Interestingly, from those tournament rules
[LAWS]No Match points will be awarded to a Team which has been expelled from the Tournament,
refuses to play a Match or abandons a Match in progress, without direction from Match Officials or the Match Commissioner, subject always to the provisions of the Terms of Participation. Should this occur, the opponent in that Match shall be awarded a win and therefore four Match points. For the avoidance of doubt, bonus points will not be awarded.[/LAWS]If WR chose to reschedule the NZ game to the day after, while they could still refuse to play, it wouldn’t be without consequences. Italy would get four points and NZ none. Perhaps WR should put that to the test, propose a rescheduled fixture for each game at risk and see how much England and New Zealand actually want to profit from the tournament rules to get those extra rest days.
Eddie Jones says he has little sympathy for Scotland’s plight, yet he would be creating all sorts of scandal, if his team were so affected. Rules are rules, Eddie, until they no longer suit you. For the knockout stages the rule is somewhat different
Cancelled Matches
Where a knock-out Match cannot commence within the two days following the scheduled Match day (or such longer period as specified by RWCL) or is abandoned prior to half-time and cannot be postponed and rescheduled within this period, it shall be considered as cancelled.
