Ridiculous.

Italy captain Sergio Parisse has slammed World Rugby after they decided to cancel their Rugby World Cup pool clash with New Zealand on Saturday because of Typhoon Hagibis.

England’s game with France on Saturday has also been cancelled with fears that Scotland’s game against Japan on Sunday might also not go ahead as winds reach in excess of 170mph.

Parisse says if the All Blacks needed the points the game would have gone ahead.

“It is difficult to know that we won’t have the chance to play a match against one of the great teams,” Parisse told reporters in Toyota City on Thursday.

“If New Zealand needed four or five points against us it would not have been cancelled.”

The veteran skipper says it’s “ridiculous” that World Rugby didn’t have a Plan B.

“We had the chance to play in a big stadium, against a great team,” Parisse said.

“It is ridiculous that a decision of this nature has been made because it isn’t like the fans arrived yesterday.

“It is ridiculous that there was no Plan B, because it isn’t news that typhoons hit Japan. The alternative is Plan B. When you organise a World Cup you should have one in place.”

“Sure, everyone might think that Italy versus New Zealand being cancelled counts for nothing because we’d have lost anyway, but we deserved to be respected as a team.

“If Italy and New Zealand decide they don’t want to play, then fine. But as I said before, if New Zealand needed the points it wouldn’t have been cancelled.”

Meanwhile, Italian legend Leonardo Ghiraldini was reduced to tears when he discovered the game was called off. The 34-year-old has been battling hard to recover from injury so he could make a cameo appearance off the bench and say his goodbyes.