Eng v Fra reportedly off

[Raggs]

Sure but that's no reason it shouldn't go ahead.
I'm not sure what undercooked means. These guys have been together forever and played about 8 or 9 games over the last 12 weeks, if they arent where they need to be by now I don't know what to say..
Agree on Japan..

So NZ should have a huge disadvantage going into the quarter finals, just in case Italy pull off the biggest miracle in the world cup, despite showing no signs of being capable of being able to do so.

England have had a number of games together, but against what quality of opponent? Argentina was meant to be a test, but that didn't last long.

[Neils]

Ideally we want England out next match so we can get Launch back asap and Scotland to go as far as possible thus possibly injuring players who happen to play in the east of Scotland (almost half the team). The sooner this minor irritation of a wind blown money fest is over the better. We, Wasps, have two games against the Barclays, Kinghorns, Grahams and etc and these guys look good in a team spoilt by the supposed stars.

[Hymenoptera]

If thats how the chips fall then yes, the tournament is bigger than the scales of justice.
What does the quality of opposition change? I dont get it. Will they suddenly be a better team having had a tiring, attritional game against France, taking knocks and injuries? What will that teach them that they dont already know about themselves? The top teams play the top teams all the time.
Its just a soundbite...it means nothing.

[matelot22]

If thats how the chips fall then yes, the tournament is bigger than the scales of justice.
What does the quality of opposition change? I dont get it. Will they suddenly be a better team having had a tiring, attritional game against France, taking knocks and injuries? What will that teach them that they dont already know about themselves? The top teams play the top teams all the time.
Its just a soundbite...it means nothing.

I think what Raggs is alluding to, and I tend to agree in this case, is that England in it's current form have yet to face a stern test for 80 minutes. A 14 man Argentina had them under the cosh for 15 - 20 minutes and I'm yet to be convinced that we have the TCUP quality that Sir Clive used to bang on about. A group decider game against France would have given them the opportunity to prove to all, but most importantly to themselves, that they can do that.

[BG]

It would have been a much more competitive 80 min game which  would have suited both sides as the result wasn't that important.

What I can't get my head around is the the WC organisers don't seem to have worked that hard in finding a solution (it has been mentioned elsewhere that would the same decision have been reached if it was NZ needing more than 2 pts to secure qualification?).

By all accounts the bad weather should have blown through by Sunday. How hard is it to delay a game by 24 hrs?

I feel really sorry for the various fans who may have been saving up for a year to have a once in a lifetime trip to Japan and to catch a WC game.

It sort of highlights the disregard that some sports governing bodies have towards the average punter whilst bending over backwards chasing the corporate $ (FIFA, IAAF). WR can't do anything about the weather but surely they knew there was a chance something like this would crop up.

As an aside - with extra spare time on the squad's hands I'm wondering whether some players will be suffering from cabin fever. I've been watching the weekly Rising Sons episodes and the squad does seem to get on but I wonder if some charatcers are beginning to get on others nerves?

[Westy68]

For me it's combinations, more than anything else.

What is our best centre partnership, is it Farrell and Manu. Personally i don't think it is, also its not a combination that has happened to often, in recent times

Who is our best right winger, I like Watson but i don't think his best position is wing.

I think Daly needs more games at full back, still can't get my head around that.

What is our best back row

For me another game will help towards forming better combinations, even if we don't agree with the combination.

The game against Australia is going to be a tough game.

For me too many players out of position

[Raggs]

It would have been a much more competitive 80 min game which  would have suited both sides as the result wasn't that important.

What I can't get my head around is the the WC organisers don't seem to have worked that hard in finding a solution (it has been mentioned elsewhere that would the same decision have been reached if it was NZ needing more than 2 pts to secure qualification?).

By all accounts the bad weather should have blown through by Sunday. How hard is it to delay a game by 24 hrs?

I feel really sorry for the various fans who may have been saving up for a year to have a once in a lifetime trip to Japan and to catch a WC game.

It sort of highlights the disregard that some sports governing bodies have towards the average punter whilst bending over backwards chasing the corporate $ (FIFA, IAAF). WR can't do anything about the weather but surely they knew there was a chance something like this would crop up.

As an aside - with extra spare time on the squad's hands I'm wondering whether some players will be suffering from cabin fever. I've been watching the weekly Rising Sons episodes and the squad does seem to get on but I wonder if some charatcers are beginning to get on others nerves?

The bad weather should have blown through. But bad weather is a bit of a light way of putting it really. It's a category 5 typhoon, which is the same as a category 5 hurricane. The last cat 5 hurricane to hit the USA killed 84 people, and cost $25bn in damages.

A cat 5 typhoon hasn't made landfall before in Japan. The largest to do so was a cat 4 earlier this year. Killing 3 and costing $7bn USD in damages.

So whilst the storm may have passed, the infrastructure, buildings, roads, electricity, water, etcetc may all be demolished.

[baldpaul101]

Come on Raggs, don't let facts get in the way of a chance to have a pop at World Rugby

[AKWasp]

Think the thing most are forgetting is that transport is at a standstill in Japan, there’s no relocating if the players can’t even get there. It’s the most sensible thing to do, was in the rules sent to teams in the beginning.

Also worth remembering that this typhoon is one of the fastest developing and has been incredibly difficult to predict with it initially not even going to affect any games (or only the Ireland game.

[Shugs]

For me it's De-valued the whole tournament. I can't think why they didn't build contingency days in or have other venues lined up as alternatives.

[wasps]

People have been calling for developing rugby nations to host the world cup for years.... In particular Japan.... And then having a pop at would rugby when the usual tier 1 nations are chosen.


Now that Japan has finally been chosen, those same people condemn WR for choosing that same country at a time known for weather concerns.
The rugby schedule is hard enough to organise as it is so moving the world cup to another time of year wouldn't have been easy.


It's one of those things and all the rules were laid out before the tournament.
It sucks, but it is what it is

[Old Geezer]

I am sick and tired of people running off to lawyers when things don't go their way.  Regarding the Scottish situation, perhaps the time to have got forward thinking lawyers involved was when they were signing up to the Participation Agreeement.  They probably did have lawyers then but did they miss a trick?

More "chip on the shoulder" stuff as far as I am concerned.  Is "bleat" a Scottish word?

However, i do agree that if it had been NZ or one of the "major" money draw teams a solution ould have been found.

[Rossm]

I am sick and tired of people running off to lawyers when things don't go their way...............
.............More "chip on the shoulder" stuff as far as I am concerned.  Is "bleat" a Scottish word?

You'd have got a good deal more than 'bleating' from Jones if it had been England. Or would have England been considered a "major" money draw team and therefore a solution would have been found? In other words f*** anyone else, you don't care.

[Wiltshire Wasp]

How do we, or you know there would have been more than bleating from EJ?

[Rossm]

How do we, or you know there would have been more than bleating from EJ?

Use your imagination.