Rugby

A friend has gone out to Japan to watch the France game... ouch.

Personally have not moved on about the incompetency of this ref of 2011 final either! We (France) did a shit tournament but a great final which IMO deserved a win. But hey, wouldn't have changed the world

Its one way of looking at it but another is who organises a major sports tournament in a country known for typhoons during typhoon season without contingency? The IRB apparently.

True. But from what I understand from reports, this one is on a scale and of a force that is particularly out of the ordinary.

So I've been doing a bit of reading around this over the course of the evening. Apparently whenever world rugby have been asked about the decision to hold the RWC in Japan at this time of year their reply has been: Don't worry there are robust contingency plans in place to deal with any disruption caused by typhoons. It turns out the robust contingency plans are to collectively put their fingers in their ears and shout "please don't let their be a typhoon!"

Parisse's remarks are telling if you didn't see it he has openly questioned if the match would have been cancelled if it were the ABs who needed points to qualify for the knockouts. I can't imagine that he would have said anything like that without the nod from his union. I would not be surprised if Scotland and Italy were consulting lawyers but that won't become apparent until at least the end of the world cup.

Also it may be a particularly strong typhoon but not a once in a generation freak occurance. It is not a surprise really is it?

Bit harsh to question Japan for having their contingency plans not being adequate when they’re being hit by the worst typhoon in 60 years.

In my reading, both of the media and of bobo’s post, very few people have directed their criticism at “Japan” (the people, the team, the country?). The criticism has been of world rugby (the international and predominantly not Japanese organisation) who have spent years planning this event and months saying they have contingency plans in place to deal with this long forseen situation but when pressed seem to have nothing.

I think everyone wishes the people of Japan all the very best in dealing as best they can with the typhoon.

months saying they have contingency plans in place to deal with this long forseen situation but when pressed seem to have nothing

Sounds a very familiar tale from somewhere else, n'all...

I echo your sentiments. Sounds like it's gonna be a bad one this weekend.

As far as the tournament goes the severity of the storm has no influence on my thought process. The fact that this was a distinct possibility and has been ignored disgraceful.

One team has had its (admittedly very slim) chance to qualify for the knockouts taken away from them. From that team the best player to have pulled on his country's jersey has been robbed of his send off.

3 of the front runners have been given a large advantage because their players have had to play one less game than other teams.

And finally there is a chance that my team may be knocked out without playing their last game and neutral fans have been robbed of what has the potential to be one of the most entertaining group games.

Add to all this until last year when world rugby should have been stress testing plans for this world cup they were coming up with unpopular and unworkable plans to "improve" international rugby tournaments.

And I've not even started on fans who have spent sizable sums of money to attend the RWC who may not get to see the one game they thought they could attend.

I just find it really hard to understand why a genuine contingency plan wasn't possible - with this much warning (i.e. they've know for 48 hours) they could fly the teams and officials to whichever of the islands isn't going to be impacted and play the game behind closed doors. TV cameras would be nice but the main thing (from a fan's perspective and acknowledging that safety obviously imperative) is the integrity of the tournament - if I was a Scotland fan I'd be furious if this decides their participation in the tournament...

guardian article

It gets better. Apparently robust contingency planning means moving a match effected by a typhoon 14 miles down the road and world rugby thinks there is nothing wrong with this. Oh and if you've payed to travel to Japan to watch a single game that is cancelled, don't worry, you will have your match ticket refunded. Travel costs errrr no partial compensation errr no.

Bunch of fucking stuffed blazers.

Old farts, as somebody once said...

Surely there could be no expectation of travel cost compensation for a natural disaster? Of all the things I might pin on world rugby, that's not one of them... But yeah, your main point, the contingency plans look to have been ridiculous. Which is inexcusable. Especially when the tournament looked to have been getting so many things right and really building momentum!

Surely there could be no expectation of travel cost compensation for a natural disaster?

If world rugby had demonstrably come up with and enacted robust contingency planning that was actually robust and the matches still had to be called off then I would imagine the answer would be no. However I would strongly argue that they have failed to come up with any contingency for a known potential issue and hoped to get by on a wing and a prayer and have therefore fundamentally failed in their role as tournament organisers. People have spent large sums of money traveling to and staying in Japan in the expectation that the event they are attending is professionally run and organised, it clearly is not therefore world rugby has failed in its duty of care to fans.

Look I know that as I Scotland fan I can be accused of being biased in this case but in all honesty in terms of my opinion of world rugby management this is the straw that broke the camel's back. If I were an England or France fan I would be almost as pissed off as I currently am. The litany of complaints is as follows:

1. Constant fiddling with the laws of the game without ever actually succeeding in making it more of a spectacle or safer.
   
