This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
Published on October 11, 2019
Scotland's rugby team is facing a daunting task as they prepare to take on Japan in the final pool match of the Rugby World Cup in Yokohama on Sunday. The match is threatened by Typhoon Hagibis, which is expected to make landfall on Saturday and bring destructive wind and rain.
Japan, the tournament hosts, are leading Pool A with 14 points and are on the verge of securing their first World Cup quarter-final spot. Scotland, on the other hand, are in third place with 10 points and need to beat Japan to have any chance of advancing to the knockout phase.
Second-placed Ireland, who are on 11 points, will play the already eliminated Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday in their final pool game. If the Japan-Scotland match is cancelled, Scotland and Japan would receive two points each, meaning Japan and Ireland would finish as the top two in Pool A and reach the quarter-finals, provided the Irish beat Samoa.
Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made it clear that he wants the game to go ahead, even if it means postponing it until Monday or shifting it to another venue. However, World Rugby has stated that it is not prepared to do so.
The Scottish Rugby Union has launched a scathing attack on the organisers, with SRU chief executive Mark Dodson saying that their side was not going to be 'collateral damage for a decision that was taken in haste.'
Scotland have never lost to Japan in seven previous matches, but the gap between the two sides is reducing, with their last game producing a 21-16 victory in Tokyo in 2016. Japan's coach, Jamie Joseph, has also launched a blistering attack on the media, saying that they undermine the achievements of the Japanese national team.
"The media reports that I've read, I feel they undermine the achievements of the Japanese national team," said Joseph, who restored the inspirational Michael Leitch to the captaincy after trying to take some pressure off him over the last two games.
Joseph said his side also wanted the match to go ahead, saying, "What is important for us is waking up on Monday morning and understanding we're a worthy top-eight team or we're not."
