Rugby World Cup 2019: Japan vs Russia result and latest updates after opening fixture in Tokyo
Follow live updates from Tokyo as the 2019 Rugby World Cup gets underway in Japan
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Your support makes all the difference.Japan launched Asia's first Rugby World Cup with a victory the host nation craved as they beat Russia 30-10 at Tokyo Stadium.
Four years after causing the World Cup's biggest shock by beating South Africa, Japan again took centre stage, but they were made to work hard by an unheralded Russian outfit. Russia, making a first appearance on rugby union's global stage since 2011, led for most of the first half following wing Kirill Golosnitskiy's early try, but hat-trick hero Kotaro Matsushima sparked Japan into life.
The elusive wing claimed a try double before the break, then flanker Lappies Labuschagne dealt Russia a major blow by collecting an opportunist touchdown early in the second half.
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63 minutes
Japan go to the box of tricks that has so far rather been left alone, a delicate outside-of-the-boot flip over the top of the Russian defensive line that very nearly finds red-and-white onrushing arms. The penalty was theirs, regardless.
Yu Tamura will kick for goal from 45 metres or so, right of centre.
PENALTY!
Perfect strike from Tamura. The lead opens to 13 again.
Japan 23-10 Russia
67 minutes
Another string of changes has only worsened the disorganised nature of the game. Plenty of kicks going up in there, and not many are being brought down effectively. Japan scrum near halfway.
TRY! HAT-TRICK FOR KOTARO MATSUSHIMA!
I'm not even going to try and describe the entire passage of play, with both teams having opportunities to score after making line breaks, but eventually a loose Russia kick in field hands Japan the ball with a three-man overlap, and it's that man again who provides the finishing touches.
Kotaro Matsushima slips a tackle with a clever in to out body movement and sprints around to dive over for his third!
Yu Tamura puts over the extra two.
Japan 30-10 Russia
72 minutes
That's secured the bonus point for Japan, which is what they would have wanted from this opening fixture. It hasn't been quite the pummeling that most thought it would be, but job done, really, as far as the hosts are confirm.
Russia nearly claim a high kick in a dangerous area but the second man there knocks on.
75 minutes
More errors as we enter the game's throes. Japan's replacement back Ryohei Yamanaka nearly wriggles his way through a tackle but the tackler gets a claw to his shoelaces, and drags him down. Japan then knock on, of course. Take a drink.
79 minutes
Away time ticks with the game very much in an end-of-match holding pattern. Japan kick clear well twice, and Russia will have one final go at the Japanese defence.
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