World Rugby has confirmed that two matches have been called off due to Typhoon Hagibis. Every effort is being made to ensure Sunday’s matches will be played as scheduled. A thorough assessment of venues will take place after the typhoon has passed before a final decision is made on Sunday morning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has classified the storm as violent, with winds of over 280kph and heavy rains making their way to central Japan.
“The Honshu main islands will see heavy rains from as early as Friday, and the peak of the bad weather will be on Saturday and Sunday,” JMA official Yoshinori Muira told ABC.net.
The typhoon could affect several key World Cup clashes over the weekend. Former world champions England play France in a crucial Pool C encounter on Saturday, while hosts Japan face Scotland on Sunday in a match that will determine who reaches the quarter-finals.
Officially, there is no reserve day and cancelled matches will be treated as a 0-0 draw, which could have dire consequences for teams hoping to make the final eight of the competition.
Based on the latest detailed weather information, the following update is provided:
Friday, 11 October
Pool D match between Australia and Georgia in Shizuoka at 19:15 JST to be played as scheduled
Saturday, 12 October
Pool A match between Ireland and Samoa in Fukuoka at 19:45 JST to be played as scheduled
Pool B match between New Zealand and Italy to be cancelled
Pool C match between England and France to be cancelled
The decision to cancel matches has not been taken lightly and has been made in the best interests of public, team, tournament personnel and volunteer safety, based on expert advice and detailed weather information. While we have extensively explored all options, public and team safety was our utmost priority as well as ensuring a consistent, fair and equitable outcome for all teams. All fans with tickets for a cancelled match will receive a full refund for the face value of their match tickets.
Sunday, 13 October
Every effort is being made to ensure Sunday’s matches will be played as scheduled. A thorough assessment of venues will take place after the typhoon has passed before a final decision is made on Sunday morning.
