Rugby World Cup 2019: How Typhoon Hagibis could affect quarter-final line-up

Typhoon Hagibis is set to wreak havoc in Japan this weekend and Scotland could be the biggest losers at the Rugby World Cup if their crunch match against the hosts is cancelled.

World Rugby will stage a press conference at 12pm in Tokyo on Thursday to announce how the extreme weather will affect key matches between Scotland and Japan on Sunday and England versus France on Saturday.

It has been reported that a contest in which top spot in Pool C is up for grabs between England and France will not go ahead at International Stadium Yokohama.

Japan and Scotland are due to do battle at the same venue just over 24 hours later with qualification for the quarter-finals on the line, but it remains to be seen whether the game will be moved or scrapped.

We look at how cancellations of those fixtures – which would result in a score draw and two points apiece – could leave the final standings and who those that qualify could face in the last eight.

#TyphoonHagibis continues to head towards #Japan, with a likely landfall towards #Tokyo this Saturday.

This will bring heavy #rain, very strong winds and large waves to the area @F1 #F1JAPANESEGP #RugbyWorldCup @rugbyworldcup pic.twitter.com/61zwLme8vO

— Met Office (@metoffice) October 9, 2019

ENGLAND V FRANCE

Eddie Jones’ England and Les Bleus are already guaranteed a place in the quarter-finals but there would still be plenty at stake in ‘Le Crunch’.

England are top with maximum points and as it stands they will face Australia in their first knockout match of the tournament. 

If the match does not go ahead they are likely to take on the Wallabies, with France coming up against Wales. 

Six Nations champions Wales lead Pool D and should be far too good for Uruguay in their contest on Sunday.

JAPAN V SCOTLAND

Three wins out of three have put Japan top of Pool A with a golden opportunity to reach the quarter-finals for the first time.

Scotland remained in the hunt to qualify with a resounding 61-0 drubbing of Russia on Wednesday and would progress by seeing off Japan, even without a bonus-point win provided their margin of victory is more than seven points and the hosts fail to score four tries or more.

Second-placed Ireland will be expected to advance as they take on Samoa in their last pool match.

A cancellation would most likely eliminate Scotland unless Ireland fail to pick up any points against Samoa on Saturday.

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