Australia’s hopes that Super Typhoon Hagibis can gift them a more favourable finals run at the Rugby World Cup remain alive, but they’re slim at best.

The fierce tropical storm is forecast to strike Japan this weekend and could yet impact on some games in the final round of pool play.

Its trajectory and strength are variable but it is currently one of the most intense storms on record this year and has put World Rugby officials on standby over safety.

They haven’t yet revealed plans around moving or rescheduling affected games with any such decision likely to be announced within 48 hours of kick-offs.

The Wallabies are out of the firing line. Their final pool match against Georgia is on Friday, a day before the typhoon is predicted to reach landfall.

Of most relevance to them is whether Saturday’s Wales v Uruguay game in Kumamoto is affected.

The southern city was originally forecast to be in the typhoon’s path but a change in direction on Tuesday may have dashed that prospect.

Any game that can’t be played will register as a 0-0 result with points shared, something that could yet hoist Australia past Wales at the top of pool D and hand them a preferable quarter-final draw.

However, that prospect also relies on Wales not securing a win and bonus point against Fiji in their match on Wednesday night, an outcome which would guarantee the Welsh top spot well before the storm arrives.

In the strong likelihood Australia finish second, they will play the pool C winners, who will emerge from Saturday’s match between England and France in Yokohama, which is now forecast to be in the typhoon’s trajectory.

If Hagibis forced that game’s abandonment, England would finish top.

Of most interest locally is whether Japan’s clash with Scotland in Yokohama on Sunday is affected.

If that game were cancelled, the host nation would be guaranteed group winners, earning them a historic quarter-final berth.