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
Here's that outrageous offload from Timothy Lafaele for your visual pleasure. Naughty!
Japan had 57% of possession and 61% of territory in that half. Both felt more even, though in such an all-over-the-place contest it can be hard to get a real feel for the game.
Hopefully we'll have slightly more structured and legible stuff in the second 40, which isn't too far way.
41 minutes
Through the middle rampages Kazuki Himeno as Japan start the half well, boshing through two tacklers and making excellent ground.
43 minutes
Japan lose out in that movement but work the ball into the Russian 22 again, and will have a scrum on the right.
The scrum holds well and the loosehead gets a nudge, opening the open side a touch wider and Japan look to exploit it. Ryoto Nakamura is well tackled as he straightens but Russia roll away back into the scrum half, and Yu Tamura will look to add three to tee.
45 minutes
I reckon Japan might just have got a bit of a rollicking from Jamie Joseph at half-time - they've started the half with real intensity, and Lomano Lemeki's latest foray inside is a success, pinballing his way 15 metres or so.
But twice they kick the ball away as Vasily Artemyev salmons up to bring a high hoist down impressively.
TRY! Pieter Labuschagne!
From nowhere! Labuschagne holds a carrier up in the tackle, rips the ball from him and spins away, showing deceptive lumbering pace to power away from the recovering tacklers, pawing the last man away with a big handoff.
That sort of try has been coming all game.
Yu Tamura can't convert, but Japan have some breathing room.
Japan 20-7 Russia
49 minutes
This is the Japan we wanted to see! They are properly playing, now, confidence coursing through their veins as William Tupou thumps into the contact area and through a tackle.
A knock-on on the right brings welcome relief for Russia, but there's a sense this game may be running away from them.
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