[RWC2019] Typhoon Hagibis - Discussion Thread

[Jer1cho]

The thing is, the Typhoon changed it's course a bit in the past 24 hours or so, and I guess the plans in place to move certain games to certain stadiums (presumably roofed stadiums) but because of the change in course of the typhoon, and also because it became stronger than they initially suspected, their contingency plan fell through.

But all they really need is a field with painted lines, goal posts on either side a referee, to AR's and a TMO and a few cameramen and a broadcasting truck, then we're good to go...



Don't be like that. We play whoever we play. If we want to lift the trophy, we must overcome any opponent we get in the playoffs, no matter who they are.

It's more that Ireland won't play NZ than it is us playing them. If you told me before the WC we need to beat Japan and Wales to reach the final I would have ordered 2. No desrespect but avoiding all of Ire NZ Eng and Aus until the final is massive. 2007 all over lol.

 

[donmcdazzle]

It's more that Ireland won't play NZ than it is us playing them. If you told me before the WC we need to beat Japan and Wales to reach the final I would have ordered 2. No desrespect but avoiding all of Ire NZ Eng and Aus until the final is massive. 2007 all over lol.

Losing that first game is looking like a blessing in disguise now...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah just play in the rain, it's a winter sport!

160mph winds are nothing, as well - I wanna see someone take a shot at goal and the ball end up travelling the length of the pitch backwards and going through his own sticks - would that count as 3pts for the opposition?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Japan ever want to host a RWC again they will need to prove they can adequately deal with one of these and get the game played.

There's nothing they can do now, and I appreciate the intense difficulty of trying to fix it at all, but this situation is terrible. This tournament is turning into a horror show of incompetence.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If Japan ever want to host a RWC again they will need to prove they can adequately deal with one of these and get the game played.

They have multiple indoor stadiums and there are no fixture clashes - also there are multiple multiple cities not about to be hit by the storm - it just seems crazy to me that they'll cancel over at least trying.
Apparently there were plans to move the England game to the city their QF is gonna be in - and then they cancelled those plans....for some reason. Nothing to do with the weather as England have left Tokyo already.

Obviously it sucks having to cancel all the existing tickets, and if it's not behind closed doors then it sucks having to get new tickets sold/available, but it's far far preferable to cancelling games and Japan are arguably the most technologically advanced nation in the world - I'm sure they could manage it.

 

[donmcdazzle]

They have multiple indoor stadiums and there are no fixture clashes - also there are multiple multiple cities not about to be hit by the storm - it just seems crazy to me that they'll cancel over at least trying.
Apparently there were plans to move the England game to the city their QF is gonna be in - and then they cancelled those plans....for some reason. Nothing to do with the weather as England have left Tokyo already.

Obviously it sucks having to cancel all the existing tickets, and if it's not behind closed doors then it sucks having to get new tickets sold/available, but it's far far preferable to cancelling games and Japan are arguably the most technologically advanced nation in the world - I'm sure they could manage it.

Surely broadcasters would have preferred a no-crowd game than no game at all as well? I genuinely don't understand how you can't manage to ship 60-odd players + management and a TV crew to a new destination with 2 days notice. Book a few tickets and some hotel rooms you clowns.

 

[Which Tyler]

I really don't think it's an advantage to have the extra week of rest.
We "know" from the Premiership in England that teams used to target 2nd place in the league, to avoid having that rest weekend and losing all momentum when it came to the final - which is why they extended the SFs from 3 to 4 teams.
We worry about teams being undercooked getting to the KO stages; with a built up of intensity for the last 1-2 pool matches being the ideal.

England (for example) were really targetting the first 2 pool matches to try out combinations; with the last 2 being that build up of intensity to hit the ground running come the QFs. All intensity was robbed from us against Argentina by Lavanini; whilst there's no match at all against France.
It looks to me like Wales are arriving at the QFs in the best shape in terms of preparations. They've beaten the Aussies; had a little rest; and then a huge test physically and psychologically, against Fiji. England have probably had the worse preparation from the pools.

 

[FLOBALOB]

To put it simply the organisers gambled , and lost, irrespective of what happens henceforth.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

Some feet need to be held to the fire on this one. I fear that World Rugby have got their list of priorities wrong here. Surely the first priority for any sporting competition is to maintain the integrity thereof? Not fan experience, not T.V. scheduling, not revenue etc. To some extent World Rugby have already fallen foul of this by having the RWC in Typhoon season. This isn't an unforeseeable circumstance. The actions taken to date have already damaged the credibility of the competition and have set a precedent. Italy have been eliminated without having the chance not to be (regardless of how slim)............

I suspect with all things rugby, politics have played a part in scuppering efforts to find solutions. I imagine for example that some teams that will benefit from cancellations will find logistical challenges more "impossible" than others. You can see from the reaction of the SRU how this works in reverse. They would probably be willing to travel out of the country to play their match..........

Yes there are minimum conditions that need to be met in terms of stadia, officials, medical cover etc. Personally I don't believe given the competition is operating in a first world country these are insurmountable. Basically if there were contingency plans, they have immediately been found to be totally inadequate. I suspect like 90% of disaster recovery plans they only actually work in ideal circumstances.

They will dress this up as totally unforeseeable and unmanageable. It wasn't and isn't. World Rugby have their pants down again..............

 

[Jer1cho]

Scottish fans must be ****ing themselves. I would be livid. It's a convenient out for Japan but Scotland will be shafted so hard if that game is called off.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Some feet need to be held to the fire on this one. I fear that World Rugby have got their list of priorities wrong here. Surely the first priority for any sporting competition is to maintain the integrity thereof? Not fan experience, not T.V. scheduling, not revenue etc. To some extent World Rugby have already fallen foul of this by having the RWC in Typhoon season. This isn't an unforeseeable circumstance. The actions taken to date have already damaged the credibility of the competition and have set a precedent. Italy have been eliminated without having the chance not to be (regardless of how slim)............

I suspect with all things rugby, politics have played a part in scuppering efforts to find solutions. I imagine for example that some teams that will benefit from cancellations will find logistical challenges more "impossible" than others. You can see from the reaction of the SRU how this works in reverse. They would probably be willing to travel out of the country to play their match..........

Yes there are minimum conditions that need to be met in terms of stadia, officials, medical cover etc. Personally I don't believe given the competition is operating in a first world country these are insurmountable. Basically if there were contingency plans, they have immediately been found to be totally inadequate. I suspect like 90% of disaster recovery plans they only actually work in ideal circumstances.

They will dress this up as totally unforeseeable and unmanageable. It wasn't and isn't. World Rugby have their pants down again..............

Well at least it's not like Twickenham... Where there's no atmosphere...

I think their first and primary concern is safety. And that was the main concern by many fans, teams and WR as an organization when Japan won the bid. Not only was the concerns about Radiation Poisoning a hot topic, but also the issues such as Typhoons and earthquakes. Upon which there was assurances given.

Integrity of the sport should also be main priority yes. But I think safety trumps integrity in this case.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surely broadcasters would have preferred a no-crowd game than no game at all as well?

I didn't even think about that - sponsors will have forked over a ton of cash for X amount of games/X amount of airtime.

 

[Chief Pete]

I think they'll find a way to get the Scotland game on, reckon they deemed the 2 games they cancelled as done anyway nothing much to play for (which isn't true) but they can't have a country going home because of the weather...

 

[Which Tyler]

Well at least it's not like Twickenham... Where there's no atmosphere...

I think their first and primary concern is safety. And that was the main concern by many fans, teams and WR as an organization when Japan won the bid. Not only was the concerns about Radiation Poisoning a hot topic, but also the issues such as Typhoons and earthquakes. Upon which there was assurances given.

Integrity of the sport should also be main priority yes. But I think safety trumps integrity in this case.

How is playing the match behind closed doors (AKA no fans) a danger to fans?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I think they'll find away to get the Scotland game on, reckon they deemed the 2 games they cancelled as done anyway nothing much to play for (which isn't true) but they can't have a country going home because of the weather...

the problem is they needed to have announced the game would be moved now, not wait until Sunday morning. The after mouth of a hurricane that powerful will likely knock out the area affected for 24 hours. So I am not hopeful that the game can or will go ahead.

 

[Every Time Ref]

As far as I can tell, to play the games all you need is to get 46 players, 3 officials, 2 head coaches and medical staff to a rugby pitch where the weather is safe within a few days. That's it.

You don't need a full coaching team, you don't need a TMO, you don't need a television crew, you certainly don't need a crowd to play a game of rugby whose result stands and preserves the integrity of the tournament. All of those things would be nice if possible, but not essential. The minimum necessary to ensure an actual result is pathetically small and it's staggering that it wasn't done in a first world country.

******* hell, a 7s game, a game of touch, a ******* dropgoal shoot out ... any of these would have had slightly more integrity than a 0-0 draw

 

[donmcdazzle]

the problem is they needed to have announced the game would be moved now, not wait until Sunday morning. The after mouth of a hurricane that powerful will likely knock out the area affected for 24 hours. So I am not hopeful that the game can or will go ahead.

Correct - they are gambling again with this game by not being decisive right now. I don't buy the line of them having to be consistent for each game either. Disgrace what has happened to Italy (and to a lesser extent NZ, England and France), but surely don't then also punish Scotland and Japan as well out of some misguided principle?!

 

[TRF_heineken]

Unless Japan have designed a Weather Altering Machine, or have employed the services of Storm from the X-men, and this is all a plan to get the hosts to the playoffs...

Who knows, maybe Mount Fuji will erupt during the final and a single piece of Lava will travel into the stadium and hit Kieran Read right between the eyes...

 

[Chief Pete]

Who knows, maybe Mount Fuji will erupt during the final and a single piece of Lava will travel into the stadium and hit Kieran Read right between the eyes...

Well that won't happen...NZ are getting knocked out in the semi's