Rugby World Cup 2015: Organisers consider sitting fans in rival sections

It is part of rugby’s landscape that the brutality is reserved for the field

of play. And even there, when the final whistle sounds, the ferocity fades

instantly. Then begins what the French term, la troisième mi-temps, ‘the

third half’, as the winding-down process of, yes, more food, drink and song

takes place.

So why, then, is there even the prospect of this long-standing ritual of

civilised tribalism being changed? For the best of motives, although the

reasoning will trigger debate.

Organisers are considering every possibility in their quest to make RWC 2015

one long festival of fun. They have pored over the finest of details to work

out what contributes to a special atmosphere within stadiums. Of course they

recognise that the action itself is the single most important contributory

factor. If the sport is good, the prevailing mood will take care of itself.

Think Ireland v New Zealand at the Aviva Stadium last November. Or

England-Ireland at Twickenham. Or the topsy-turvy Northampton v Leinster

Heineken Cup final of 2011? You get the picture.

The integrity of the sport itself is paramount. There is no need to contrive

the backdrop at such occasions. In fact, there is nothing worse than the

meddling buffoonery that sometimes takes place at grounds as some chump on a

microphone attempts to rev up the crowd with mindless blaring.

We took Saracens to task last season for the playing of some cretinous tune

during the play itself to try to silence the Munster contingent on the

terraces.

What RWC 2015 is looking into is the grouping of fans so that they can make

maximum noise in one homogenous block. They are concerned that various

travel groups, or expats living here and legitimately purchasing tickets

through their local clubs to support the Wallabies or the Springboks or

whoever, will be scattered throughout the stadiums, isolated voices. They

reason it might make more sense to congregate them all together to enhance

noise levels. It would create a sense of solidarity, spark off rival

chanting from the other grouped-together mob, and so the volume would be

cranked up.

It is a worthy notion. But far better to let natural forces work their magic.

Let them sort it out themselves. The best parties are those when new

acquaintances are made, when unexpected conversations are sparked by chance

encounter. Above all, though, rugby has something special in its current way

of doing things. That 80,000 can come together, with passions running high,

and not need to be herded into designated sections by an army of security

goons in high-vis jackets, is something of which the sport can rightly be

proud.

RWC 2015 is set to be a jamboree. Half a million tickets go on sale through

clubs in May. The public sale starts in September. The idea of possible

segregation is well intentioned. But it is wrong.

Hail the human speed bumps
The low tackle is back in vogue. How refreshing it was to see Jacques

Burger and his Saracens pals go low and hard on Saturday, cutting off the

Clermont runners at source. Time and again at Twickenham they were chopped

down, as the human speed bumps threw themselves in their way. We have had

the era of the upright choke tackle. Welcome back an old friend – the

scything, knee-high tackle, a thing of beauty.

Heineken goes out on a high
What a collector’s item the last edition of the Heineken Cup promises to

be. Two teams, spirited and distinctive, well-resourced, the Clash of the

Cash as former England lock Martin Bayfield put it, and possibly Jonny

Wilkinson’s last game of rugby. The perfect send-off for all concerned.

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Rugby World Cup 2015: Organisers consider sitting fans in rival sections