Typhoon causes a 3rd game to be canceled at Rugby World Cup

TOKYO (AP) — Rugby World Cup organizers have canceled a third game because of Typhoon Hagibis, deciding early Sunday morning to call off the last of the Pool B games between Canada and Namibia.

World Rugby issued a statement saying an evacuation order remained in place in the Kamaishi area where the game was set to be played and there had been landslides and flooding in the vicinity of the stadium.

Two of Saturday’s three scheduled games were canceled well before the destructive typhoon made landfall and organizers will assess conditions in Yokohama before making a decision on Japan’s last Pool A game against Scotland later Sunday.

“The safety of all involved in Rugby World Cup 2019 is our primary consideration and fans are advised not to travel to Kamaishi or the venue, which will be closed,” World Rugby said.

Defending champion New Zealand’s last group-stage game against Italy and the England-France game were the first games ever to be canceled at rugby’s showpiece event.

Canceled matches are logged as 0-0 ties, and teams get two competition points each.