World Rugby slammed Scotland over a “disappointing” threat of legal action yesterday as tempers flared over fears their pivotal game with World Cup hosts Japan will be cancelled because of a typhoon. After Japan coach Jamie Joseph had also lashed out at Scotland’s warning, the governing body took the highly unusual step of rebuking an individual team.
Scotland face elimination from the World Cup if tomorrow’s Pool A game is axed as a result of Typhoon Hagibis, which is due to plough into the Tokyo area today and could cause widespread damage. “It is disappointing that the Scottish Rugby Union should make such comments at a time when we are doing everything we can to enable all Sunday’s matches to take place as scheduled,” World Rugby said.
Hagibis is predicted to be “one of the largest and most destructive typhoons to hit Japan since 1958”, it said, adding that Scotland had signed up to rules stating that if a game cannot be played on the scheduled day, it is counted as a draw.
Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Mark Dodson had earlier insisted Scotland wouldn’t become “collateral damage” from the typhoon, warning that legal action was a possibility if the game is cancelled. “We don’t know that (it’s too late) — we have to challenge it. This is about the game and rugby supporters across the world are absolutely astounded at this rigidity from World Rugby,” Dodson said.
World Rugby’s rebuke followed a terse exchange between the rival coaches, when Joseph suggested Scotland were out to avoid “embarrassment” and Scotland’s Gregor Townsend said he “had a good laugh” at his opposite number’s comments.
Joseph was left fuming by Scotland’s talk of legal action, saying the suggestion the hosts favoured cancellation “undermined” their achievement in winning all three games so far. “I feel they’ve undermined the achievements of the Japanese national team and the significance of Sunday’s Test match against Scotland for Japan,” said the former All Black.
“We’ve played and won three Test matches and that’s put us in the best position in our pool,” added Joseph. “I’d like to remind everybody that hasn’t been a fluke — this team has been in camp for 240 days this year alone.”
Organisers will assess the impact of the typhoon, set to strike the area today, before deciding to whether go ahead with the match at 7:45pm (1045 GMT) tomorrow. Japan won three matches at the 2015 World Cup but failed to reach the knockout stage after a 45-10 loss to Scotland.
But they have captured the hearts of the baseball-mad nation after beating Russia 30-10, stunning Ireland 19-12 and thrashing Samoa 38-19. The Pool A table-toppers will qualify for the quarter-finals if tomorrow’s game is cancelled, giving both teams two points for a 0-0 draw. “My team is motivated by achieving something great — not avoiding an embarrassment,” insisted Joseph.
Scotland’s Townsend later returned fire when he said: “We know it wouldn’t be an embarrassment to lose to Japan, we know they are an excellent side and we will have to play very well to win. I had a good laugh about them (Joseph’s comments). You may know coaches use press conference to put messages out and get a response. Sometimes you don’t get one.”
Japan, Scotland and Ireland are battling for the two quarter-final places from Pool A. Ireland play their final game against Samoa today.
The Pool C World Cup match between England and France was cancelled due to Typhoon Hagibis in Yokohama. (AFP)
