Rugby Australia séduit par la réactivité de France 2023
Dans un entretien accordé à RMC Sport, le directeur général de Rugby Australia Phil Waugh a salué l’organisation de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023 en France.
« Il y a toujours des défis à relever quand on accueille un évènement aussi grand dans tant d’endroits différents. Donc ce n’était pas surprenant de constater certains défauts d’organisation au début », a-t-il déclaré à nos confrères.
Début chaotique à Marseille
Le patron du rugby australien fait notamment référence au premier match chaotique de la Coupe du Monde à Marseille le 9 septembre où bon nombre de supporters anglais étaient arrivés en retard dans le stade.
« Nous n’avons connu qu’une difficulté à Marseille, lors du match entre l’Angleterre et l’Argentine », s’était excusé Jacques Rivoal, président de France 2023 à l’occasion d’un point hebdomadaire le 27 septembre. « C’est simplement qu’une seule ligne de métro dessert le stade sur deux arrêts et que les spectateurs avaient mal été informés. On ne leur avait pas dit qu’il ne fallait pas forcément descendre au premier arrêt et qu’ils pouvaient se répartir sur les deux.
« Cela avait créé un goulot d’étranglement à l’arrivée au stade. Dès le lendemain, on a pris les choses en main et renforcé la communication via les réseaux sociaux, les SMS, les mails, les messages sonores dans le métro et le village rugby de Marseille, afin d’informer les spectateurs qu’ils devaient arriver en avance aux matchs.
« Depuis, tout s’est bien passé et 99,9 % des spectateurs ont pu rentrer dans les stades avant les coups d’envoi. Il s’agissait de petits réglages à affiner pour que l’expérience des spectateurs soit optimale. »
Le bière-gate
Mais Phil Waugh, ancien troisième-ligne aile des Wallabies (79 sélections), rappelle dans le même entretien une autre anecdote qui est restée en travers de la gorge des supporters : l’impossibilité de boire de la bière dans plusieurs stades.
« On le sait bien, être à court de bière pour un match de rugby n’est pas bon ! Il était important de s’ajuster rapidement », a-t-il remarqué.
Là encore, les organisateurs avaient dû s’expliquer. Arguant qu’il n’y avait pas eu de « pénurie », le manque d’efficacité des tireuses à bière était, selon eux, dû à « la canicule intense de septembre ». « Les fans ont consommé plus que d’habitude. Nous avions prévu des volumes suffisants pour aller au-delà des records de consommation dans les stades. Sauf que ces records ont été battus », avait expliqué le 12 septembre directeur général du comité d’organisation, Julien Collette.
« Sur je ne sais plus quel match, on était à plus de 130 000 pintes servies alors que le record était de 90 000. La température particulièrement élevée pendant le mois de septembre et octobre nous a aidé en ce sens-là. Sur le plan économique, c’est positif », avait ajouté Jacques Rivoal un mois plus tard.
Vite identifié, vite résolu
Force est de constater que sur les quelques désagréments rapidement identifiés, les organisateurs avaient su rectifier le tir très vite.
« J’ai trouvé que la Coupe du Monde était de mieux en mieux au fur et à mesure de la compétition. C’est grâce à la flexibilité du comité organisateur, sa réactivité », a salué Phil Waugh venu prendre des conseils en France pour l’organisation de la prochaine Coupe du Monde de Rugby en 2027 en Australie.
« On ne peut pas faire 100% des choses bien, mais globalement je trouve que c’était remarquable. »
« On a eu nos amis australiens qui sont venus faire une mission d’observation pour préparer la prochaine Coupe du Monde qui aura lieu chez eux. Ils ont été impressionnés », avait d’ailleurs souligné Jacques Rivoal le 18 octobre.
Comments on RugbyPass
If stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game. I’d start Jordan with his brother Jaden. Masuku and Nohamba off the bench.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
45 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
45 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
127 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
9 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
127 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
45 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
9 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
127 Go to comments