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For some teams the second round of Rugby World Cup matches will begin on Wednesday and Thursday while for others these days will mark their first fixtures. Such is the complication of having pools of five teams that one team per pool must begin last.
Those to do so on Wednesday are to be Australia, Scotland and Romania while Namibia will follow suit on Thursday. These fresh teams will face Fiji, Japan, France and New Zealand who are to all be playing their second matches.
At first glance it would appear that there is an even distribution between Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams backing-up but upon careful analysis it is undeniable that this is not the reality at all. Instead the teams that the top sides are required to play are not comparable to those that the Tier 2 sides are. Japan, for instance, is backing up from South Africa by facing Scotland. France, in contrast, will face Romania. Hardly comparable fixtures.
Tier 2 Hill Climbing
This split is true across all pools at all stages of the World Cup. The established Tier 1 sides have it comparatively easy. Take Australia who debut against Fiji two days from now only to them play again on Sunday against Uruguay. Much easier than Japan’s task. With New Zealand the same is true as after playing Argentina the All Blacks meet the lowest ranked side, Namibia.
Those with the luxury of rotating their rosters will do so while others will face the choice of prioritizing players that they would otherwise have had started both games. Indeed, Eddie Jones faces this dilemma right now despite playing against a previous World Cup Semi Finalist. Phillipe Saint-André has no such issues ahead of facing Romania, a team never to have won more than one pool match at a World Cup.
Participants from the Americas are also set to face making decisions that they should not have to. Canada will have four days between facing Italy and France and then four more between France and Romania. Based solely upon this Kieran Crowley is set to field an understrength side against France.
Neighbors the USA are to do likewise with Mike Tolkin, like Crowley, sacrifice a match. The dates for the Eagles third and fourth pool matches are separated by a low three rest days, the minimum permitted by World Rugby. With South Africa and Japan being the opposition it means the Springboks will face Tolkin’s reserves.
Uruguay is no different. The hill that Los Teros will be asked to climb is equally as challenging if not tougher. Three rest days will separate the Pablo Lemoine coached team’s matches against the teams that opened the World Cup, Fiji and England. With Fiji being the bottom ranked side in Uruguay’s pool Lemoine is certain to field his top side against Fiji before the quick turn-around and will certainly have to prepare without all players available.
Minor Injuries
In addition to being unsporting it is all high-risk when it comes to injury. Indeed, all teams suffer injuries including a top side such as Argentina who has four forwards in doubt for Georgia on Friday. Argentina, though, has the fire-power to make-due without them and still field a team considered stronger than Georgia.
Herein lies the biggest problem with how the organizers distribute the schedule – Tier 2 sides simply do not have the resources to play two games in one week, but Tier 1 sides do. Forward Thinking from World Rugby can put an end to the madness that will see Uruguay playing Fiji and England with just three rest days in between. Nobody, yes even the All Blacks, would consider tests in different cities against Fiji and England with just three days separating them as being appropriate.
The solution is to simply give preference to the likes of Namibia and Uruguay when compiling the schedule. That is, have their highest ranked opponents be the ones backing-up and doing so twice if required. The All Blacks, for instance, will have three more days, in total, than Namibia for their four pool games. In actuality Namibia should have more and could indeed have been given them.
Joining Namibia and Uruguay are the teams from the Pacific Nations Cup and Nations Cup. That is to say Canada, Fiji, Georgia, Japan, Romania, Samoa, Tonga and the USA. These eight carry with them a greater requirement of time to adequately prepare than do the Six Nations and Rugby Championship unions.
Tonga v New Zealand in Newcastle could have been Tonga vs Georgia with New Zealand already having finished pool play. Similarly, it could be England, not Fiji, finishing on Tuesday October 06 rather than Saturday October 10. Hopefully this is the case in 2019 as organizing a better and fairer schedule is clearly feasible.
