Scotland won’t challenge fine handed down in RWC row

THE Scottish Rugby Union have chosen not to challenge the £70,000 fine imposed on them for comments made over the potential impact of Typhoon Hagibis on their World Cup match against Japan.

The pool fixture last month was in doubt because of the impending tropical storm, which went on to claim the lives of 88 people.

If it had been cancelled, the Scots would have gone out of the tournament without actually completing their group fixtures.

This provoked strong comments from SRU chief executive Mark Dodson, while further comments attributed to an SRU spokesperson appeared in the media.

In the end, the match went ahead, with Scotland losing and bombing out at the group stage.

The comments led to the SRU being hit with sanctions following a meeting of a World Rugby Independent Disputes Committee.

It had been reported that Scottish rugby chiefs were ready to fight the fine and demands to write a meaningful apology to World Rugby and RWCL for its misconduct in terms approved by the committee.

But a World Rugby statement issued yesterday morning read: “We can confirm that the Scottish Rugby Union has expressed its regret and has confirmed it will not challenge World Rugby further on this matter.

“The Scottish Rugby Union has agreed to pay a donation of £70,000 to World Rugby and the matter is now closed. There will be no further comment from either party.”

The fine will be donated to the Childfund Pass it Back programme on World Rugby’s instruction, assisting with the ongoing relief effort in areas affected by Typhoon Hagibis.

During the height of the furore, Dodson threatened legal action, adding: “We believe that we are being timed out in this competition, and being timed out is not a comfortable place to be.

“Scotland will be collateral damage and it is not something we will be prepared to sit back and take. Right from the get-go, we said to World Rugby we will play any place, anywhere. We will play behind closed doors, we’ll play in full stadiums.

“We will travel the length and breadth of Japan. There was no response to that. I think most people feel that if it was one of the economic powerhouses of the game like, as you say, New Zealand, perhaps more thought would have been given to a flexible approach.”