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 |
As things stand of course the main positive is that NZ won’t have actually qualified for the quarter-finals which will render their ultimate victory null and void.
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Ticht- It’s possible that the game won’t need to be rearranged anyway in which case it doesn’t matter other than that Italy have been shafted regardless as an entirely separate issue. If it gets rearranged then we can definitely say that it would also have been rearranged if the positions were reversed. My instinct is that it might be more likely to go ahead as scheduled than it currently is if the positions were reversed (depending on whose decision that turns out to be), but we’ll never know.
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Have to assume France (just as big a player as England and NZ) are OK with the decision on their game unless anyone’s heard any different?
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“Ticht, it would only take a daft Scott barrett type clearout in the first 5 minutes for Italy to have a chance, that view shouldn’t fly. ”
Or an Italian type double spear tackle to turn it into a 100 point rout.
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I’m rather surprised that BB hasn’t posted about the 50th anniversary of King Crimson. (Possibly because I have my facts wrong…)
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*may have my facts wrong
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It is rather curious that there wasn’t alternative dates arranged for inclement weather.
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There are contingency days for the knockout games, which overlooks the fact that some of the pool games are effectively knockout games, and some are foregone conclusions for which gaining only two points and zero points differential would be the difference between a QF and going home.
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There are contingency days for the knockout games, which overlooks the fact that some of the pool games are effectively knockout games,
I did not know that. (I say that too often…)
But how would it be decided that a match doesn’t matter?
Obviously Namibia v Canada wouldn’t count towards much, unless the WR rankings adjust monies awarded based on rank.
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Even coming 3rd helps towards qualification for the next RWC I think. But the contingency days are for QFs and SFs, so those are all assumed to matter.
NZ needed to play – big brodie is under-done (30 min game time since Snyman broke him) , they don’t have their midfield sorted, the Barrett-Mo’unga experiment is still just an experiment etc.
But they needed to play on Saturday or Sunday. By Monday the risk-reward ratio flips, which is why they don’t schedule games that close to the QFs. Japan and
Scotland already have the worst deal in terms of turn-around before the QF, with Australia given 48 hours more rest.
I guess people will stop complaining if the typhoon death toll is high enough.
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South Africa get even more rest, BK.
I ain’t no Jamie Oliver so don’t know who’s going to over- and undercooked.
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Qualifying laps for the Japanese Grand Prix have been moved to Sunday morning from Saturday with the race scheduled to take place at the normal time on Sunday afternoon
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I guess I should have added that the race is being held around 200 miles on the same coast as where the Japan Scotland games is scheduled for Sunday evening
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I seem to have lost the ability to write in my mother tongue
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Wales to face Uruguay:
1. Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (33 Caps)
2. Ryan Elias (Scarlets) (8 Caps)
3. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (18 Caps)
4. Bradley Davies (Ospreys) (65 Caps)
5. Adam Beard (Ospreys) (16 Caps)
6. Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (23 Caps)
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (68 Caps) (Capt)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (15 Caps)
9. Aled Davies (Ospreys) (19 Caps)
10. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (16 Caps)
11. Hallam Amos (Cardiff Blues) (20 Caps)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (21 Caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (18 Caps)
14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (17 Caps)
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (83 Caps)
Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons) (25 Caps)
17. Rhys Carre (Saracens) (2 Caps)
18. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (18 Caps)
19. Jake Ball (Scarlets) (39 Caps)
20. Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (37 Caps)
21. James Davies (Scarlets) (6 Caps)
22. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues) (12 Caps)
23. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (47 Caps)
We’ll see all kinds of crazy out of position stuff in the second half. A midfield of Parkes, Watkin and Amos with Cubby and Gareth Davies on the wings should be a right lark.
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There are contingency days for the knockout games, which overlooks the fact that some of the pool games are effectively knockout games,
A few points here – first, I can’t believe that I’m agreeing with a Kiwi AND that I gave him a Like. End of days.
For me, the critical point here is that World Rugby clearly did a Johnson and lied through their teeth about contingencies – as BK notes, for some, this is the knockout round. Moreover, a typhoon isn’t something that just pops up out of the blue and roars through town with no notice – they’ve been tracking it for days now. I’m aware that they change course, but more than 2 days before the game they simply cancel because of the now known path?
I’ve not been there, but my impression was that Japan has an unbelievable transport system and that had proper planning been done, it would have been easy to have stadia on standby and contingency flights/trains etc so that they didn’t end up with egg on their faces? With the level of arrogance they’ve displayed, I’d imagine the smug response will be “if you’ve got egg on your face, make an omelette. Haw Haw!” Well, when the shit hits the fan, let’s give them all a shit sandwich! Let’s not forget they’ve had four years – minimum – to work through the scenarios and options. What a clusterfuck of ineptitude!
