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How World Cup stars reacted to the full force of Typhoon Hagibis
The full force of Typhoon Hagibis was felt hard throughout Tokyo and its surrounding areas by a number of sides competing at this Rugby World Cup, as possibly the worst typhoon in 60 years lashed Japan over the weekend.
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Two people are thought to have died, dozens have been left injured, while more than seven million people were asked to leave their homes as the storm wreaked havoc on the country’s east coast.
It has resulted in the cancellation of three games at the World Cup, with Namibia’s encounter with Canada in Kamaishi the most recent match to be called off on safety grounds.
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New Zealand’s final pool clash with Italy was another match that failed to proceed due to the weather circumstances.
All Blacks scrumhalf Brad Weber showed why the game was called off after posting a video to Twitter from his hotel which illustrated how strong the gusts were.
Typhoon winds so strong it's pushing our hotel around. Wow #hagibis pic.twitter.com/SsXQ0BmHcC
— Brad Weber (@brad_weber9) October 12, 2019
“Wow. Typhoon winds so strong it’s pushing our hotel around,” the four-test international tweeted.
Perhaps the most alarming footage came from the Scottish squad, with hooker Fraser Brown joining the likes of flyhalf Adam Hastings and fullback Blair Kinghorn in sharing videos of their team hotel creaking with the sway of the wind.
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😳😳😳 #TyphoonHagibis pic.twitter.com/HCoLr2BOnt
— fraser brown (@fraserjmbrown) October 12, 2019
As it stands, the typhoon has passed through Tokyo and moved north up Japan’s east coast, which should aide Scotland’s hopes of playing out their final pool match of the tournament against the hosts in Yokohama on Sunday.
The Scots need victory from that game to assure themselves of a place in the quarter-finals, but cancellation of the fixture would see both teams split four points, which would leave the Six Nations side six points short of a play-offs berth.
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A World Rugby spokesman said: “Our primary consideration is the safety of everyone. We will undertake detailed venue inspections as soon as practically possible with an announcement following as soon as decisions are made in the morning.
“Our message to fans continues be stay indoors today, stay safe and monitor official Rugby World Cup social and digital channels.”
A safety and pitch inspection is due to have taken place at 6am local time, with a final decision expected from World Rugby about the status of the game to be announced within the next half an hour.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments