NINE DAYS TO GO...
The ugly weather scenario that could impact the All Blacks
Fiji Airways Flying Fijians rep Waisea Nayacalevu during the team’s gym session in Akita City, Japan, on September 10, 2019. The Rugby World Cup kicks off on September 20 and Fiji plays Australia in their first game on September 21 in Sapporo.
It’s Steve Hansen worst nightmare – a gimme Rugby World Cup pool game against Namibia, Canada or Italy is cancelled because of bad weather and declared a draw.
A certain four points – more likely five with a bonus point awarded for scoring four tries or more – suddenly turns into two points and the heat goes on the race for the quarter-finals.
It’s a real possibility with tournament venue Japan in the middle of typhoon season. The All Blacks dodged Typhoon Faxai to land in Tokyo on Monday for their last minute Cup preparations.
But the weather outside, with at least one person killed in the high winds and rain lashing the city, was a stark warning that this meticulously planned campaign could be taken out of their hands.
So much focus has gone on the All Blacks’ opening game against South Africa. Yet they could beat the Boks and still end up No 2 in their pool if the worst-case weather scenarios unfold.
Rugby World Cup organisers insist they will do everything possible to help the tight tournament schedule stay in place, including relocating teams from their bases or different match venues should weather not permit.
But the contingency plans aren’t pretty as the All Blacks look to deliver an incredible hat-trick of titles in Hansen’s last hurrah.
It’s complicated, but be warned, there is even the possibility of the World Cup being shared.
Here’s how the tournament rules will accommodate
unwanted cancellations and weather interruptions.
Pool stages
If a pool match has to be ruled out for the scheduled day it will not be rescheduled, it will be considered cancelled.
That means the result will be declared a draw with both teams being awarded two points each with no bonus points being awarded.
Where a pool match is stopped following commencement, and cannot be completed the same day, it will not be rescheduled to the following day, and will be considered as abandoned.
If a match is abandoned either at half time or at any time during the second half, the score at the time of the abandonment shall be considered as final.
If a match has to be abandoned at any time during the first half, the result shall be declared a draw.
But each team will keep its score at the time of the abandonment and any bonus points for scoring four tries or more during the time that play was allowed, will be retained.
Knockout stages
Should the weather cause disruptions in the knockout stages of the tournament then the match can be postponed if it hasn’t started. In this scenario the match would be rescheduled to be played within two days of the following scheduled match day. This will also happen should a match have to be abandoned at any time during the first half of the game. Should the match have to be abandoned in the second half at any time, the score at the time of abandonment will be considered the result of the match. If the result is a tie, then the winner is determined by the following sequential criteria by World Rugby’s tournament rules. - The team which scored most tries in that particular match.
- The team with the most match points from the pool phase.
- The team which in all its tournament matches has the best difference between points scored for and points scored against.
- The team which in all its tournament matches has the best difference between tries scored for and tries scored against.
- The team which in all its tournament matches has scored most points.
- The team which in all its tournament matches has scored most tries.
- Where all criteria above are not able to determine a winner, the winner shall be the team that is higher ranked in the official World Rugby rankings at the time the match is scheduled to be played. (This criterion will not apply for the final; in the case that the winner of the final cannot be determined from the above criteria the two teams shall be jointly declared winners).
Where a knockout stage match has to be abandoned at any time during the first half, the match shall be played again in full within the two following days at the same venue, or if required, an alternate venue as directed by tournament organizers.-Stuff