TOKYO, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand's Rugby World Cup match against Italy and England's clash with France have been canceled as Typhoon Hagibis hits Japan.
World Rugby and the Japan Rugby 2019 Organizing Committee announced that the decision had been made on safety grounds.
Under tournament rules, both matches will be ruled as scoreless draws, with all the affected teams to be awarded two points.
"Hagibis is predicted to be the biggest typhoon of the 2019 season and is highly likely to cause considerable disruption in the Tokyo, Yokohama and City of Toyota areas throughout Saturday, including likely public transport shutdown or disruption," read an official statement on the Japan 2019 website.
"As a result, World Rugby and the Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee have taken the difficult, but right decision to cancel matches in the affected areas on safety grounds."
Other games on Sunday remain under threat of cancellation, including the clash between Japan and Scotland in Yokohama, due to be held in the same stadium as the canceled France vs England tie.
