The worst Rugby World Cup ever? Fans question World Rugby's 'stupid' planning during Typhoon season
The most controversial Rugby World Cup of all time just took another dramatic turn as World Rugby announced midday on Thursday that it will cancel two World Cup fixtures as Super Typhoon Hagibis prepares to hit major cities in Japan.
“World Rugby and the Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee have taken the difficult, but right decision to cancel matches in the affected areas on safety grounds. The impacted teams have been informed and are understanding,” World Rugby explained in a statement.
“For matches that do not go ahead as scheduled, two points will be awarded to each team in line with tournament rules.
The Super Typhoon bearing down on Japan is likely to be the strongest on the planet this year, with fears of extensive damage much like Typhoon Jebi which hit Japan in September last year.
“Based on the latest detailed information from the tournament’s independent weather experts, Hagibis is predicted to be the biggest typhoon of the 2019 season and is highly likely to cause considerable disruption in the Tokyo, Yokohama and City of Toyota areas throughout Saturday.”
The two matches in question are Saturday’s fixtures beween New Zealand and Italy in Toyota, and England and France in Yokohama. A decision on the crunch Pool A game between Japan and Scotland is yet to be made.
The cancellations will have major ramifications on how teams are ranked heading into next weekend’s quarterfinals.
Saturday 12 October
· Pool A match between Ireland and Samoa in Fukuoka at 19:45 JST to be played as scheduled
· Pool B match between New Zealand and Italy to be cancelled
– Pool C match between England and France to be cancelled
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 10, 2019
The decision to cancel games for the first time in the tournament’s history has immediately put the spotlight on World Rugby’s contingency planning and the timing of the World Cup during Japan’s typhoon season.
Fans vented on Twitter to express their outrage, asking World Rugby to ‘take a bow’ as the tournament reaches new levels of ridiculousness. Many asked why a weather event of this likelihood couldn’t have been predicted in advance and contingency plans made to relocate games.
This RWC is becoming an absolute joke. Not only is the officiating a shambles now they have no contingency plans for typhoon disruption during typhoon season. World Rugby take a bow this is a new level of ridiculousness. #RWC2019 #Japan #TyphoonHagibis #SCOvJAP #scotland
— Kahu ?? (@Tukeke70) October 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/kalolegz/status/1182136203409117185
Hold the World Cup in Japan in the middle of typhoon season they said. It will be fine they said… #RWC2019 #ENGvFRA #NZLvITA
— ZS-NVB ?? (@Sash_or_Chicane) October 10, 2019
World Rugby have a lot of questions to answer – why not move games indoors? Delay by a day? If toss up betw tight turnaround for the next game and being out of the World Cup, surely players would take the former? If stadiums damaged by typhoon, play without supporters? #RWC2019
— Niall Paterson (@skynewsniall) October 10, 2019
@paulwiggins wonder who scheduled #RWC2019 in typhoon season?
— 9.4% Damp Oil Resistance (@franksting) October 10, 2019
Safety is obviously the paramount concern. Hosting a world cup during the worst part of Japan's typhoon season was stupid and always had high potential to cause issues, but obviously @WorldRugby can't foresee that. Football WC would never have this and FIFA are a joke #RWC2019
— ??? ??????????? (@maedafanaccount) October 10, 2019
Ach it's alright lads, it's not like holding a world cup in a country in the strongest part of their typhoon season and thus having it threatened by that was an event you could have predicted. #RWC2019
— ??? ??????????? (@maedafanaccount) October 10, 2019
https://twitter.com/Pamelatte14/status/1182134865140973569
If questions weren’t being asked already they certainly will be now about the decision to host the #RWC2019 in Japan during typhoon season, first ever time a match has had to be cancelled let alone two with the potential for more #RugbyWorldCup
— Caoimhe (@Quebha) October 10, 2019
So is it typically typhoon season in Japan this time of year? If so, why the heck did we risk @rugbyworldcup being there ? I swear we have some dingbats sitting in authority ? #RWC2019
— fiona_m (@allblacksteine) October 10, 2019
A tournament in the midst of typhoon season? great call World Rugby. #RWC2019
— Nick Brown (@TheNCRB) October 10, 2019
The Typhoon could yet cause major problems for Scotland whose lifeline to the quarter-finals depends on beating Japan on Sunday. Should the match be cancelled and the two teams share the competition points, they will be sent home.
With the most cards in history already becoming the primary talking point of the World Cup, the full impact of Typhoon Hagibis could make this the worst World Cup in history from a spectating point of view.
However upset the fans might be, the threat to those on the ground during the weather event is very real. Fans are cautioned to listen to safety instructions after last year’s Typhoon Jebi caused USD$15 billion worth of damage and led to 11 deaths as the second-costliest Typhoon in history
This was the powerful typhoon that hit Osaka last year. It was 400 km in diameter.
Hagibis is 1,400 km in diameter.
To fans visiting Japan for #RWC2019 please adhere to all the warnings. https://t.co/KwoI5tmbcA
— Rich Freeman (@FreemanrugbyJPN) October 10, 2019
Scotland’s press conference after winning over Russia:
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments