Scotland pay fine and express regret over typhoon comments

The Scottish Rugby Union has paid a £70,000 ($90,000) fine and "expressed its regret" for comments made in relation to the threatened cancellation of their World Cup pool match with hosts Japan due to Typhoon Hagibis, World Rugby said on Thursday.

Scotland were desperate for the game to be played because if it had been cancelled it would have counted as a 0-0 draw and they would have been eliminated.

SRU chief executive Mark Dodson had said Scotland would not become "collateral damage" of the typhoon and threatened legal action if the game did not go ahead.

The typhoon was one of the most powerful storms Japan has seen in many years and more than 80 people were killed.

The match did go ahead and Japan's 28-21 victory on October 13 saw them progress and Scotland fail to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for only the second time in their history.

World Rugby said at the time the comments were "inappropriate and ill-judged".

"World Rugby can confirm that the Scottish Rugby Union has expressed its regret and has confirmed it will not challenge World Rugby further on this matter," the federation said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Scottish Rugby Union has agreed to pay a donation of £70,000 to World Rugby and the matter is now closed."

© 2019 AFP