World Rugby have confirmed that water breaks will be implemented during the Rugby World Cup during the tournament’s opening weekend.
The decision has been made as temperatures in France hit over 30 degrees Celsius during the opening round.
The breaks will occur around the 20th-minute mark during the opening weekend, including the first match between France and New Zealand.
Water breaks implemented during the World Cup
World Rugby confirmed the decision in a statement ahead of the tournament’s kick-off.
“World Rugby can confirm that the decision has been taken to implement water breaks at all Rugby World Cup 2023 matches this weekend, including tonight’s opening match,” the statement read.
“Water breaks will operate midway through both halves at a natural break in play. The process will be managed by the referee. All teams have been informed.
“The process has operated at previous Rugby World Cups and across rugby more broadly when temperatures are hot or humid and is catered for in the tournament’s regulations.”
https://www.planetrugby.com/news/fiji-keep-faith-with-starting-xv-as-star-duo-levani-botia-and-josua-tuisova-return-to-squad-via-the-bench
Gatland won’t be pleased
Wales head coach Warren Gatland will be not be pleased by the decision from World Rugby after openly stating that he was against the move in the build-up to his side’s clash with Fiji.
“No, I wouldn’t support [water breaks], not particularly,” said Gatland.
“We would like the ball on the park as often as we could; we’re in pretty good shape physically. In terms of that, we’re not going to push back on water breaks if that’s what’s decided. We won’t be arguing with World Rugby on that decision.”
Gatland’s comments came off the back of a gruelling camp that he put his players through ahead of the World Cup, something he felt was necessary.
“I think in international rugby, you have to go to dark places, and you have to be hurting,” Gatland added.
“It’s whether other teams are hurting that little bit more than you. Everyone is talking about the heat being an advantage to Fiji, but we’ve had some pretty gruelling sessions in heat, so we are conditioned to that.
“We’ve been comfortable with the pace of the game and the intensity of the game. Probably from the warm-up games, where the ball-in-play time against England in the first game was 39 minutes, we looked good.
“In the second game against England, it was 30 minutes, and it probably didn’t allow us to use some of the hard work we’ve put in. It has definitely been a focus for us.”
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