thread
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Ticht – completely agree with you. I’m a big fan of Parisse for his seeming ability to play practically every position – in the same match – and his dedication to the sport. He deserves better than this. As does Ghiraldini, and as do all players in these three matches in fact, who have worked and trained and sweated and suffered injuries to reach this point. They should all have their opportunity to prove themselves on the pitch, no matter how hopeless an endeavour it might seem to be.
Although one note: if the Japan v Scotland match is cancelled, Japan will be playing the Boks, whom they have already beaten once….
Someone else made the point that the ‘dead rubbers’ such as Namibia v Canada and USA v Tonga could be used instead, with those fixtures being rescheduled.
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“I think if Japan get through they play the Boks.”
Ireland are currently on 11, they will finish on 16. If Japan beat Scotland they will reach at least 18 points and play the Boks, if the match is called off they will go through as runner up on 16 and play NZ.
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Surely they would still be ahead of Ireland on head-to-head?
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Ticht
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Which means Ireland’s only chance of a cuddle is a Scotland win.
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CMW – yes, optimistically even if Ireland end on 16, they will be runners-up because of the head-to-head with Japan.
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