Stormy Weather: Typhoon Hagibis threatens to wreak havoc on Rugby World Cup and Japanese Grand Prix
by مخبر
Stormy Weather: Typhoon Hagibis threatens to wreak havoc on Rugby World Cup and Japanese Grand Prix
Rugby World Cup and the F1 officials are closely monitoring the path of a powerful typhoon described by meteorologists as ‘the strongest to hit Japan this year’ amid fears it could cause severe disruption to sports fixtures.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency says that current models predict Hagibis to be on the uppermost scale of ‘violent’, with high winds and torrential downpours expected when it hits the southern island of Kyushu on Saturday.
The forecast has caused a headache for the governing bodies of both Rugby Union and Formula 1 who face potential disruption should the typhoon be as strong as feared. Japan host matches in the Rugby World Cup this weekend, as well as the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka and officials from both bodies are being kept appraised to the situation as it develops.
The situation is particularly concerning for the Ireland rugby team who play Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday. Joe Schmidt’s side require a bonus point victory to ensure passage to the quarter-finals but rules state that if a game is canceled then it can’t be rescheduled. Instead, the fixture is recorded as a draw and the two points Ireland would take would likely be insufficient to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Ireland defense coach Andy Farrell confirmed that World Rugby has been in communication with the Ireland camp, saying that they are as “keen as we are to get this game played“.
“The weather forecast changes all the time anyway, so we won’t probably know until 48 hours out from the game,” he added.
“The boys haven’t even spoken about it – we just go from day to day, get on with our preparations.“
The Scottish rugby team, who face Japan in Tokyo this weekend, offered up a more simple response when questioned about the potential of a game taking place in stormy conditions.
“We’re from Scotland. Rain. Hail. It doesn’t matter. We’ve coped with a lot more,” said prop Gordon Reid.
“We’re from Ayrshire and Glasgow and Edinburgh, well they’re a bit posh in Edinburgh but rain, shine, snow, whatever, it doesn’t matter.”
Meanwhile, the FIA is also keeping a watchful eye on the situation ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. The race took place in a deluge in 2014 which led to difficult driving conditions that would claim the life of driver Jules Bianchi nine months after suffering head injuries at the race.
