Slightly difference - the losing semi-finalist could have been stopped - cuts/KO and be deemed unfit to fight.
Rugby is a contact sport not a combat sport.
Why play the Autumn internationals, friendlies in the warm ups and so on?
Or play any games at all. Some good arguments are being put forward on here to ban the sport all together.
There will always be a certain level of risk associated with the sport, and I'm definitely not advocating preventing other fixtures. But when players are playing, in my opinion, a completely pointless game - which I bet the viewing figures will also prove for the match compared to the semi-finals even when the weekday timing is taken into account - it seems to go against everything that WR and the national unions are striving for safety-wise. If this wasn't the last game for Hansen, Gatland etc how much coverage do you think it would even get?
So any match with lower viewing figures than a world cup semi final is proven to be completely pointless?
And you would scrap any dead rubbers towards the end of the season that doesn't impact possible titles or relegation?
That seems to be what you have written.
I am neither clever enough to understand nor stupid enough to play this game
If sides don't want to find themselves in a position to play this game they should either make sure they get through the semis or not enter.
It's not the big prize but teams play friendlies for pride and whilst it isn't likely to be in front of a big audience it should go ahead.
If it is refereed to the standard required (as it should be) then the duty of care is satisfied in exactly the same was as the other games in the tournament.
Duty of care considerations should only apply if the game was not being played within the agreed laws of the game.
Bigger picture for me is that rugby is inherently a gladiatorial, confrontational, deeply honourable sport that now professional is also inherently dangerous. Players and supporters love it for what it is. The bigger picture battle in that context for our current times is to balance (1) the player welfare (squad size and global match calendars) with (2) the finance (tickets, merchandise and sponsorship) and (3) grow the global brand attractiveness. At present (1) is too stressed to try to cover (2) whilst the key to fixing both of these is (3). Simply put if rugby was more global and less niche then we could have more financial stability / growth and better player welfare.
Therefore the 3rd / 4th playoff for RWC 2019 Japan I would argue is a worthy fixture even though the players feel like they just want to go home after failing at the last hurdle to reach the final. Duty of Care is a valid point but one match every four years is really not the issue in my humble opinion and if marketed correctly should actually assist in the global growth of the rugby brand when many non-traditional viewers, supporters and media channels will have their attention on our game of rugby rather than the other sporting distractions elsewhere.
It is a pointless match that no one wants to play in and few want to watch, any player who is seriously injured in this match will feel very aggrieved, I am just glad there are no Tigers players involved.
BengalTiger wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2019 11:31 am
It is a pointless match that no one wants to play in and few want to watch, any player who is seriously injured in this match will feel very aggrieved, I am just glad there are no Tigers players involved.
You are aware the match has now finished?
Please tell me if I'm wrong but I don't think there were any serious injuries, certainly far fewer than the semis. Possible (almost certainly) the game is played at a less intense level than other RWC knock out fixtures making injuries less likely and less serious.
I am neither clever enough to understand nor stupid enough to play this game
I'm not sure that duty of care has much to do with it, but I don't really see a point to the third place playoff either. The World Cup is about finding a World Champion and very few people care who comes third.
Yes, I agree friendlies/AI's etc are worthwhile despite having no specific meaning, but you wouldn't play one the day before the World Cup final because that would be bonkers.
If we are looking to reduce the load on players, this match would be a good place to start.
JP14 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 31, 2019 3:45 pm
Remember that both All Blacks and Wales mentally prepared themselves to play in the final, plus the Kiwis will be still fresh from the game off.
A great point and far more relevant than a bronze medal match itself to a duty of care is the fact that some sides have played one more match in a short period of just a few weeks.
