'Let's say you're looking out your hotel window on Sunday afternoon and it's sunny... it would be strange a game couldn't take place'
Gregor Townsend has called on World Cup chiefs to do everything they can to ensure Scotland’s win-or-bust clash with Japan goes ahead on Sunday – even if it means playing the crucial showdown behind closed doors. World Rugby have been forced to call off two games on Saturday – including England’s meeting with France – as Super Typhoon Hagibis prepares to wreak havoc across Japan’s eastern coast.
But they have delayed making a decision on scrapping the Scots’ final Pool A match with the hosts at Yokohama’s International Stadium until the morning of the game in the hope that the worst of the storm will have passed by the 7.45pm (11.45am BST) kick-off time. Scotland need to beat the Brave Blossoms to progress but cancelling the game would see the match recorded as a draw and spell the end of the Scots’ campaign without them kicking another ball.
Such a shock move is certain to spark a huge backlash from the Scotland faithful, especially as World Rugby had previously insisted they had contingency measures in place for typhoon season. The Scottish Rugby Union have already insisted it “fully expects” plans will be made to ensure the game goes ahead, with Murrayfield sources expressing concern over the competition’s sporting integrity if it were called off.
But having also called off New Zealand’s clash with Italy – effectively knocking the Azzurri out of the competition – it appears World Rugby are not willing to budge on their rules that state pool matches cannot be rescheduled to a later date.
However, Townsend believes there are other ways to ensure the Japan clash goes ahead. The Scotland head coach, speaking at a hastily-arranged press conference at the team hotel in Hamamatsu, said: “We believe the game hasn’t been cancelled because the weather forecast is much improved for Sunday.
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“It looks like the game will be played and that’s what we have to keep faith with. (World Rugby) have made the call with a lot of certainty and a lot of confidence that the game will go ahead on Sunday night. I’d hope that everyone who is involved in the tournament would want the game to be played and that they will do all they can to ensure that it is.
“We have to have faith in the organisers that the game will be played even if it’s behind closed doors or at a different venue. There are lots of different venues that might not be affected by the weather. There are training venues. We trained at NTT. Japan trained at Prince Chichibu, which has previously hosted international games.
“What do we need? We need officials, we need players. The way I read the rules was that you can’t change days but you could change venues and contingencies would be in place. I’ve since been told there is force majeure (measures in the rules) and things can change because of exceptional circumstances.
BREAKING: World Rugby has had to take drastic action due to impending #TyphoonHagibis. https://t.co/t8GqM7ZaiS #RWC2019 #ENGvFRA #NZLvITA #IREvSAM #JAPvSCO
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 10, 2019
“If that means Monday because it takes a day for things to be put back in order then who knows. But right now I think they’re planning on it going ahead on Sunday.”
However, tournament director Alan Gilpin has already ruled out a change of date. Asked if Scotland’s game could be pushed back 24 hours, he told an emergency press conference in Tokyo: “We have looked again at the potential to apply some consistency to our contingency plan across all the games and we treat all the matches fairly.
“Italy are in the same position as Scotland are in. It is a huge match and we would be loving to play that game. But we won’t treat that match any differently.”
Plenty of mid-table movement in the power #rwc2019 rankings
– writes @alexshawsport https://t.co/tiWsLpuRpr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 9, 2019
With the plans for Sunday’s match unchanged, Scotland are now set to ride into the eye of the storm. While the Scots are readying themselves to travel to Yokohama on Friday, England are packing up and leaving town after their showdown with Les Blues on Saturday at the same venue was called off amid fears the “explosive” super cyclone could bring extensive damage to the region if it stays on its current trajectory.
Hagibis was at one stage predicted to bring winds of more than 160mph to Tokyo and Yokohama on Saturday, with its effects also due to spill into the following day. In a statement, World Rugby said: “Every effort is being made to ensure Sunday’s matches will be played as scheduled. A thorough assessment of venues will take place after the typhoon has passed before a final decision is made on Sunday morning.”
Asked if it would be a bitter blow to see Scotland dumped out on the back of a cancelled fixture, Townsend said: “It will make things very unusual for a World Cup in any sport to be decided by a game being called off on one day. Let’s say you’re looking out of your hotel window at 5 o’clock on Sunday afternoon and it’s sunny. It would be strange if a game couldn’t take place that day or the following day.”
– Press Association
WATCH: A look at the timing and route of super Typhoon Hagibis
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments