Rugby World Cup

[Deleted member 15344]

Personally looks like a total farce to have games being called off for England and New Zealand and potential crucial games in the Scotland / Japan / Ireland group doubtful with potential for late cancellation.

Ok - so I get that its weather and if it's not safe, then so be it. But this is a World Cup across a fairly large nation. They should still be playing these games at an alternative venue or on Monday. It is surely not beyond the realms of a top sporting event to organise a new venue rather than just not playing the games.

England finishing top of the group without having played anyone tougher than Argentina a man down is a bit of a joke. Argentina have not beaten one of the top 8 Rugby nations since June 2017. At least have them and France battle it for top spot.

And if Pool A is decided on the basis of a cancelled game with Japan effectively eliminating a team they haven't played (and have never beaten in rugby history), then the whole competition is a total joke.

I am certain if these games were more important, they would not have cancelled them and would have done similar to what they have done in the Scotland / Ireland pool and said we'll make a call on the day. Or would even have already lined up an alternative venue.

And of course there is always the challenge in Rugby of managing your squad over 6 or 7 games and while other teams will be playing (and potentially getting injured), New Zealand, France and England just happen to have a weekend off in their hotels, lifting weights and getting massages.

Can I have a guess at what country you are from ?
Ummmm is it scotland ? 🙄

 

[Imurg]

To be fair, if England or Wales or any other country was in the same boat then fans from that country would be yelling.
It's unfortunate but the logistics of moving games or delaying them makes it a non-starter.
If any fingers need pointing they need to be aimed at those who decided a major tournament anywhere in monsoon/typhoon /hurricane season was a good idea

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Scotland just discovered a new way of being eliminated from a major Sporting event

Aye - a new one for us - just to add to the list - jeez...

As someone sat on a bucket just might have said - jings, crivvens an' help ma boab!

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Can I have a guess at what country you are from ?
Ummmm is it scotland ? 🙄

And if England were in the same position as Scotland I feel absolutely certain that you would be in full agreement.

 

[Grant85]

It’s an act of god, what do you want the Rugby authorities to do? You can’t just move games, look at the travel expenses, hotels etc for the fans.
Your post comes across as very sour grapes.

Fans don't need to go. They've already shelved out thousands to go to a game that has been called off. I'm sure many would have travelled to Japan just for this one game.

The integrity of the tournament is paramount, so if they have to - hold the games behind closed doors if they have safety fears, but all of the games should be played.
If it was a KO game, they would be able to make arrangements to play the game at a different venue or delay it 24 or 48 hours.
You definitely can 'just move games'. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Not sour grapes, just making the point that a team can get to the quarter final of a world cup (and win a pool) without playing a decent team. Obviously England have done that in part due to their seeding and being ranked as a top 4 team but also a bit of good fortune with regards to the order of the fixtures and that they are avoiding having to play the 2nd seeds in their group.
I'm sure if this was the England - Tonga game being called off, they would be playing this game at some point before Monday night.

If they really had safety fears about fans then they'd have called all games off rather than risk people trying to travel on Saturday.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's unfortunate but the logistics of moving games or delaying them makes it a non-starter.

You would have thought as a simple contingency they'd build in an extra day to play the game in the same way as they have for some cricket finals

 

[Deleted member 15344]

And if England were in the same position as Scotland I feel absolutely certain that you would be in full agreement.

what’s all this if business? It’s Englands game that has been called off but they made sure by winning all their games so far they didn’t put themselves into a position of a must win game - Scotland are in the position they are is down to them and them only , plus the game is currently still going ahead so dry your eyes out and stop blaming everyone else

 

[IanM]

Typhoon season in Japan.... no contingencies in place? Bit silly..... or is it the same as the cricket, rained off equals no result, so best win the other games eh?

Bad way of going out though

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The integrity of the tournament is paramount, so if they have to - hold the games behind closed doors if they have safety fears, but all of the games should be played.
If it was a KO game, they would be able to make arrangements to play the game at a different venue or delay it 24 or 48 hours.
You definitely can 'just move games'. Where there's a will, there's a way.

.

Good point. Once we get past this weekend and its knockout what happens if another storm comes in before the end of the event. Can't call it 0-0 draw as someone has to win. Surely they'll be extra days allowed and not something as farcical as drawing lots for progression. If so, why not have the extra day, play the game, whether in a stadium with fans or not and let the sides play to a satisfactory conclusion

 

[IanM]

England finishing top of the group without having played anyone tougher than Argentina a man down is a bit of a joke.

And if Pool A is decided on the basis of a cancelled game with Japan effectively eliminating a team they haven't played (and have never beaten in rugby history), then the whole competition is a total joke.

