Rugby World Cup: Typhoon could be quarter-final hopes in chaos

Ireland need a win over Samoa to book a spot in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals. Photo / AP

The rugby world is on typhoon watch yet again ahead of the last week of pool play at the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Typhoon Hagibis is developing off the south coast of Japan and could bring heavy rain and high winds this weekend.

Forecasts have it hitting the island of Kyushu, where Ireland's final pool game is being played against Samoa on Saturday.

The contingency is likely to shift the match first, but if that's not possible the points would be shared. That would be the worst case scenario for Ireland and could see them miss the quarter-finals.

World Rugby says it is monitoring the situation with local authorities.

Ireland's defence coach Andy Farrell said World Rugby is as "keen as we are to get this game played", the BBC reports.

"The weather forecast changes all the time anyway, so we won't probably know until 48 hours out from the game," Farrell said.

"The boys haven't even spoken about it - we just go from day to day, get on with our preparations."