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How coronavirus is jeopardising the first season of Global Rapid Rugby

(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Global Rapid Rugby organisers are hoping the newly-announced China-based team can be retained for the inaugural season despite the outbreak of the coronavirus.

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Last week, Andrew Forrest’s new rugby union competition announced that the Shanghai-based China Lions would be the sixth and final team for the 2020 debut of the $1 million GRR.

But one day later, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that people who have visited or transited through mainland China would be banned from visiting Australia.

Other countries are following suit with their own travel bans as the world attempts to contain the coronavirus.

GRR is set to kick off on March 13, and organisers have been busy coming up with alternative plans in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

Continue reading below…

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Mark Evans, chief executive of GRR, is hopeful that the China Lions and the Hong Kong-based South China Tigers can be kept in the competition.

Their home games are set to be switched to later in the tournament, with organisers hopeful the coronavirus will be better contained by then to allow travel to and from China.

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If the situation worsens, GRR might have to base the Lions outside of China for the first season.

“These are uncharted waters,” Evans said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8DKTlWgkZN/

“We’ve run another schedule whereby we push the first game, to be played in Shanghai, out further into the comp. So that’s one contingency.

“The other is you look at whether you take the team and put them in a less restricted, hard-hit area. You have to look at all of those, and we are.

“We’re spending a lot of time mapping out different scenarios and different contingencies depending on how the situation develops.”

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Evans is still optimistic the competition will go ahead.

But given the unpredictable nature of the coronavirus outbreak, he knows there can be no iron-clad guarantees.

Making the job slightly easier for GRR is the fact that a large part of the Lions and Tigers squads will be made up from players based outside of China.

The other teams to compete in the competition are the Western Force, Malaysia Valke, Fijian Latui, and Manuma Samoa.

– AAP

Sonny Bill Williams’ Toronto Wolfpack debut has ended in defeat:

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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