ClasheMatondo Typhoon threat to vital World Cup s

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ENGLAND’S Rugby World Cup decider with France on Saturday is under threat from the strongest typhoon to hit Japan this year with 160mph winds forecast to batter the Far East.

And that could impact on who Wales would play in the quarterfinals if they clinch qualification today against Fiji.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency said that Hagibis is expected to reach the highest level of “violent” and is on course to “be the strongest to hit Japan this year”.

The 2003 World Cup winners are due to take on Les Bleus in Yokohama on Saturday with the victors topping Pool C and facing a likely showdown with Australia.

The losers are on course for a date with Wales in the last eight, but France may be denied the chance to leapfrog group leaders England by the weather.

Typhoon Hagibis yesterday “rapidly intensified” and changed direction from its initial forecast.

That places the EnglandFrance game under serious threat, while Japan’s Pool A match with Scotland, on Sunday is also under threat.

World Rugby is aware of the violent weather heading to Japan, and is putting in place contingency plans in the event that any match at the World Cup is disrupted.

Under the regulations, games that cannot be played as scheduled are scored as a 0-0 draw, with each team claiming two points.

However, there is the availability to move games if enough advance warning is given, with teams needing to be informed at least 48 hours before kick-off. This newspaper is published by Media Wales, a subsidiary company of Reach PLC, at 6 Park Street, Cardiff, CF10 1XR, and printed by Newsquest Printing Oxford, Osney Mead, Oxford, OX2 0EJ. Registered as a newspaper at the Post Office