RWC 2019 New Zealand vs Italy

[ACR]

This is where I might go against popular opinion. This is what I meant by losing sight of own self importance (somewhat), what I meant by the forest and the trees.

You're all under the reasonably held assumption that you need to facilitate a fully sponsored, fully televised, fully catered and attended match of rugby. My personal opinion (note) is that all that is required is a rugby field and the two teams and some refs.

If they were to tell me they were going to play behind closed doors on a training field, not sell tickets, not even televise it, I would be perfectly fine with that.

 

[Omar Comin']

This concept that a RWC match can easily be moved in the middle of a potentially major natural disaster seems pretty dubious. I think people are underestimating how much disruption might occur and how wide the area affected by it could be.

Delaying a game is also a problem as it eats into the preparation time for the knockout stages.

The contingency in place is that cancelled pool games are 0-0 draws and there are reserve days to reschedule knockout matches.

Clearly there has never been the need to cancel a RWC match previously so this is creating a massive drama but I guess if we compare it to the recent Cricket World Cup, it's pretty accepted when a match can't go ahead due to weather and the integrity of the tournament isn't lost by that.

Agreed with this. I also think that while it is obviously really unlucky for the teams that miss out over these cancelled matches that it's not necessarily unfair. For any cancelled match those two sides have both played the other 3 teams in their pool so they've had the exact same chances to qualify as each other. I don't think it's inherently unfair that England top their pool over France, or that Italy or potentially Scotland miss out to NZ and Japan.

Fingers crossed it still goes ahead, but I think in the case of Scotland vs Japan it would be unfair if Ireland were the team that benefited most from a cancellation, but this would only be the case if they lose to Samoa and don't get a bonus point.

 

[ACR]

This concept that a RWC match can easily be moved in the middle of a potentially major natural disaster seems pretty dubious. I think people are underestimating how much disruption might occur and how wide the area affected by it could be.

Delaying a game is also a problem as it eats into the preparation time for the knockout stages.

The contingency in place is that cancelled pool games are 0-0 draws and there are reserve days to reschedule knockout matches.

Clearly there has never been the need to cancel a RWC match previously so this is creating a massive drama but I guess if we compare it to the recent Cricket World Cup, it's pretty accepted when a match can't go ahead due to weather and the integrity of the tournament isn't lost by that.

Yes but a comparison with cricket is not apples for apples. The last world cup for example has 9 pool games as opposed to 4, playing for the same percentage of qualification. The relative weight of a pool game is far less. Cricket is also much more susceptible to the weather, rain is enough for it to be called off, the outfield remaining too slippery is still enough. The point being it is FAR easier to find suitable rugby conditions.

Agreed with this. I also think that while it is obviously really unlucky for the teams that miss out /snip

This attitude (broadly, not yours) I take umbrage with. It's a failure to remember how simply things can be achieved, getting lost in the complexities and forgetting the MAIN REASON FOR TURNING UP. Playing a rugby match.

I see it in so many other walks of life.

 

[Dan54]

Yes but a comparison with cricket is not apples for apples. The last world cup for example has 9 pool games as opposed to 4, playing for the same percentage of qualification. The relative weight of a pool game is far less. Cricket is also much more susceptible to the weather, rain is enough for it to be called off, the outfield remaining too slippery is still enough. The point being it is FAR easier to find suitable rugby conditions.



This attitude (broadly, not yours) I take umbrage with. It's a failure to remember how simply things can be achieved, getting lost in the complexities and forgetting the MAIN REASON FOR TURNING UP. Playing a rugby match.

I see it in so many other walks of life.

Unfortunately ACR "just playing a game of rugby" went out the window the day money started getting thrown around!

Still all the fans with no rugby can join all the Formula One fans that have nothing to do, as seems their practice has been cancelled tomorrow , as they had an event in Japan too! Ggez that a decent size I just saw on TV!! Let's hope noone is badly hurt or anything!

 

[Omar Comin']

This attitude (broadly, not yours) I take umbrage with. It's a failure to remember how simply things can be achieved, getting lost in the complexities and forgetting the MAIN REASON FOR TURNING UP. Playing a rugby match.

I see it in so many other walks of life.

I didn't mention any of the complexities, just that cancelling a match doesn't necessarily make the pool result unfair.

But I don't think it's as simple as you say. The games have been cancelled because it's obviously not that simple. And those of us not involved in the planning and running of the event (or with experience managing similar events during a massive natural disaster) are surely ignorant about most of the factors involved. This isn't a normal typhoon, it's the size of Hurricane Katrina and Japan is not a large country.

 

[ACR]

Unfortunately ACR "just playing a game of rugby" went out the window the day money started getting thrown around!

Still all the fans with no rugby can join all the Formula One fans that have nothing to do, as seems their practice has been cancelled tomorrow , as they had an event in Japan too! Ggez that a decent size I just saw on TV!! Let's hope noone is badly hurt or anything!

That is true I suppose. I'm sure my perspective on such matters isn't held by everyone. Just opinion though.

 

[Dctarget]

Surely boot up Rugby '08 on my old laptop and let Eddie Jones duke it out with Brunel.

 

[Dan54]

That is true I suppose. I'm sure my perspective on such matters isn't held by everyone. Just opinion though.

It's actually held by me too ACR. But I can understand what has happened and why they have been cancelled, much as I'm pissed by it.
WR (World Rugby) says; "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 diameter of 1400km. This is a fundamental. It would have been grossly irresponsible to endanger public or tournament safety."

And I don't see how any can argue with it, much as we all think in our little world you can just put 4 teams in buses and drive them to where to Typhoon is not hitting , it would be stupidity of the highest order!