2. Refusal to streamline the laws making understanding them and the sport I love very hard for all but the most committed of people. There is so much dead wood in the laws that you can still be pinged for it's a wonder any matches are played.
   
3. Allowing top flight refs to become over reliant on the tmo. IMO this is having a massively detrimental effect on refereeing at grass routes level as aspiring refs can no longer see how a top flight ref polices a match.
   
4. Not telling refs to ping hobby little shites like Dan Biggar off the park. Its a disgrace.
   
5. Not providing the Pacific island nations with the support they deserve. It really is a fucking disgrace and subsequently these nations are in danger of becoming a talent pool for tier 1 nations. How many academies do French top 14 sides have in the Pacific Islands now? I think it's at least 3.
   
6. The whole debacle with the world League.
   
7. Typhoon
   
   

It does make them look very amateur. Talking to non-rugby fans who have been following the world cup they're absolutely amazed that games have just been cancelled and that's it.

Have you guys ever watched cricket?

Scotland >>>>>>>>>>>>>

Japan look great. South Africa should be concerned.

I wish I could have watched that match as a neutral.

Well played Japan.

I have seen the first half only, very impressed by Japan with the skills, execution speed, tactics and all.
To be fair to Scotland, the way Japan played yesterday they would have completely crushed many teams of the tournament. It seemed to be impossible to steal them the ball and the only times they got rid of it was with a well placed kick, must have been a nightmare to play against.

Quite unsure that they will be able to reproduce it against SA though (even if I would like them to because I quite dislike the mentality of SA rugby i.e. complete destruction of the opponent rather than actually playing rugby), I believe they burned high energy against both Ire & Sco.

Actually quite disappointed no to see Scotland go through instead of Ireland, I find them to have a much more exciting rugby than the very effective/pragmatic Ireland rugby (and I hate how Ireland is refereed with lot of freedom to operate in the breakdown). What's the team you will backup then?

Have you actually seen SA play lately?

I’m obviously biased but they’re not actually as industrial as they were years ago.

I have seen the first half only, very impressed by Japan with the skills, execution speed, tactics and all.
To be fair to Scotland, the way Japan played yesterday they would have completely crushed many teams of the tournament.

Doesn't help that we spent the first half kicking away what little possession we had.

Quite unsure that they will be able to reproduce it against SA though

They will. Do you know the secret to their success? Every player in the squad plays for the sunwolves, and their coach is also DOR at the sunwolves. They are essentially a club team and have had at a minimum double the amount of time together that any other squad has.

Actually quite disappointed no to see Scotland go through instead of Ireland

Don't be. Scotland's issues fall at the feet of 2 people Mark Dodson and Gregor Townsend. Dodson because he should have told Toonie to fuck away off and boil his heed when the later started threatening to go to France unless he got Cotter's job and Townsend for thinking that he could do better than stern Vern. One of the two of those must go now my preference is Townsend to be replaced by either Cockers or Dave Rennie.

They will. Do you know the secret to their success? Every player in the squad plays for the sunwolves, and their coach is also DOR at the sunwolves. They are essentially a club team and have had at a minimum double the amount of time together that any other squad has

Which makes it all the more surprising that the Sunwolves didn’t get an extension on their Super Rugby deal.

I do not fully agree with you, because the Sunwolves system has its limits.
Playing with the same players all year, then add to that a world cup preparation, some very exhausting and under pressure games (Opening game at home, Ireland, and then Ireland) against opposition much topher than club rugby, also with the same players, is definitely IMO leading to a collapsing moment around quarter or semi-finals, and I believe South Africa should be in much better shape after playing their tophest game of the pool stage for opening.
Hear me well, I don't wish it as I very much enjoy the rugby they produce, the Japanese spirit, and they very well deserve the qualification considering their efforts, progression and the games they performed (even more after 3 wins and no qualifying last world cup) but it is just my personal point of view on their system.
Same with the Jaguares, perfomed well all season of super rugby, argentina collapsed during championship being exhausted showing an incredible poor rate for tackling of around 50% of tackles missed against NZ

Isn't this exactly the point of difference between the Sunwolves and the Jaguares? Apparently the Japan players on the pitch on Scotland had played an average of 90 mins of Super Rugby each, whereas the Argentinians had averages 900 mins. Because Jamie Joseph has ultimate control he rested the players and totally structured their appearances and playing appearances, whereas the Jaguares went all out. They got to the final, which is great, but they look shot in this world cup.

I don't follow you're argument re the Japanese - I'm not saying they'll beat SA, but if they don't I can't imagine it will be because of exhaustion following the Super Rugby season!