Rugby World Cup third-place play-off is pointless

Belfast Telegraph
 
Rugby World Cup third-place play-off is pointless

Long after England’s gutting loss to South Africa on Saturday night, a video picked up some traction on social media. Shared by the Argentinian branch of ESPN, it depicted Steve Borthwick, lonely as a cloud, pitchside at a near-empty Stade de France; reflective, contemplative, quasi-vegetative.

As might have been expected after such a gargantuan emotional and physical crusade, with only the din of French lawn-mowers for company, the head coach, hours after the final whistle had dashed England’s hopes and dreams, looked distraught, inconsolable. In spite of the pride and spirit embodied and extolled by his team against the odds and against the world, the loss will take some time to process and digest. England had come so close, but that was no consolation to Borthwick’s side, who had made all those predicting a massacre look sensationally foolish.

Knowing Borthwick’s assiduousness and meticulousness, coupled with the flak he has copped, the footage was a tough watch. Tougher still, however, when one realised that Borthwick and his England charges must pick themselves up from the depths of the emotional well, having expunged every drop of energy, to play a meaningless fixture six days later.

It is not a case of sour grapes to suggest that England – or any side, for that matter – should not have to play this match. Despite Borthwick’s public pragmatism and professionalism, insisting that his side will be treating the bronze final with the utmost respect and the foremost diligence, all that England will want to do this week is convalesce psychologically and emotionally with their loved ones, before returning to daily life with their clubs.

Objectively and fundamentally, no team wants to feature in this match. Awaiting England at the Stade de France this Friday is an Argentina side desperate to right the wrongs of their impotent display in the semi-final against New Zealand, blood-thirsty for revenge after their capitulation against England in the pool stages, too. In this context, the Pumas might be one of the few sides with no qualms of playing in rugby’s most futile fixture, but before the tournament begun if one had offered Michael Cheika the option of his side’s campaign culminating on a Friday night at the Stade de France then one would have received short shrift.

It is a match which serves precisely zero meaningful purpose, except for a team to receive a hollow award for finishing in third place. An extra match for ticket sales at the Stade de France would be another allure for World Rugby, perhaps under pressure from marketeers and sponsors, but it remains to be seen just how many of the stadium’s 80,000 seats are filled on Friday night. Certainly, television viewership will not be a patch on the 8.7 million who bit their fingernails during England’s semi-final loss, broadcast on ITV last Saturday; nor will it attract a keen viewership globally.