Rugby World Cup 2019: England could receive shock boost as Typhoon Mitag threatens France vs USA

France could be left needing a bonus-point win over England in the final match of Pool C to top the group if their game with the USA is postponed

England could receive a huge boost to their Rugby World Cup quarter-final hopes after it emerged that Pool C rivals France could have their game against the United States on Wednesday abandoned.

World Rugby issued a statement on Sunday morning to confirm that both France and USA, who are due to meet in the city of Fukuoka next week, have been informed of contingency plans if the match is unable to go ahead. It’s expected that Typhoon Mitag, the 17th of the season in Japan, will see high winds and heavy rain batter the region as the week progresses.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Typhoon is moving towards a projected path that will see it miss the coastline, although World Rugby are still preparing for the worst should the tropical cyclone hit.

If the game is cancelled, World Rugby stipulates that France vs USA would be scored a 0-0 draw, meaning that the French would miss out on a potential five-point haul if they were to secure a bonus-point win, and instead take just two points from the match.

That would give Les Bleus a serious disadvantage to England, who have already take a maximum 10 points from their games against Tonga and the USA, and who face Argentina next Saturday before taking on France in ‘Le Crunch’.

It would give England a four-point advantage over both the French and Pumas going into the weekend’s fixtures, with England facing Argentina and France playing Tonga, and if they both emerged triumphant, the likelihood is that Jacques Brunel’s side would need a bonus-point victory over England in the final round of fixture to top the pool.

A World Rugby statement said: “World Rugby and Japan Rugby 2019 are monitoring Typhoon Mitag, which is developing off the south west coast of Japan.

“Based on the latest information from our weather information provider and the Japan Meteorological Agency, the Typhoon could bring high winds and heavy rain to the southern island of Kyushu on 2 October, possibly impacting the France versus USA match at Fukuoka.

“The latest information indicates that the Typhoon is moving further away from Japan’s coastline than originally predicted, and the impact risk is reducing. However, in the best interests of the teams and the integrity of the tournament, we have informed France and the USA of the contingency plans in the event that adverse weather means that it is not possible to play the match in Fukuoka on the scheduled date.

“We will continue to closely monitor this developing situation in partnership with our weather information provider, local authorities, transport providers and the teams, and will provide a further update tomorrow. Fans are advised to monitor official Rugby World Cup channels for any updates.

France vs USA is under threat as another typhoon heads towards Japan (AP)

“Fans visiting from outside Japan are reminded that while typhoons can vary in terms of strength and intensity, they are a normal occurrence in Japan and the vast majority have minimal impact on daily life.”

Mitag is the third typhoon to set to hit Japan since World Cup teams started to arrive at the start of the month, following Faxai and Tapah earlier in the month.