Ireland still gets a chance to finish top of their Rugby World Cup group after avoiding a typhoon – for now.

The Irish are jostling with Japan for top spot in Pool A, having lost to the host, and need to beat Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday while hoping the Scots win against the Japanese on Sunday.

The anticipated impact of Typhoon Hagibis hitting Japan has forced the cancellation of two matches scheduled for Saturday on safety grounds – the Pool C decider between England and France at Yokohama, near Tokyo, and the Pool B game between New Zealand and Italy in Toyota.

It is the first time that games have been cancelled at rugby’s showpiece tournament, and while Ireland and Samoa is still going ahead it could yet be called off. So could the Japan-Scotland game in Yokohama.

Fukuoka is situated on the north shore of Kyushu Island and, according to weather experts, was initially the area most threatened by the typhoon.

All games cancelled because of weather are logged as scoreless draws and each team will get two competition points.

Such a scenario would leave Japan top with 14 points and three ahead of Ireland, which is three points behind and would qualify in second place ahead of third-place Scotland (10 points).

Still, Ireland would much prefer to play, if for no other reason than to shake off some rustiness.

Joe Schmidt’s line-up routed Scotland 27-3 and Russia 35-0, either side of an upset 19-12 loss to Japan.

“There are certain elements in our game against Russia that we’d like to think we could have done better,” said Ireland forwards coach Simon Easterby.

“We feel we maybe haven’t quite hit our (straps), probably since the Scotland game and maybe the first 20 minutes of the Japan game.”

Easterby says the players are very keen to make amends, and there have been some “tasty” scrum sessions during training.

“You need those types of sessions, you need that competitive edge and I think this forward pack has that,” he said.