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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33 minutes
Russia kick the ball into the Japanese half and it's Michael Leitch getting back there, with the Brave Blossoms' captain skipping past one tackler with a lovely step off his right boot.
The ball is shipped along the line to the right wing, where there's a, surprise surprise, knock on!
34 minutes
There goes Lomano Lemeki! The former Olympic Sevens player is slight of frame but firm of charge, and brushes off a couple of tacklers, beating a third with his footwork for good measure to make excellent progress down the left.
Wide the ball is shifted, basketball alley-oop over the top for Matsushima...
And he's scored! Or has he? TMO Ben Skeen will need to confirm...
Nigel Owens was ready to award it, but AR Nic Berry of Australia advised him to go upstairs.
Ooh - and rightly so! He's just, and I mean just, lost control of the ball as he's looked to slam it down.
No second try for Kotaro Matsushima. Ben Skeen chalks it off, and Russia will have a five-metre scrum.
36 minutes
Charge down! Japan get hands to the box kick from replacement scrum-half Dmitry Perov as he juggles a bit in setting the hoist up and look to scramble to the ball as it spins five metres out, but somehow Russia drag the ball back their way, and this time the clearance is more effectively.
37 minutes
Japan take the lineout down and look to maul.
And maul they do! Five metres, ten metres, fifteen metres - into the Russia 22.
It stalls fifteen out, but the Russian defence is disjointed.
38 minutes
A hit-and-a-half from Tagir Gadzhiev, getting beneath the ball-carrier and driving him back to slow Japan's momentum.
But they get it back through Lomano Lemeki, who jinks inside two or three and is five short.
To the right, of course, and to Kotaro Matsushima again...
TRY! And he's in again!
Another lovely offload in the build up, and there's no denying Matsushima this time.
Yu Tamura feeds Ryoto Nakamura who gets his right arm free in the tackle and the ball away to Matsushima, who canters around under the posts to make Tamura's conversion easy.
A hint of the forward about that final offload, but the try stands and Tamura pops over the extras.
Japan 12-7 Russia
A hectic half of reckless abandon, handling errors and scrums, but Japan sent the home crowd to the half-time concessions stands happy with that try, and Jamie Joseph's side will take a five-point lead into the second half.
They aren't really worth that lead, but then neither are Russia. Plenty of attacking intent, little in the way of quality or accuracy.
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