Japan vs Russia live stream: How to watch Rugby World Cup 2019 opening fixture online and on TV
The tournament kicks off on Friday with the hosts taking on Russia in Tokyo
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Your support makes all the difference.Japan and Russia kick off the 2019 Rugby World Cup today.
Six weeks of exciting rugby all starts here with the hosts against one of world rugby's minnows to kick things off in earnest.
They will go toe to toe in the capital city Tokyo on Friday morning.
It promises to be an exciting occasion and not one to be missed.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the big kick-off:
When does the tournament start?
The opening match follows the opening ceremony, with hosts Japan opening the tournament against Russia on Friday 20 September.
The match will start at 11:45 BST.
Where can I watch in the UK?
You can watch each game on ITV, while Indy Sport will have you covered with live blogs if you're on the move or at your desk. You can also stream the game on mobile devices and on your computer via the ITV website.
Who is playing and what are the pools?
There are 20 teams competing in Japan and they are divided into four pools, with the top two progressing to the quarter-finals.
Pool A: Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Russia, Samoa
Pool B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Namibia, Canada
Pool C: England, France, Argentina, United States, Tonga
Pool D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Fiji, Uruguay
The favourites
New Zealand 5/4
South Africa 4/1
England 4/1
Ireland 9/1
Wales 9/1
Australia 12/1
France 33/1
Argentina 40/1
Scotland 50/1
Japan 150/1
Latest updates
Please allow a moment for the live blog to load
Switching lanes for a moment, this is a particularly interesting breakdown of what it takes to prepare a rugby team for an event like the World Cup in 2019, from Sam Peters:
Right, hello all! After much back and forth, I'm finally in place here at the Tokyo Stadium. We've got 15 minutes until the opening ceremony gets underway and already the crowd have got a Mexican wave going. Not too sure what to make of that... safe to say all those packed in here are excited for what's to come.
We’ve already been treated to a performance from the Blue Impulse, Japan’s equivalent of the Red Arrows. Given I’ve been trapped inside an accreditation centre for the past hour or so, I unfortunately missed such a spectacle. I’m told it didn’t last particularly long…
Not long to go now, folks. The atmosphere is slowly building as the Chemical Brothers' 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' blasts through the speakers. Japanese music at its finest!
Oo, we've got movement down below. To give you a picture of what I'm looking at, a great white canvas, with a black frame, is covering the majority of the pitch while groups of people dressed in black and red take up their position around the edges. Let's see what they've got to offer.
And we're off! The 2019 Rugby World Cup is officially under way!
A traditional start, as to be expected A group of performers clad in white have taken to the centre of the canvas and are currently delivering what looks to be an an ancient ritual as drums bang ominously in the background.
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