2020 Global Rapid Rugby season

The 2020 season of Global Rapid Rugby ended after only one round of competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was not continued. The season was launched in February 2020 as the first full home and away Rapid Rugby tournament,[1] following the shorter showcase series held the previous year.[2]

2020 Rapid Rugby Season
LeagueGlobal Rapid Rugby
SportRugby
DurationSeason cancelled after one round
Number of teams6
Seasons
2021 →

It featured six teams from across the Asia-Pacific region competing for A$1 million in prize money. On 15 March 2020 the competition was suspended due to travel, quarantine and public health restrictions,[3] before being cancelled on 7 April 2020.[4]

Teams

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The following six teams were announced for the Rapid Rugby season in 2020: [1]

Team City Stadium Capacity Head coach
  China Lions[a] Rotorua
Taupō
Adelaide
Rotorua International Stadium
Owen Delany Park
Coopers Stadium
34,000
20,000
16,500
Mike Rogers[7]
  Fijian Latui Suva ANZ Stadium
Albert Park
15,000
3,000
Senirusi Seruvakula
Lautoka
Nausori
Churchill Park
Ratu Cakobau Park
9,500
8,000
  Manuma Samoa Apia Apia Park 12,000 Brian Lima[8]
  Malaysia Valke Kuala Lumpur
Subang
Bukit Jalil National Stadium
Stadium TUDM
87,411
6,000
Rudy Joubert
  South China Tigers Hong Kong Hong Kong Stadium
Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
Aberdeen Sports Ground
40,000
11,981
9,000
Craig Hammond
  Western Force Perth HBF Park 20,500 Tim Sampson
Notes
  1. ^ The China Lions, backed by the China Rugby Football Association and New Zealand's Bay of Plenty Rugby Union, were originally scheduled to host three of their home games in Shanghai. One of those fixtures was moved to Taupō in New Zealand and the other two to Adelaide in Australia due to health concerns relating to the coronavirus pandemic.[1][5][6]

Standings

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The top two teams in the standings after the completion of the regular season were scheduled to meet in a grand final match on 6 June to decide the championship title.[9] A modified version of the rugby bonus points system was used.

One bonus point was awarded for each of the following in a game:[10]

  • a team scoring 4 or more tries;
  • a winning team scoring at least 3 tries more than their opponent;
  • a team defeated by a margin of five points or under.

Four points were awarded for a win and none for a loss. Two points were awarded to each team for a draw.

Global Rapid Rugby
# Team P W D L PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1   Western Force 1 1 0 0 +37 7 2 2 0 6
2   South China Tigers 1 1 0 0 +25 8 3 2 0 6
3   China Lions 1 1 0 0 +7 4 3 1 0 5
4   Fijian Latui 1 0 0 1 −7 3 4 0 0 0
5   Manuma Samoa 1 0 0 1 −25 3 8 0 0 0
6   Malaysia Valke 1 0 0 1 −37 2 7 0 0 0
Updated: 15 March 2020
Source: rapidrugby.com (archived)

Regular season

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The schedule was announced in February 2020.[1]

Round 1

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14 March Fijian Latui 22–29 China Lions ANZ Stadium, Suva  
6.15 pm FJT (UTC+12) Try: Radroro
Raiyala
Vota
Con: Tela (2/3)
Pen: Tela (1/1)
Report[12] Try: Fuatai
Penalty try
Tatafu, Little
Con: Hollinshead (3/3)
Pen: Hollinshead (1/1)
Referee: Cam Stone (New Zealand) [11]


14 March Manuma Samoa 27–52 South China Tigers HBF Park, Perth  
4.10 pm AWST (UTC+8) Try: Soisoi (2, one pwt)
Sao
Con: Leuila (1/2)
Pen: Leuila (2/2)
Report[13] Try: Dowsing (2)
Watkins, De Thierry (2)
Prior, Van de Smit
McFeat Smith
Con: Hughes (6/8)
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand) [11]


14 March Western Force 51–14 Malaysia Valke HBF Park, Perth  
6.15 pm AWST (UTC+8) Try: Lacey (2)
Brache, Taefu (pwt)
Bardoul, McGregor
Alcock
Con: Prior (6/6)
Report[14] Try: Jaggers
Wellman
Con: Nel (2/2)
Referee: Tim Baker (Hong Kong) [11]

The remaining nine rounds of competition matches and the final were cancelled.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Season One". amazon.aws. Rapid Rugby. 28 February 2020. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020.
  2. ^ Blennerhassett, Patrick (1 March 2019). "Global Rapid Rugby and South China Tigers coming to Hong Kong for two games in 2019". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 9 March 2019.
  3. ^ "2020 season suspended". Rapid Rugby. 15 March 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2020.
  4. ^ "2020 Season cancelled". Channel News Asia. 7 April 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020.
  5. ^ "All systems go for Global Rapid Rugby". Rapid Rugby. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020.
  6. ^ Chadwick, Justin (25 February 2020). "Global Rapid Rugby won't travel to China". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020.
  7. ^ "China Lions play warmup GRR game". Rugby Asia 24/7. 5 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020.
  8. ^ Airey, Thomas (21 November 2019). "Manumā the "missing link" to get locals to Manu Samoa". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 22 November 2019.
  9. ^ "Kick-off countdown just days away". Rapid Rugby. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Points plus". Rapid Rugby. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020.
  11. ^ a b c Dobson, Paul (10 March 2020). "Referees to 16 March 2020". Rugby 365. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Lions surprise Fiji in season-opener". Rapid Rugby. 14 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Tigers secure win with late charge". Rapid Rugby. 14 March 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Western Force dominant in Rapid Rugby opener". Rapid Rugby. 14 March 2020.
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