Tokyo (AFP)

Rugby warns the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics: "get ready for any eventuality," said Japan Rugby World Cup director Alan Gilpin, forced to cancel meetings under the threat of Typhoon Hagibis.

According to Alan Gilpin, "Tokyo-2020 (organizing committee) must consider in great detail", the possibilities of withdrawal, due to natural hazards (weather conditions, earthquakes, volcanoes) in Japan.

The World Cup director says he "does not regret" having canceled three meetings (New Zealand - Italy, England - France and Canada - Namibia) on October 12 and 13 against the powerful typhoon that killed more 80 people in the archipelago.

He admits to having returned a "million times" in his head the decision to cancel all three games but was again convinced that this decision was the right one.

"When we saw the size, the size and the strength of Typhoon Hagibis, we realized that it was perfectly unrealistic to move the matches and the cohort of supporters in that time," he said.

Among the other tips given to the organizers of the Olympic Games (July 24-August 9), Gilpin says we should expect "incredible audiences". "We have to get the best of the volunteers, who were at the heart of the tournament, I think Tokyo-2020 has to amplify that and the Games will be really special if they go in that direction," he said.

- Joint Announcement for 2027 and 2031 -

He recalled the success of the Japanese men's and women's rugby sevens teams who placed fourth at the Rio Games and warned that many Brave Blossoms members would likely be part of the Tokyo 2020 team, which would make "true contenders for a medal".

World Rugby will jointly announce in November 2021 the host countries of the World Cups 2027 and 2031, which should open the reflection towards nations that are not traditional breeding grounds for rugby.

After the success of the World Cup in Japan, "we can do it anywhere," said Gilpin.

"We can be brave and move to new territories, we would like to go to North America, South America, but we would also like to go back to Asia," he said, citing South Korea, China and India as countries that have already organized comparable sporting events.

"We will probably spend the next nine to twelve months doing joint feasibility studies with a large number of countries who have mentioned their wish to be a host country," he said, referring in particular to Australia, in the United States and Russia.

The next World Cup will be held in France in 2023.

© 2019 AFP