10 Oct 2019

Rugby World Cup - All Blacks game cancelled as typhoon hits

From Checkpoint, 5:10 pm on 10 October 2019

As super typhoon Hagibis hits Japan, the upcoming All Blacks game against Italy has been cancelled.

On Thursday afternoon, World Rugby has made an unprecedented decision to cancel two Rugby World Cup pool matches as Tokyo braces for the Typhoon on Saturday.

The All Blacks' final World Cup pool match against Italy in the city of Toyota, around 300 kilometres from Tokyo, is officially off.

France's final pool game against England has also been cancelled.

The cancellations mean the four teams will get two points each and both games will be considered a draw.

Rugby World Cup boss Alan Gilpin told media while the decision was difficult, the safety of players and fans is paramount as the typhoon is expected to also cause mass disruption to public transport.

He said relocating the games was not an option. Scotland's 'do-or-die' match against hosts Japan on Sunday is expected to go ahead but could still be under threat.

A decision on that game won't be made until Sunday morning.

RNZ rugby reporter Joe Porter is at Disneyland in Tokyo, where the All Blacks were due to hold a press conference to name their team for Saturday. He joins us with the latest details.