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Rugby World Cup: All Blacks' match against Italy cancelled
Rugby World Cup: All Blacks' match against Italy cancelled
The All Blacks final Rugby World Cup pool match against Italy has been called off due to Super Typhoon Hagibis, World Rugby has confirmed.
Super Typhoon Hagibis. Photo: NOAA
The England vs France match in Yokohama on Saturday has also been cancelled.
New Zealand was due to face Italy in the city of Toyota on Saturday.
These will be the first tests cancelled at a Rugby World Cup since the tournaments began in 1987.
The Ireland vs Samoa match in Fukuoka City, southern Japan, will still go ahead.
World Rugby says it will make a decision on the Japan-Scotland match, scheulded to be played in Yokohama on Sunday, on Sunday morning.
The All Blacks were scheduled to hold their team naming press conference at 4.30pm New Zealand time, but that has been pushed back an hour to 5.30pm.
Super Typhoon Hagibis is expected to hit Japan on Saturday.
Both teams will receive two points each for the cancelled match, meaning New Zealand will finish top of Pool B on 16 points, while South Africa will finish in second on 15.
Saturday 12 October
· Pool A match between Ireland and Samoa in Fukuoka at 19:45 JST to be played as scheduled
· Pool B match between New Zealand and Italy to be cancelled
- Pool C match between England and France to be cancelled
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 10, 2019
Italy will finish third on 12, missing out on the quarterfinals.
Despite the England vs France match being called off, it won't have any effect on their pool as both teams have already qualified for the quarterfinals.
The Japan vs Scotland is still going ahead at this stage, but if it is cancelled, then Japan would qualify for the knockout stages with Ireland, while Scotland would miss out.
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