Tokyo (AFP)

The powerful typhoon, for which the organizers of the Rugby World Cup issued a weather advisory on Monday, changed course and headed for Tuesday to Tokyo and its suburbs, threatening now meetings France-England and Japan-Scotland.

The change of course now casts doubt on the holding of two decisive matches to be played in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, this weekend: France and England must compete for first place in Pool C Saturday as Japan face Scotland on Sunday, with a ticket to the quarter-finals.

According to new forecasts from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), typhoon Hagibis was headed for Tuesday to southeast Japan, in the region of Tokyo and Yokohama. Monday, the trajectory of the typhoon hinted that it would affect southwestern Japan this weekend, and threaten two matches scheduled Saturday in Fukuoka (Ireland-Samoa) and Sunday in Kumamoto (Wales-Uruguay).

The Japanese Meteorological Agency said Hagibis "could bring heavy gusts of wind and heavy rain in southern Japan on October 12 and 13".

- Contingency plan -

"The safety of the public and teams is the number one priority," the organizers said in a statement released Thursday night in Tokyo.

"Although we have a solid contingency plan for the pool phase, this plan, if necessary, will be deployed only if the safety of teams, supporters, and manpower can be guaranteed. to comment on contingency plans at this stage, "said the organizers, saying" monitor the situation closely. "

The organizers are able to change the venue or change the start time of a match in case the weather could affect his outfit.

In case of no solution and if a match of the first phase can not take place, the International Federation has provided that each team is awarded two points (draw 0-0).

England, at the top of Group C and who would remain so in the event of sharing points with France, does not envisage for the moment this scenario. "We have no control over the weather, we are getting ready for this game and we will see what happens," said assistant coach Scott Wisemantel.

The impact of typhoons on the course of the competition is a matter of concern for World Rugby. Less than two weeks before the start of the World Cup, Typhoon Faxai struck Tokyo and the neighboring Chiba Prefecture, killing several people and causing major air disturbances in Narita, one of Tokyo's two major airports. .

© 2019 AFP