RWC 2019
Comments
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MSF, how on Earth can it be a problem with the ‘top ten’, it isn’t everyone else’s responsibility?🤷🏻♂️. Each Country needs to decide if their commitment to a World class team is what they want. Italy & Japan have come on in leaps & bounds over time, it’s no one’s responsibility but their own.
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Simple, each 'home' union approach others and deciding which countries to play friendlies against, some commitment as suggested could help. A similar thing happened in the years prior to Italy joining the then 5 nations. Where their is a will I'm sure!
Also, the IRB could help by backing a call for the top tier to play at least one or more developing nation per season
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An impending typhoon could put a halt to Scotlands' progress into the quarter finals. Typhoon 'Haggis' as some will call it, has already accounted for England vs France and could well interfere with Ireland's game (but not them moving forward) and the Tifosi will rue the opportunity of a run out against the Blacks and their improbable advancement.
With a week until the scheduled quarters, surely a rearranged fixture is better than a cancelled game, albeit the 'resting' period in between could favour the opposition? (The French will have had a 2 week rest as opposed to Wales' one)
Do they not have contingency strategies in Japan?
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When considering the infrequency of these super typhoons and magnitude of this one I guess all the right decisions regarding health and safety are currently being made. Totally understandable, very disappointing at the same time. Lots of natives will be effected adversely and my hopes and prayers go out to these folk, families, friends and of course to those visitors to these shores for what ever reason they are visiting the stricken areas of Japan.
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I wonder if the same fool who decided Japan in the Typhoon Season is good, is the same fool who decided Qatar would be a good World Cup venue? Some very dodgy decisions being made about some very big events........
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Micky, if you knew there was a 'season' for inclement weather ie tornados, typhoons, hurricanes et al, which may have adverse effects on a tournament, surely you would reconsider the venue, or at least have contingency plans, should the worst happen?
As TTDA said above, some decisions on venues beggar belief, given the extremes players are expected to perform in. No doubt we'll see a Test Match in Antarctica next 😀
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I do think it's a delicate balancing act for the organisers. It's good that they are spreading interest in the game by taking the tournament to Japan and it must help the developing rugby nations maintain interest. In normal circumstances the decision wouldn't have been questioned and one has to remember that this is an extreme weather event - the worst to hit the country in 80 years according to news reports.
But things must be kept in perspective and my thoughts are with the Japanese people who have suffered so much in recent years and again are facing some disastrous consequences.
Any talk of "legal action" to get games played must be judged against that - it will be unfortunate for Scotland if their game against Japan is called off resulting in them being knocked out of the tournament, but let's keep a bit of dignity - it is, after all, just a game.
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Hate to say it but the top countries 'dictate' the timing of the RWC playing window to fit and suit their own domestic and traditional touring seasons. Having said that I'm sure a risk assessment was made as to the chances of such an extreme weather event happening during the tournament in Japan, a rugby development Nation. Unfortunately the gods were not with them this time.
Even in the UK this summer the Cricket World Cup had games cancelled with similar consequences for some participating countries for extremely mild weather conditions in comparison!
If this typhoon hadn't happened, and the odds were low we are told, we would not be questioning the organisers I'm sure or calling them stupid!
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Great points and contributions from all above.
Thankfully, as I write this, there's only been one fatality (which is one too many) compared to many thousands in previous years. It is, after all, only a game and if the referee blows his whistle and makes his decision, in time honoured tradition, we wouldn't question it. Therefore we should continue to uphold the decisions of the organisers, no matter what.
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The threat of legal action against the organisers is absolutely and utterly ridiculous. The call for Japan to do the honourable thing by stepping aside and allowing Scotland to progress is just totally wrong. Neither suggestions are in the traditional rugby spirit I've ever witnessed. Very poor show in my opinion, let's hope the game goes ahead.
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Sadly, 9 people reported dead, 15 missing and dozens injured with many thousands without power and flooded homes. Thoughts are with the victims and those affected.
My own allegiance to our home nations in this World Cup competition has been somewhat dimmed by Scotland's behaviour in threatening legal action, should their fixture against Japan not go ahead.
Well, it is going ahead and personally, I will not be disappointed if the home nation is victorious.
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Fabulous, I'm so pleased for The Brave Blossoms and the Japanese people today. World Rugby (IRB that was) really need to sit up and do something about these so called 2nd Tier teams like Japan and possibly Georgia right now! Any ideas?
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Surely the Rugby Powers need to bring forward a Second Division of international sides with, if not some form of promotion / relegation, then at least an organised intermingling below the World Cup level. This could give the second tier sides real targets for improvement.
P.S. / EDIT :-- Could the same be done for the referees -- not knocking but a general raising / synchronising of standards would do no harm -would it
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The furore about the threat of legal action surely stemmed from the Scottish team management and not the players who took part in a good well fought game in my opinion.
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Japan v Scotland - best match of the tournament so far - and by some way. At times it looked just like a 7s match with 30 players taking part!
So commiserations to Scotland and congratulations to Japan - always good when the host country does well in this sort of tournament - and I reckon they'll give South Africa a tough time in the quarters next weekend.
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Fabulous performance by Japan in easily the most entertaining game of the tournament so far. At times it reminded me of Barbarians rugby and was a pleasure to watch. Scotland obviously played their part but once again came up short.
Is there room for these second tier teams in an additional league/competition? Absolutely and the sooner the better!
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Some very creative if not radical thinking is called for to provide regular seasonal top class exposure to those T2 sides already mentioned, I'd include Uruguay along with Japan and Georgia in the mix. Some are calling for Italy to be 'dropped'!
The call for waist and leg tackles only is being made by some, it seems very likely now! The game is changing/will change considerably I think as a result of this World Cup far more than any of those preceding it. We live in exciting and interesting times.
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It was suggested in the past that Canada should be included in the list of 1st tier clubs, and being included to make it a 7 Nations tournament, but they have gone backward, probably because they are not getting sufficient game time against other tier 1 nations.
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What’s to stop the ‘Americas nations cup’ USA, Canada, Argentina etc from organising their own 6N type tournament, it would expand rugby union as a sport & give them exposure to next level rugby. It only needs vision👍🏻. I doubt they’d like European input particularly if it meant them taking a regular hammering.
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The Americans don’t like losing, hence they invent sports such as American Football and Baseball and call it the World Series,😂 But their Soccer teams have come on leaps and bounds now, Women’s especially, current World Cup holders.
Playing top class opponents lifts performance. At least that’s what I used to tell myself when watching Middlesbrough FC trounce Manchester City 9-1! But then those perfidious Arabs got involved.........
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I think the problem with this is that non of these teams are established Tier 1 sides. Even Agentina need the likes of the All Blacks, Aussies and South Africa to develop further as do those other countries we are now talking about. It's exposure to the top flight that's needed not another 'second' rate championship.
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It all begins somewhere, no major country needs to be spoon fed. If they want it they will get it. Pacific island rugby teams are renown.
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Whatever happens in the future, I think this World Cup and the IRB has changed the game forever. No more contact with the head, mitigating or not, can only be a good thing for the game. As Micky touched on earlier, tackling allowed only from the waist down may soon become part of the game.
But wasn't that how it used to be?0
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