2023-10-13 13:38:09
This is extremely rare, but it can happen. And the best thing is to anticipate. This Saturday, the knockout phase of the Rugby World Cup begins with two first quarter-finals. And unlike the group stage, where a draw was possible, this is obviously not possible in the quarter, semi or final. Here are the rules in the event of a tie at the end of 80 minutes of regulation time.
First of all, the players will be entitled to a short five-minute break after the siren announcing the end of the match. An overtime period of two ten-minute periods will then be played, with a further five-minute break in between. If no team has made the difference after these twenty additional minutes of play, the 30 players return to the field. Ten new minutes should allow the qualifier to be named. But unlike the first extension, this second phase is a sudden death. The first team to score points wins the match and advances to the next round.
A penalty shootout if necessary
But that still may not be enough. Last resort: penalties, in which only players who finished the match on the field can take part. The selectors must then choose five representatives who will try their luck against the poles. The specialists ? The most serene? They are free to determine the best shooters for such a particular session and to establish the order in which they will shoot.
The organization of the penalty shootout is clearly defined. All shots must be attempted on the 22m line with positions that differ across the width of the field. The first shooter first tries his luck against the posts. The second will be off-center on the left, at the 15m line, while the third will be on the other side, on the 15m line to the right of the posts.
After this third kick from each team, we continue in the same order and we return in front of the posts for the fourth shooter, before the last one, on the left. After these five attempts, if the two teams are still tied, we start again with the same kickers and the same positions. It is then a sudden death system, the first nation to succeed, while its opponent fails, wins.
Three overtimes in the history of the World Cup
Unlike football, overtime is very rare in rugby. Only three World Cup matches required extra minutes to be played to determine the winner. In 1995, South Africa beat New Zealand in the final (15-12) after being held to a draw at the end of regulation time (9-9). During the final in 2003, it was England who took advantage of a drop from Jonny Wilkinson in the 99th minute to win against Australia (20-17). Four years earlier, Australia had eliminated South Africa in the semi-final after the same overtime (27-21).
A penalty shootout, however, has never happened in the World Cup. We still remember the victory of Stade Toulouse against Munster in the quarter-final of the Champions Cup in May 2022. That day, the Stadistes failed to gain the upper hand over the Irish during the match and were able to benefit from the talents of Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont and Thomas Ramos to obtain their qualification (in a format different from that of the World Cup). This Saturday, against South Africa, the last two will be there again. What will reassure the Blues if the decision must be made in such a session?
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