Rugby World Cup 2019: Canada players garner praise for rescue efforts

The host country of the ongoing Rugby World Cup, Japan has recently been hit by a massive typhoon Hagibis in many parts of the country. Although it seems to have relatively weakened due to a tropical depression, the tournament organizers have opted to take the safe route and cancel some of the fixtures. The matches between New Zealand and Italy and England and France were called off on Saturday. However, social media has praised the efforts of the Canadian players after they were seen assisting local authorities in rescue and recovery efforts in a video.

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Rugby players or angels?

After cancelling Canada's match in Kamaishi, the tournament organizers posted on Twitter about the team's players heading out of their comfort and safety of their hotel rooms to help with recovery efforts.

Also Read | Typhoon Hagibis Hits Japan, At Least 31 Dead

Meanwhile, the team's coach Kingsley Jones claimed that they were disappointed at the missed opportunity to compete against Namibia but wished for the safety of everyone in the eye of the typhoon. According to the Japanese Prime Minister's office, around 27,000 self-defence personnel have been deployed specifically for rescue operations. The storm has caused heavy rains, which has led to flooding and landslides. Japanese media reports claim that more than 230,000 people have been evacuated ahead of the storm. Emergency orders have been issued for many cities around the greater Tokyo area.

Although Canada has lost all their World Cup matches so far for the second consecutive event following the 2015 one, a washout against Namibia is perhaps the last nail in the coffin for their campaign. However, their selfless act for the Japanese community is expected to always be remembered as one of the greatest acts of humanity by the sporting fraternity.

Also Read | Rugby World Cup Matches Get Cancelled As Hagibis Approaches Japan