Completely correct, and I have a picture in my head of you typing it eating a Tunnocks Tea Cake and a tin o Irn Bru on the side!

Glaswegian in the office is fuming!

 

[Grant85]

Completely correct, and I have a picture in my head of you typing it eating a Tunnocks Tea Cake and a tin o Irn Bru on the side!

Glaswegian in the office is fuming!

For the record, I would still have the same view with regards to the other teams that all games should be played.

From an Irish pov, if their game is called off then they would then definitely finish 2nd and have to play a well rested New Zealand.

Obviously in the English pool, France could still finish top if the game was played but this route is either Wales or Australia which I think most people would say is pretty even with regards to who you play i.e. if it was the difference between playing New Zealand or Scotland / Japan, then clearly a much more important game.

 

[rudebhoy]

There's one thing for sure, if Japan had to win the game to qualify, you can bet your boots there would be a contingency plan in place.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Fans don't need to go. They've already shelved out thousands to go to a game that has been called off. I'm sure many would have travelled to Japan just for this one game.

The integrity of the tournament is paramount, so if they have to - hold the games behind closed doors if they have safety fears, but all of the games should be played.
If it was a KO game, they would be able to make arrangements to play the game at a different venue or delay it 24 or 48 hours.
You definitely can 'just move games'. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Not sour grapes, just making the point that a team can get to the quarter final of a world cup (and win a pool) without playing a decent team. Obviously England have done that in part due to their seeding and being ranked as a top 4 team but also a bit of good fortune with regards to the order of the fixtures and that they are avoiding having to play the 2nd seeds in their group.
I'm sure if this was the England - Tonga game being called off, they would be playing this game at some point before Monday night.

If they really had safety fears about fans then they'd have called all games off rather than risk people trying to travel on Saturday.

By all means be pissed off it could affect Scotland, but by mentioning other teams it comes across as sour grapes.
I’d be annoyed if it was roles reversed between England and Scotland, but I wouldn’t be annoyed at Scotland or anyone else that possibly benefit or how it will effect future games.

 

[GB72]

You would have thought as a simple contingency they'd build in an extra day to play the game in the same way as they have for some cricket finals

No you cannot. Rugby needs recovery time and so playing on Monday or Tuesday then expecting to compete in a quarter final next weekend is not on. As for another venue, this typhoon is going to shut air and rail travel down. Plus the Scotland v Japan match is officially still on as the typhoon will have passed by Sunday, only risk is if there is significant damage.

England and France will not be too upset at the cancellation. Only one team has the right to be hacked off now and that is Italy as technically they could still have qualified plus 2 of their longest serving players were retiring after the match

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It’s a super typhoon for godsake, winds up to 160mph, is the Rugby really more important than it, obviously there will be contingency plans in place for one off games later in the tournament, but moving thousands of sports fans around is careless and dangerous.
The Scotland game may, MAY, get called off, let’s just wait and see.

 

[Jacko_G]

Bit of a nonsense from the start holding a tournament when this weather was always more than a strong possibility!

 

[Papas1982]

It’s a super typhoon for godsake, winds up to 160mph, is the Rugby really more important than it, obviously there will be contingency plans in place for one off games later in the tournament, but moving thousands of sports fans around is careless and dangerous.
The Scotland game may, MAY, get called off, let’s just wait and see.

I still feel if this was a sport with more finance involved something would be done.

Could you imagine a top football team going out of a world cup, or champions league game because of it? And just accepting it?

We replayed Poland wasn't it? A day after rain?
The games imo could be played behind closed doors. Yes it sucks for the fans to miss a game, but im sure those travelling g would rather their teams still played somehow. If the games meant soenthing.

 

[Beezerk]

Good point. Once we get past this weekend and its knockout what happens if another storm comes in before the end of the event. Can't call it 0-0 draw as someone has to win.

They'll play on another day, game finishes 52-48 but the losing team call foul because of a reffing error/we didn't know the weather was really going to be this bad, then insist on a "people's rematch" 😁

 

[Papas1982]

Bit of a nonsense from the start holding a tournament when this weather was always more than a strong possibility!

Footy world cup in a country with atrocious human rights record, ridiculous heat and no real interest in the sport shows how clever most sports authorities are tbh

 

[ColchesterFC]

Good point. Once we get past this weekend and its knockout what happens if another storm comes in before the end of the event. Can't call it 0-0 draw as someone has to win. Surely they'll be extra days allowed and not something as farcical as drawing lots for progression. If so, why not have the extra day, play the game, whether in a stadium with fans or not and let the sides play to a satisfactory conclusion

They have reserve days allocated for knock out matches but not for the group stages. Don't know the reasoning behind not having them for group matches but those are the rules and everyone should be aware of them before the tournament kicks off.