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
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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