Typhoon Hagibis could end up causing a real storm at the World Cup!

A TYPHOON is threatening to disrupt the final round of pool stage matches at the Rugby World Cup.

Typhoon Hagibis has formed in the Western Pacific Ocean to the south of Japan, with forecasts suggesting it could hit the southern island of Kyushu this weekend.

That could see it hit cities that are hosting matches, which could cause havoc with qualification to the knockout stages on the line for many teams this weekend.

Where is it likely to hit?

The cities of Fukuoka and Kumamoto, where Ireland and Wales play next weekend, could be affected.

However, there are various predictions for where the typhoon will hit depending on the forecasting models. Previous typhoon warnings have come and gone without incident in the tournament so far, but this one does seem a little different.

There is even a suggestion that it could reach super typhoon status later this week.

Quite whether it is still at that level come the weekend and where it hits remains to be seen.

What matches will be affected? Ireland’s crucial Pool A match with Samoa in Fukuoka is looking the most likely to be affected. That’s certainly the biggest concern right now. That takes place on Saturday, which according to forecasts is when Fukuoko could be hit by winds of around 180km/h.

Will it affect Wales?

It’s hard to say at this point. Wales are playing Uruguay in Kumamoto on Sunday, so they could be affected looking at some of the forecasts which place the city at being at risk. It all depends on where the typhoon ends up, which is pretty hard to predict at this time.

What happens in the event of a postponed match?

In the event of a pool stage match being called off on the scheduled day, it will not be replayed.

Instead the result will be declared a 0-0 draw with both teams being awarded two points with no bonus points being given out. Should play get underway before weather strikes then the result will stand if a match is abandoned at or after half-time and the same cut-off point applies in knockout matches.

For pool stage fixtures, if the match begins but is abandoned before half-time, two points will also be awarded to both teams although points scored in the match, and bonus points, will still count.

However, the wording in that is key. Only if the match is postponed on the day will it be a 0-0 draw. World Rugby have issued a statement stating that there are contingency plans in place reducing the chances of any 0-0 draws.

It’s unclear what those plans are but it would seem to involve either moving the timings or venues of any potentially affected matches.

So what have World Rugby said? The statement reads: “We are monitoring Typhoon Hagibis, which is currently developing off the south coast of Japan.

“The latest modelling from our weather information experts and the Japan Meterological Agency, indicates that the typhoon is tracking in a north-westerly direction and could bring high winds and heavy rain to southern Japan on 12 and 13 October.

“While it is too early to determine the exact trajectory and impact, if any, of the typhoon at this early stage, as per previous typhoon warnings, we have a robust contingency programme in place in the event adverse weather looks likely to impact fixtures.

Fans are advised to monitor official Rugby World Cup channels for any updates.”

What would this mean for the teams?

For Ireland, who are seemingly most at risk of seeing their match postponed, this could be vital for their qualification hopes. A postponement - and 0-0 draw – would have meant a Scottish win over Japan a day later would have seen the Irish exit at the pool stages.

As for Wales, postponement could have an impact on their pool.

A bonus-point victory over Fiji tomorrow would leave them unable to caught as pool winners, even if the Uruguay game was declared a 0-0 draw. That’s because Australia would only able to match their points tally and would lose out on head-to-head having been beaten by Wales in Tokyo.

However, anything less than a bonus-point victory could see Australia overtake Wales in the running for top spot were the match against Uruguay to be called off and not rescheduled.

Wales could even potentially crash out if they lost to Fiji and the match with Uruguay was cancelled – depending on bonus points in the Fiji game. Thankfully, these scenarios seem unlikely to happen.

What Wales are saying?

This is what Wales coach Warren Gatland had to say about the matter yesterday.

“There is nothing you can do about that. I don’t want to waste any negative energy on something that I can’t change.

“We’ve had some updates in the past from World Rugby about potential weather stuff, and we will deal with that when it comes.

“We won’t be thinking about that, we will just be focusing on the game.”