Couldn’t keep up with the Rugby World Cup while I was travelling in Japan (other than to see Japan’s results on the screens in the train) but I got back and spent a few jetlagged days drifting in and out of consciousness while watching some relatively inconsequential rugby matches. Man, I love rugby! The rules are oddly technical and always changing, despite the fact that most of the game comes down to very simple interactions, such as one mass of people pushing against another.
On the subject of officiating, I feel like the culture in rugby toward the referee is quite refreshing. Because the rules are technical, weird, and often kind of ambiguous, you’d think there’d be a lot more yelling and complaining, but respect for the officials is such an ingrained part of the sport that there’s very little talking back or embellishment. The referees, in turn, often treat players like they are children, especially if they start rabble-rousing between whistles, which I think is honestly quite appropriate! Especially when watching hockey, I often think the players look like a bunch of misbehaving kids on the schoolyard, but it’s treated as if it’s totally normal adult behaviour. I understand that passions will flare when playing such a physical sport for such high stakes, but this is exactly why you need an official with a calm head who is willing to bring everyone back down to Earth.
Anyway, the group stage is wrapping up this weekend, and there are some consequential games coming up! My top team, Wales, is certainly through to the quarterfinals, but my second team Japan has a match against Argentina which determines which will come second in their group. I would consider the two fairly evenly matched, so it’ll be a good one.