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I would like to add, that had they planned properly, they wouldn’t have had to move dates – just venues. Shitty for the fans on a tight budget with tickets, but they’re just getting a refund anyway and the ‘opportunity’ to hunker down in a hotel room whilst Ma Nature kicks us all in the goolies, so to speak.
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What pisses me off is that we are told rugby union is a ‘player’s game’ (whatever that means) and for the 36 blokes involved in each fixture each game is of massive importance.
The most ridiculous suggestion I have heard so far is that USA v Tonga and Namibia v Canada should be cancelled to make room for ‘bigger games’ to be played. Fuck that! These are the ‘World Cup Finals’ for 4 teams with players massively looking forward to their chance to play in the most meaningful fixture of their time here.
If games cannot be played at the scheduled time, either due to the direct impact of the typhoon or its aftermath, and the organizers are either unable or unwilling to rearrange the games – the rules regarding cancellation must be applied.
All games must be treated equally. The rules must be applied equally.
The talk coming from one particular team about taking legal action (as if they are the real victims of the typhoon), or being ‘willing’ to play the game in an empty stadium (thus negating the home crowd) is really annoying and disrespectful to the hosts (who just happen to be their opponents).
1. Those are the rules
2. It’s a typhoon that will cause significant damage
3. You getting a shot at a QF is not any more important than the goals of other affected teams.
4. If you’re really that unhappy, feel free to leave now. It’s only a week earlier than scheduled anyway.
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It’s not as simple as moving the venue, is it? Where do the teams stay? Who does the security checks in the stadiums? What if emergency services are needed in affected areas? How do teams travel back to Tokyo? Etc., etc.
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NAMIBIA
1 André Rademeyer, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 4 Johan Retief, 5 Tjiuee Uanivi, 6 Prince Gaoseb, 7 Wian Conradie, 8 Janco Venter, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 10 Cliven Loubser, 11 JC Greyling, 12 Darryl de la Harpe, 13 Johan Deysel (capt.), 14 Lesley Klim, 15 Johann Tromp
Replacements: 16 Louis van der Westhuizen, 17 AJ de Klerk, 18 Desiderius Sethie, 19 Max Katjijeko, 20 Rohan Kitshoff, 21 Damian Stevens, 22 TC Kisting, 23 Chad Plato
CANADA
1 Djustice Sears-Duru, 2 Eric Howard, 3 Jake Ilnicki, 4 Evan Olmstead, 5 Conor Keys, 6 Lucas Rumball, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Tyler Ardron (capt.), 9 Gordon McRorie, 10 Peter Nelson, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 12 Ciaran Hearn, 13 Conor Trainor, 14 Jeff Hassler, 15 Patrick Parfrey
Replacements: 16 Andrew Quattrin, 17 Hubert Buydens, 18 Matt Tierney, 19 Luke Campbell, 20 Dustin Dobravsky, 21 Jamie Mackenzie, 22 Shane O’Leary, 23 Andrew Coe
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“It’s not as simple as moving the venue, is it? Where do the teams stay? Who does the security checks in the stadiums? What if emergency services are needed in affected areas? How do teams travel back to Tokyo? Etc., etc.”
Japan started their bid process in 2009, formal approval was given in September 2015. This is probably the most advanced nation on the planet in terms of transport infrastructure, typhoons are part of life there at this time of year, was this factored in during the bid process?
We are being told that there were contingency arrangements mentioned the agreement document the participating unions were obliged to sign, so presumably extreme weather was considered and planned for.
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Eddie knows:
“We have been talking about it all the time, about the possibility that this was going to happen,” said Jones, whose side have already qualified.
“It’s typhoon season, so you go somewhere else and it’s terrorists season. You know what’s going to happen. It’s typhoon season here and you’ve got to be prepared for it.
“We had an idea it could happen and therefore you have to accumulate points in your games to put yourself in the right position in case that happened.
“We just knew that there was the possibility of a game like this during the tournament so we just wanted to put ourselves in the best position we could.”
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Worse than Hitler XXIII
Scotland (v Japan at Yokohama International Stadium on Sunday 13th October, kick-off 7.14pm Japan time, 8.15am BST): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Chris Harris, Sam Johnson, Darcy Graham; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (CAPTAIN); Allan Dell, Fraser Brown, WP Nel, Grant Gilchrist, Jonny Gray, Magnus Bradbury, Jamie Ritchie, Blade Thomson.
Replacements: Stuart McInally, Zander Fagerson, Gordon Reid, Scott Cummings, Ryan Wilson, George Horne, Peter Horne, Blair Kinghorn.
Rambo dropped to the bench, I have to hope Toonie knows what he is doing
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Eddie hasn’t gotten over the last two Calcutta Cup games, or the pissheads who berated him at the train station
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No treacle toes?
