World Rugby reacts to shock All Blacks cancellation claim
World Rugby has refuted reports that the All Blacks turned down the chance to play their final Rugby World Cup pool match against Italy on Monday.
Yesterday World Rugby announced the cancellation of at least two matches – the All Blacks against Italy and England’s game with France. More cancellations may follow due to the threat of Typhoon Hagibis.
Both games were cancelled due to safety concerns, with the sport’s governing body claiming there were no other options available.
Reports since emerged suggesting the game between the All Blacks and Italy could have been postponed until Monday. The All Blacks were, supposedly, not willing to compromise their quarter-final, scheduled for Saturday, October 19 – with only five days to prepare.
Quite why they would agree to jeopardise their chances of progression is another matter.
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Former English player and Telegraph columnist Brian Moore fuelled the fire after claiming on Twitter the All Blacks insisted on sticking to the usual schedule.
“I’m told New Zealand, and this comes from the people I spoke to, not me, insisted on sticking rigidly to the rules because they didn’t want a shorter turnaround before the 1/4 finals. They are perfectly entitled to take this view,” said Moore.
But in a brief statement issued to the Herald today, a World Rugby spokesperson rejected these reports.
“Categorically untrue,” the World Rugby spokesperson said. “Monday was not on the cards. We have to treat all teams/matches fairly, not the few, and that was central to our contingency plans process relating to a dynamic and complex adverse weather situation.
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“We looked at a whole range of prepared contingencies for the weekend’s matches. However, as outlined yesterday, it was impossible to provide a consistent and fair approach to all teams across the tournament that could guarantee safety, venue integrity or transport networks owing to the sheer scale of a super typhoon with a dimeter of 1,400km. This is a fundamental. It would have been grossly irresponsible to endanger public or tournament safety.”
Such a situation would make sense. World Rugby is obligated to apply the same rules to everyone. Having cancelled England’s game against France and the All Blacks and Italy, the governing body may now have to do likewise if Japan’s final pool game against Scotland can’t go ahead.
Italian captain Sergio Parisse earlier hit out at the decision to cancel their match against the All Blacks.
“If New Zealand needed four or five points against us it would not have been cancelled,” Parisse said. “It is ridiculous that a decision of this nature has been made because it isn’t like the fans arrived yesterday. It is ridiculous that there was no Plan B, because it isn’t news that typhoons hit Japan.
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“Sure, everyone might think that Italy versus New Zealand being cancelled counts for nothing because we’d have lost anyway, but we deserved to be respected as a team.”
Steve Hansen said yesterday he supported World Rugby’s decision and that the All Blacks didn’t have a choice in the matter. If they did, the All Blacks were happy to play their game against Italy one day earlier than scheduled when conditions to stage the match were fine.
“If we’d had a choice, we would have rather played Friday [instead of Saturday] but it wasn’t our choice, it was out of our control,” Hansen said. “We have to back World Rugby’s decision and if other teams miss out, it’s unfortunate, it’ll be disappointing.
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“If you want to be really ruthless, then it’s all about making sure you win the games on the way through because everyone knew this could be a possibility.
“That’s pretty hard-nosed, though, because I know if we were in their situation we’d be disappointed not to have the opportunity to get there. So yes, there’s a lot of sympathy for them. But the right decisions are being made, because it’s all about safety.”
Scotland are now threatening legal action if their final pool match against Japan is cancelled and they, therefore, don’t get a chance to fight for a place in the quarterfinal.
A cancellation would result in the match being declared a 0-0 draw which would almost certainly eliminate Scotland from the competition.
This article first appeared in nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments