Rugby World Cup 2019 Japan The hunt for Webb Ellis

c.p.w.g.w

Stupid autocorrect on phone

Oz player on his knees, in a tackle, drives up and keeps pushing for 10 metres. That is a penalty against!!

Oh he wishes that he did not have to catch that!!

Hobosan

If Fiji could just keep their discipline, they'd be a real force, and then none of their players would be leaving.

(or is it Fiji where they leave due to poverty? In which case they might still leave)

Great try

OnTheCouch

For what it's worth, I am fairly sure that the Scotland Japan game will take place. The fallout if Scotland went home by dint of a cancellation would be absolutely huge and it is already patently clear that the Scots would make a hell of a song and dance over it should this occur. In fairness, you can't really blame them too much for doing so, imagine our indignation if we found ourselves in their shoes and we weren't allowed to play the last game because of exceptionally inclement weather.

Now of course us being familiar with and being able to understand the Anglophone media means we are likely to hear far more about the possible ramifications for Scotland and their next steps, than what we are hearing about Italy. I don't speak Italian, so for me personally I have absolutely no idea how much of a fuss is being made in the Italian media over this.

Anyway, I do believe that if the two games tomorrow are the only ones that are cancelled, then within a couple of months everyone will have forgotten about it. This is bad luck for Italy, but sadly the latter is still considered an "outsider" country and to all intents and purposes ignored by those in power. They don't make money like the All Blacks do. But the organisers I am fairly sure know that if Sunday's game is called off then there will be outrage worldwide, especially by the Scots. Of course, most of the major rugby nations are Anglophone, so the message will be spread easily. Hence I imagine the game will be played by hook or by crook.

I am very disappointed with World Rugby however, it has left a real sour taste. I had really been enjoying the World Cup up to now (in spite of Ireland's inconsistent performances) and it appeared that the Japanese were doing a great job as host nation. Now is it the latter or WR to blame for this fiasco, or a combination of the two? I don't know and it probably doesn't really matter. The fact is, it just looks incredibly amateurish, even compared to the shambles of an organisation that is FIFA (UEFA isn't much better), which is terrible when you are trying to drum up interest with your flagship event. I find it astonishing that there was not some other way to play the matches, others have mentioned insurance reasons, but this still seems like a cop-out with so much at stake. I assume the typhoon would be referred to an "act of God" in legal terms, but even with this, people were aware that they were a possibility. Of course no one wants to endanger any lives through a rugby match, but it does beggar belief that there was no other way to fulfil the fixtures.

I totally agree with Parisse when he says that if New Zealand were in the same position, the match would have been played. As much as I like rugby, I get this overriding feeling that a clear majority of those in charge would prefer no growth in the sport, maybe still the remnants from amateur days, I don't know. Instead they would be perfectly happy having a mini league of the six most powerful countries where they all play each other once or twice a year. A lot of lip service has been paid to improving the smaller countries, and there are small signs of progress, but it's still very little given the World Cup has existed for 32 years now. It's hard to compare to football, which is far more low-scoring and therefore always has a greater potential for an upset, but I do feel frustrated that you can more or less predict with considerable certainty 6 of the 8 quarter-finalists and also know that outside the top 12-13 teams, no one else has a prayer of even getting this far.

Despite what I have just said, I would encourage expansion to 24 countries. I think for one this would simplify the group stages, we have seen once more this time round the uneven and unfair allocation of various fixtures. I think that also more teams means more coverage and more interest globally, even if they are likely to ship a few heavy beatings at first. I know that Spain were really getting behind their national team when it looked as if they were going to qualify for this one, before their shock loss to Belgium. After which all the scandal came out and the 3 teams were disqualified. If they had made it you would have seen a real interest in their media I believe, now the competition merely warrants a few articles here and there.

So yeah, to conclude, it's really been such a pity about these cancelled games, so much good work and goodwill has been undone through this. I can only think that something or someone could have done more to prevent such a fiasco and I still have the nasty feeling that if you're New Zealand or England you are less likely to fall foul of this "bad luck" than Italy or Scotland would be.

Exclamation Marc

Gwan Georgia!

Wonderful!!

billybonkers

Some try that

Pity it's not a 7 point game now!

Exclamation Marc

How Michael Cheika hasn't been diagnosed with high blood pressure over the years with his rage is admirable.

OnTheCouch

OnTheCouch wrote: »

So yeah, to conclude, it's really been such a pity about these cancelled games, so much good work and goodwill has been undone through this. I can only think that something or someone could have done more to prevent such a fiasco and I still have the nasty feeling that if you're New Zealand or England you are less likely to fall foul of this "bad luck" than Italy or Scotland would be.

You also have to realise that NZ and England are less likely to have lost a pool match. It would have been interesting if the England v France match was first up in the pool.

schmoo2k

I always wonder why they randomly assign the matches within a pool instead of using a formula based on world rankings or similar. First match up could 1 v 2 and last matches up should be 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 (assuming you want exciting first weekend and last weekend)

Hobosan

Austrailia fishtailing to glory.

Game over.
Georgia damn well showed that they deserve to be there!!
Lock your defensive coach down with a contract now, that was immense.

Eod100

Aus with the tbp. Wales need 2 points to top group so.

sydthebeat

Eod100 wrote: »

Aus with the tbp. Wales need 2 points to top group so.

wales will get a bag full against Uruguay

Eod100

sydthebeat wrote: »

wales will get a bag full against Uruguay

Ah, yeah a draw would do sure but a win of any sort will as well.

Murof

Impossible to dislike Michael Cheika.

BonnieSituation

schmoo2k wrote: »

I always wonder why they randomly assign the matches within a pool instead of using a formula based on world rankings or similar. First match up could 1 v 2 and last matches up should be 1 v 4 and 2 v 3 (assuming you want exciting first weekend and last weekend)

They're not random at all. The fixtures are made out and when the draw was made the gaps were filled.

For example we knew before the draw that Japan would be playing the 5th team in Pool A in the opening match.

We also knew that the top 2 teams in Pool B would play each other on the second night. Etc.

We also knew that the 5th team in Pool A would get shafted and have all midweek games.

schmoo2k

BonnieSituation wrote: »

They're not random at all. The fixtures are made out and when the draw was made the gaps were filled.

For example we knew before the draw that Japan would be playing the 5th team in Pool A in the opening match.

We also knew that the top 2 teams in Pool B would play each other on the second night. Etc.

We also knew that the 5th team in Pool A would get shafted and have all midweek games.

Well whoever came up with the order could have done a better job and created more "crucial" games for the last weekend...

aloooof

Murof wrote: »

Impossible to dislike Michael Cheika.

Really?

Podge_irl

schmoo2k wrote: »

Well whoever came up with the order could have done a better job and created more "crucial" games for the last weekend...

France v England, Scotland v Japan and NZ v Italy could all be considered crucial games. Only one pool is really settled.

schmoo2k

Podge_irl wrote: »

France v England, Scotland v Japan and NZ v Italy could all be considered crucial games. Only one pool is really settled.

Well if they had picked 2 v 3 we would have had:
Scot v Japan
SA v Italy
Fra v Arg
Wales v Fiji

With all to play for!

sydthebeat

Podge_irl wrote: »

France v England, Scotland v Japan and NZ v Italy could all be considered crucial games. Only one pool is really settled.

yeah, each games is effectively between first 3 seeds in groups

Eod100

Looking like its play Japan Scotland on day or not play at all as expected. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12505/11832738/rugby-world-cup-world-rugby-hits-back-as-scotland-seek-legal-advice-on-japan-game

typhoony

Eod100 wrote: »

typhoony wrote: »

a part of me wanted the Scots to be ruled out due to the Typhoon, just to spite them for turning their backs on us in the World Cup 2023 Voting process

You'd be spiting yourself though. Draw and we go 2nd to play NZ with them having 14 day turn around.

True but remember they delayed our bus I'm scotland, and towsends comment earlier in the week that rules are rules when he heard our game was under threat, the Scots can go jump for all I care

Exclamation Marc

typhoony wrote: »

True but remember they delayed our bus I'm scotland, and towsends comment earlier in the week that rules are rules when he heard our game was under threat, the Scots can go jump for all I care

Bizarre comment to make. I'd rather they were eliminated legitimately rather than have them remind people about how the weather screwed them for the next 40years. You do realise that you'll never hear the end of it if the game is called off?

Legitimate elimination and not being good enough is the best result.

Eod100

Conor O Shea against Japan Scotland game being rescheduled or played somewhere else. I don't see how it can be, to be consistent. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-world-cup/2019/10/11/exclusive-italy-coach-conor-oshea-warns-world-rugby-must-not/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

votecounts

Eod100 wrote: »

Conor O Shea against Japan Samoa game being rescheduled or played somewhere else. I don't see how it can be, to be consistent. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-world-cup/2019/10/11/exclusive-italy-coach-conor-oshea-warns-world-rugby-must-not/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

You mean Scotland

Eod100

votecounts wrote: »

You mean Scotland

I do. Edited now. Boards always has the best proofreaders! :pac:

Eod100

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Bizarre comment to make. I'd rather they were eliminated legitimately rather than have them remind people about how the weather screwed them for the next 40years. You do realise that you'll never hear the end of it if the game is called off?

Legitimate elimination and not being good enough is the best result.

I'd rather they're not eliminated at all and win so we face SA after 12 days rather than NZ after 14 days rest. Plus it's 8 days turnaround vs 7 for us.

BattleCorp

OnTheCouch wrote: »

For what it's worth, I am fairly sure that the Scotland Japan game will take place. The fallout if Scotland went home by dint of a cancellation would be absolutely huge and it is already patently clear that the Scots would make a hell of a song and dance over it should this occur. .

Italy have already been sent home due to their match being cancelled so Scotland could have no more of a gripe than Italy if the same happened to them.

Very very unfair.

hahashake

[PHP][/PHP]

Eod100 wrote: »

Conor O Shea against Japan Scotland game being rescheduled or played somewhere else. I don't see how it can be, to be consistent. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-world-cup/2019/10/11/exclusive-italy-coach-conor-oshea-warns-world-rugby-must-not/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Townsend also changed his tune when he realised it could affect Scotland instead.

Eod100

hahashake wrote: »

Townsend also changed his tune when he realised it could affect Scotland instead.

Yeah thought his comments about Ireland game were hostage to fortune, at time he said them alright. Guess it's natural to want best outcome for your team but does leave him looking a bit silly

hahashake

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah thought his comments about Ireland game were hostage to fortune, at time he said them alright. Guess it's natural to want best outcome for your team but does leave him looking a bit silly

Hard to make yourself out to be the victim when you'd have pulled the trigger if another person was facing the firing squad.

BattleCorp

BattleCorp wrote: »

You misunderstood what I meant by 'rightly'. I meant the word 'rightly' to mean 'really' as in Italy were really shafted'. Kind of like if Mike Tyson caught me shagging his wife, then I'd be 'rightly' fcuked.

Apologies, I did indeed mistake your meaning.

Yeah_Right

I know that the AB v Italy match was going to be Ghiraldini's last match but was it to be Parisse's as well?

Sangre

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I know that the AB v Italy match was going to be Ghiraldini's last match but was it to be Parisse's as well?

Yes

billybonkers

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I know that the AB v Italy match was going to be Ghiraldini's last match but was it to be Parisse's as well?

yup

Yeah_Right

Sangre wrote: »

Yes

Ok. If he had played that game and then all the 6 Nations matches next year, he would have tied the GOAT for most test caps. Oh well.

Eod100

Apparently plan was to only move match 14 likes away.. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/11/world-rugby-contingency-plan-typhoon-hagibis-england-france-scotland-japan-cup

aloooof

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Ok. If he had played that game and then all the 6 Nations matches next year, he would have tied the GOAT for most test caps. Oh well.

But he's already one ahead of Drico.

Podge_irl

Eod100 wrote: »

Apparently plan was to only move match 14 likes away.. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/11/world-rugby-contingency-plan-typhoon-hagibis-england-france-scotland-japan-cup

These two paragraphs are absolutely damning if true:

But despite years to come up with extensive contingency plans, with the tournament director, Alan Gilpin, insisting in 2018 that the threat of natural disasters was “a really hot topic for us”, it is understood that before the emergence of Hagibis, organisers considered the nearby Tokyo Stadium the most suitable alternative to Yokohama.

When that inevitably became impossible, organisers hurriedly explored moving England’s match to Oita, more than 500 miles away on the south island of Kyushu. Ultimately it was decided that was not logistically viable nor safe for travelling supporters at such short notice.

A) it means they didn't remotely plan properly. What kind of arsed up back up plan is a stadium next door!?
the concept of playing behind closed doors was obviously not properly explored. It would be nice if the fans could go, but actually playing the matches, even if in front of nobody, is vastly more important

I dunno. The report may not be true, as is often the case with these kind of things. If it is true then its an absolute farce.

GreeBo

Eod100 wrote: »

Apparently plan was to only move match 14 likes away.. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/11/world-rugby-contingency-plan-typhoon-hagibis-england-france-scotland-japan-cup

Bit of an issue with an 850 mile wide typhoon so.

hahashake

Eod100 wrote: »

Apparently plan was to only move match 14 likes away.. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/11/world-rugby-contingency-plan-typhoon-hagibis-england-france-scotland-japan-cup

Auto-correct error had me thinking you were talking about social media...

Ishmael

The average size of the Eye of a Typhoon is larger than 14km. The only way that backup stadium makes sense is if it was to be used if the original stadium was unusable due to weather damage.

I can understand their decisions re Oita and Sapporo.

OnTheCouch

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I know that the AB v Italy match was going to be Ghiraldini's last match but was it to be Parisse's as well?

It was certainly going to be his last World Cup match, we have already seen signs in the last few years he isn't the same player he used to be and many have even hinted Italy play better collectively when he is not there now. So the chances of him being a fixture in 4 years would be pretty much zero.

Now I could be wrong, but I didn't say any official statement saying it definitely would be his last game, other than his own statement yesterday where he said he could not improve the team any more as he didn't have the same energy he did at 25. He also mentioned that he would like to play in Rome at least once more before quitting during the Six Nations, as he didn't want to have his last game decided by a typhoon and that once they returned he would try and work something out with the Italian federation.

Reading between the lines therefore, I would say he will be included in the squad for the next Six Nations therefore, where he'll probably come off the bench a few times, plus maybe start in one of their more prestigious games at home and then call it quits after that.

Yeah_Right

aloooof wrote: »

But he's already one ahead of Drico.

My mistake. Sorry. I was using GOAT as Greatest Of All Time (McCaw) rather than Generally Overrated, Alright Tackler (Drico).

Former Former

Yeah_Right wrote: »

My mistake. Sorry. I was using GOAT as Greatest Of All Time (McCaw) rather than Generally Overrated, Alright Tackler (Drico).

I knew you meant McCaw, but I thought GOAT stood for Going Off his feet All the Time