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I’m guessing he’s injured as I’d have thought he’d be nailed on otherwise.
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He’s also talking from the position of having played the two weakest teams first.
It’d be entirely different if it had been Argentina game called off.
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Hooker swap is a surprised, but don’t reckon it’s a biggie.
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Are we the bad guys again?
Thought it was the plucky foreign child buyers. It’s so hard to keep up.
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Ha. Quite. Doubt Eddie would be so sanguine if his teams qualification was on the line.
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Agreed, TomP. Which is why contingency plans should have been made. Wonder what the plans are for the Olympics ?
Here is a quote from the Japan Times:-
“Authorities should also study “contingency plans including a decision to suspend the event,” said Toshitaka Katada, a disaster prevention professor at the University of Tokyo.
“That kind of decision-making tends to be delayed” if not discussed in advance, especially regarding who decides the cancellation and in which circumstances, he said.
Any such decision would be taken by the IOC, while “the Japanese government will give necessary advice over important security issues,” said government official Endo.”
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Sergio Parisse is suggesting that their game would not have been called off if New Zealand had needed the points
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Must be quite refreshing for plucky Ireland playing in the rain to be surpassed in Evilness by the tartan hordes.
Might have considered squeezing Hastings onto the bench, can he not play centre ?
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@SBT, Hastings can play fullback well, but Kinghorn and Graham already cover that as well as wing. When Hastings has come on at fly half Finn has moved out to 12
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Hastings has played centre alongside Finn. Once. Wouldn’t be keen on seeing that line up again (although we won against Argentina)
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Tim, as I understand it Hagibis is exceptional, the largest storm in over 20 years or something. No doubt Japan has exceptionally good infrastructure but someone from government has probably had a word with DBWR/the RWC organising committee. It’s freakishly bad luck for the teams who are affected – and it looked earlier in the week as if it’d be Ireland/Samoa/Wales/Uruguay – but safety is paramount.
The question of whether the tournament should’ve been held during typhoon season is another matter.
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Of course, the bullshit from DBWR about robust contingency plans and the Farrell intervention earlier in the week make it very muddy.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/07/typhoon-hagibis-threatens-ireland-key-rugby-world-cup-date-with-samoa
“Andy Farrell believes World Rugby are as keen as Ireland to see Saturday’s final Pool A clash with Samoa
completed, despite the threat of Typhoon Hagibis.
“World Rugby is monitoring the new typhoon that could hit Japan on Saturday and stop Ireland’s World Cup campaign in its tracks. Typhoon Hagibis has formed in the Western Pacific Ocean off the south coast of Japan, with forecasts suggesting it could hit the island of Kyushu this weekend.
“Ireland face Samoa in the Kyushu city of Fukuoka on Saturday, where Joe Schmidt’s men need a bonus-point victory to seal a place in the quarter-finals. But defence coach Farrell confirmed World Rugby had been in touch and that there are contingency plans in place to ensure the match goes ahead, which could even include moving venue.
““The boys haven’t even spoken about it – we just go from day to day, get on with our preparations,” said Farrell. “World Rugby has been in touch with us and they are as keen as we are to get this game played. I believe there’s a contingency plan in place. We just get on with our day job and best prepare every single day and we’ll see what comes with that. The weather forecast changes all the time anyway. So we won’t probably know until 48 hours out from the game.””
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What time of year is terrorists season? Been bugging me all morning.
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That wasn’t helpful by Eddie.
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LOL from BTL on the match report of Scotland’s latest mauling:
Scotland were so crap CNN are accusing them of Russian collusion.
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Right about now if you are Kurdish, Craigs.
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Nothing Eddie said was helpful. It was utterly useless, given that he’s sitting in an immensely privileged position on this one. But the terrorists thing was weird. Unless he’s been watching Dark Knight Rises again.
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If they’re going ahead with the Grand Prix, with attendance of around a hundred and forty thousand, you’d think conditions are expected to be okay hours later.
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Something for Scottish fans to do when their match is cancelled ?
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Also, by definition, you don’t KNOW what’s going to happen or where it’s going to happen during Terrorist Season. Cos if you did, you’d stop them.
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There’s the fighting season in Afghanistan. School’s out, the poppies are all collected and the weather’s better – it’s fighting time.
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Wouldn’t like to play on those hard dusty Afghan pitches.
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Ach, they play in Bloemfontein in winter. Almost the same.
https://afghanistanrugby.com/2018/07/05/no-more-easy-games/
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@Ticht
As the organizers have said for several days now – they will make an assessment of the situation on Sunday morning.
It would be a shame if the whining from the Scotland camp influenced the decision one way or another.
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They play RL in all weathers and seem to be able to cope with the most extreme situations
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