Scottish Rugby are ready to to take legal action against World Rugby chiefs to ensure their decisive World Cup clash with Japan goes ahead. The threat of Typhoon Hagibis has already seen Saturday's two matches cancelled, and declared a draw. But a repeat on Sunday - with World Rugby set to make a decision on the hosts clash with Gregor Townsend's side on Sunday morning - would see Scotland eliminated. The Scots currently lie third behind Japan and Ireland in Pool A and must beat the hosts to progress to the quarter-finals - unless the Irish lose to Samoa. World Rugby rules state that "where a pool match cannot be commenced on the day in which it is scheduled, it shall not be postponed to the following day and shall be considered as cancelled. In such situations, the result shall be allocated two points each and no score registered". However, SRU chief executive Mark Dodson says they believe they have a case, should Typhoon Hagibis cause Sunday's crucial showdown to be cancelled. "For World Rugby to simply state that the game has to be cancelled goes against the whole sporting integrity of the tournament," Dodson told BBC Radio 5live. "World Rugby have pointed us back to the participation agreement and that it is clearly stated there. We've had a legal opinion and then we've taken a leading sports QC opinion in London that challenges that and unravels the World Rugby case." World Rugby chiefs are hopeful that the game can still go ahead on Sunday. However Dodson remains angry by a refusal to consider moving the game to another time or venue if the worst of the storm has not passed. "We've been preparing for this tournament now for the last four years, our guys are over 100 days in camp, we've played three games already and the fourth game in this particular case is pivotal," he added. "My view is that we're not going to let Scotland be the collateral damage for a decision that was taken in haste." Japan coach Jamie Joseph insists the Brave Blossoms are desperate for the match to go ahead in Yokohama. "I'd like to remind people it hasn't been a fluke," Joseph said. "We have played and won three Test matches, and that has put us in the best position in our pool. "It has been a lot of hard work by a lot of people. This team has been in camp for 240 days this year alone. Everyone in our squad - players and staff - wants to play the Test match."
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Scottish Rugby are ready to to take legal action against World Rugby chiefs to ensure their decisive World Cup clash with Japan goes ahead. The threat of Typhoon Hagibis has already seen Saturday's two matches cancelled, and declared a draw. But a repeat on Sunday - with World Rugby set to make a decision on the hosts clash with Gregor Townsend's side on Sunday morning - would see Scotland eliminated. The Scots currently lie third behind Japan and Ireland in Pool A and must beat the hosts to progress to the quarter-finals - unless the Irish lose to Samoa. World Rugby rules state that "where a pool match cannot be commenced on the day in which it is scheduled, it shall not be postponed to the following day and shall be considered as cancelled. In such situations, the result shall be allocated two points each and no score registered". However, SRU chief executive Mark Dodson says they believe they have a case, should Typhoon Hagibis cause Sunday's crucial showdown to be cancelled. "For World Rugby to simply state that the game has to be cancelled goes against the whole sporting integrity of the tournament," Dodson told BBC Radio 5live. "World Rugby have pointed us back to the participation agreement and that it is clearly stated there. We've had a legal opinion and then we've taken a leading sports QC opinion in London that challenges that and unravels the World Rugby case." World Rugby chiefs are hopeful that the game can still go ahead on Sunday. However Dodson remains angry by a refusal to consider moving the game to another time or venue if the worst of the storm has not passed. "We've been preparing for this tournament now for the last four years, our guys are over 100 days in camp, we've played three games already and the fourth game in this particular case is pivotal," he added. "My view is that we're not going to let Scotland be the collateral damage for a decision that was taken in haste." Japan coach Jamie Joseph insists the Brave Blossoms are desperate for the match to go ahead in Yokohama. "I'd like to remind people it hasn't been a fluke," Joseph said. "We have played and won three Test matches, and that has put us in the best position in our pool. "It has been a lot of hard work by a lot of people. This team has been in camp for 240 days this year alone. Everyone in our squad - players and staff - wants to play the Test match."
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