Editorial: Nature's cruelty doesn't care about rugby

Satellite image from the geostationary Himawari 8 satellite showing Typhoon Hagibis to the south of Japan. Photo / JMA

EDITORIAL

One could only feel for the nation of Japan as Typhoon Hagibis bore down this week.

The Rugby World Cup 2019 host had laid on a splendid four weeks of sport and - a few quibbles over refereeing decisions aside - was on track to deliver the best tournament yet. The Cherry Blossoms had reaffirmed their more recent, deserved sobriquet as the Brave Blossoms by overcoming Russia, Ireland and Samoa.

All that was swept abruptly aside as Typhoon Hagibis began heading north over the sea near the Ogasawara Islands. Meteorologists could give few assurances about extent of Hagibis' impact, although torrential rainclouds would inevitably form when warm, damp air from the south was brought up by a typhoon to collide with colder air blowing from the north.

Exactly the same occurred in October 2013 when a row of rain clouds rapidly developed over Izu Oshima Island, south of Tokyo, tipping 500mm of rain in a six-hour period, triggering landslides and leaving 36 people dead.

Freak waves were also a possibility, generated as ocean swells collide with each other.
In October 2002, an unexpectedly high wave hit a breakwater in Atami in central Japan, knocking over 17 people, mainly anglers, and two died.

Given the unpredictability of Hagibis' path and strength, the only logical move was to cancel the New Zealand and Italy match in Toyota, and the game between England and France in Yokohama. Under RWC rules, those games are recorded as 0-0 draws.

After all, what's a rugby game when lives are on the line?