The opening weekend of the tournament put officials in the spotlight and showed the value of tactical versatility
The opening week of a Rugby World Cup is always a blur of first impressions and fast-changing perceptions but, by anyone’s standards, Japan has been something else. It is not the world’s biggest rugby tournament alone that has been widening visitors’ horizons, in a dizzying, delightful and occasionally disorientating few days.
Such unfamiliarity may just go some way towards explaining why some teams have underperformed in their opening games. Aside from a slick-looking Wales, New Zealand and Ireland, the beneficiaries of a horribly poor display by Scotland, a number of teams have taken a little time to get going.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/23/rugby-world-cup-opening-weekend under the title “Dizzying Rugby World Cup opening leaves referees and players in a spin”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
