England could be fined for not complying to their media agreement.

From the Independent...!

"England’s Rugby World Cup exit at the hands of Australia could still get worse as the host nation fell short of a World Rugby requirement that is likely to see them heavily fined.

Each country is required to provide 10 players for interview in the mixed zone following each World Cup match, but after being knocked out of the Rugby World Cup following the embarrassing 33-13 loss to Australia, England provided just two men."


Seems remarkably unfair.

The guys just got pasted in a must win game, one that 99% of media pundits outside of Australia predicted they would narrowly win.

The media have entitlements and agreements are made. But some compassion for the players has to be accepted. This was one of the most humiliating sporting outcomes England have ever experienced, the players coaches and their management team are at their very lowest.

I hope Workd Rugby do show some compassion here, the tournament just lost their host nation.

I hate that shoite.

Notch wrote:I hate that shoite.

Yes I agree...!

The media can hardly expect to get any "gems" of quotes for their copy from a team in England's position.

They shouldn't have agreed to the contract then.

WHy have contracts if they are just going to be broken....

Wasn't Mike Brown available?

GeordieFalcon wrote:They shouldn't have agreed to the contract then.

WHy have contracts if they are just going to be broken....

We all know England expected to qualify. Surely exceptional circumstance should prevail...  I be the press weren't requesting such a big commitment from the Wallabies who just qualified.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Wasn't Mike Brown available?

No

England provided Wigglesworth and Wood and no more

GeordieFalcon wrote:They shouldn't have agreed to the contract then.

WHy have contracts if they are just going to be broken....

Nothing is going to happen. Just some poor piling on reporting.
Silly, foolish reporting.

I think World Rugby would have to sanction England. There are going to be eight more heartbreaking losses in the tournament knock-out stages (including the 3/4th shoot-out), and they would want to send a strong message that teams must abide by tournament media rules.

It's a separate question whether asking 10 players to be available is reasonable in such circumstances. I wonder what the terms were four years ago.

GeordieFalcon wrote:They shouldn't have agreed to the contract then.

WHy have contracts if they are just going to be broken....

It's never the players that sign these contracts though is it... its part of the deal you accept when you become an international rugby, but you know its the same media thats going to savage you no matter the brave face you put on it.

Rugby Fan wrote:
It's a separate question whether asking 10 players to be available is reasonable in such circumstances. I wonder what the terms were four years ago.

Good point,RF. Providing 2/3rd's of a team seems excessive especially as some guys will be getting treatment, some will be in the sample room etc. Given that the English players will have had microphones in their faces for the last few months, I am sure that the press have had their pound of flesh. Unlike Geordie, I hope that IRB go easy on England. Anyway, the message would be the same whether it was from 2 or 10 players - "yes, we are disappointed we are out and we are sorry for all the fans etc". A bit of common sense should prevail here

I'm not saying it was the players who signed it...im merely saying contracts are there for a reason.

Seems to me England expected to go through and made no thought for the chance we wouldn't. Just plain bad.

Plan for every eventuality.....

I appreciate that but, judging by the column and internet inches (no, I don't mean "internet inches" from a certain type of website potty-mind ) devoted to England, they must have more than met their minimum requirements.

It's outrageous - kick them out of the competition.

Barney McGrew did it wrote:It's outrageous - kick them out of the competition.

Fair play, that made me laugh

You are right of course GF and this is the standard arrangement in professional sports. I just wish the press in this country acted with more decorum sometimes, especially the tabloids. They can be pretty shocking and it can be hard to engage with them knowing what they might twist your words into the next day.

Fine will be irrelevant to England. Because no other union will want to see a big fine levied that they might in future have to pay themselves.

I guess not appearing is better than breaking 20,000 euro dressing room doors.....

quinsforever wrote:Fine will be irrelevant to England. Because no other union will want to see a big fine levied that they might in future have to pay themselves.

We'd never have to pay it - we have an entire team of look-a-like decoys for such moments.

I say 25 million looks a nice round figure for a fine... Bills gotta be paid!

the decoys played tonight, btw....

quinsforever wrote:Fine will be irrelevant to England. Because no other union will want to see a big fine levied that they might in future have to pay themselves.

I think it is world rugby who set the fine not the rival nations unions.

It will get worse as teams start to go out... especially tier 1 ones with title aspirations.

"So you just got the kicking of a lifetime.... any reaction".

Wait till NZ get knocked out (if), then we'll have a new round of conspiracies... food poisoning, sleep deprivation, change strips, disrespecting the haka, bought ref, 16 men, dodgy boots, alignment of the sun.... I'll need some popcorn for that event.

fa0019 wrote:It will get worse as teams start to go out... especially tier 1 ones with title aspirations.

"So you just got the kicking of a lifetime.... any reaction".

Wait till NZ get knocked out (if), then we'll have a new round of conspiracies... food poisoning, sleep deprivation, change strips, disrespecting the haka, bought ref, 16 men, dodgy boots, alignment of the sun.... I'll need some popcorn for that event.

Yeah but if the all blacks lose badly there is usually something dodgy happening.

maestegmafia wrote:From the Independent...!

"England’s Rugby World Cup exit at the hands of Australia could still get worse as the host nation fell short of a World Rugby requirement that is likely to see them heavily fined.

Each country is required to provide 10 players for interview in the mixed zone following each World Cup match, but after being knocked out of the Rugby World Cup following the embarrassing 33-13 loss to Australia, England provided just two men."


Seems remarkably unfair.

The guys just got pasted in a must win game, one that 99% of media pundits outside of Australia predicted they would narrowly win.

The media have entitlements and agreements are made. But some compassion for the players has to be accepted. This was one of the most humiliating sporting outcomes England have ever experienced, the players coaches and their management team are at their very lowest.

I hope Workd Rugby do show some compassion here, the tournament just lost their host nation.

Bit of a none story but a fine opportunity for a little bit of knife twisting from our gloating neighbours!