The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Super typhoon could bring Scotland home
WORLD CUP: Powerful storm threatens crunch Japan clash
Scotland may not get the chance to secure a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place by defeating Japan in their final pool game, with strong rumours last night that World Rugby will be forced to cancel the two games in Yokohama this weekend due to Super Typhoon Hagibis.
The two games scheduled for Yokohama’s International Stadium – England vs France on Saturday and Japan and Scotland’s pivotal clash on Sunday night – are set to be cancelled because of fears for public safety as the powerful storm heads towards the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.
Hagibis has been lying to the south east and was set to hit Japan’s southern island of Kyushu but has intensified and tracked further north towards the densely populated Tokyo-Yokohama area.
It’s estimated to have the force of a Category 5 hurricane with winds estimated up to 140mph.
The storm could yet track further inland or eastwards out into the sea but heavy rains and strong winds are certain to affect all of Japan over the weekend.
World Rugby called a press conference and statement in Tokyo at midday (4am UK time) today to announce a contingency plan, but after some word that they were considering moving the England-France game to the southernmost venue of Oita and play the game behind closed doors, it seems that the logistical difficulties were too great and a decision is likely to be made to cancel both games.
Several alternative venues have completed their World Cup schedules and been converted back to other uses, while moving the games further south has been deemed unworkable.
Under the competition rules, games must be played on the scheduled day and if they cannot be played at an alternative venue, the match is declared a 0-0 draw and both teams are awarded two points each.
That would leave Scotland on 12 points after yesterday’s 61-0 defeat of Russia, behind Japan on 16, and mean that Ireland would only need to defeat Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday night – a game in the original path of the storm but now not likely to be hit – to knock out the Scots.
Scottish Rugby officials were making no comment on the rumours last night in Japan. However a French website, Rugbyrama, indicated that the decision had already been made.
Scotland would fail to qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals for only the second time in nine attempts. They lost their opening game to Ireland 27-3, before rebounding to beat Samoa 34-0 last week and then Russia in Shizuoka yesterday.
Both games at Yokohama this weekend in the 73,000-capacity International Stadium were sellouts. It is unclear whether there would be compensation for fans who travelled from Europe.