Japan vs England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction as Marcus Smith inspires big win in Tokyo

A bouncing ball causes Immanuel Feyi-Waboso some difficulty, the young Exeter wing grappling for it as it pitches and pops randomly around his own 22. No harm done, in the end, and Feyi-Waboso then makes an impact defensively, biting ankles and leading a counter-ruck that is perhaps unfortunate not to bring reward in the form of a penalty.

Instead, the whistle goes the hosts way, with a quick tap again indicating their desire for speed.

First Test start, first Test try!

England strike! They keep things tight within sight of the Japan line, Jamie George making a punchy carry to take his side within a couple of metres. Ben Earl changes the point of contact with a deft flick to his back row colleague Chandler Cunningham-South, who uses his burl to get within reaching distance before extending a telescopic scoring arm.

Marcus Smith converts his Harlequins team mate’s score - England are up and running.

Those battles in the tight are developing intriguingly. England are again firm in their maul defencem whie Bevan Rodd gets into Shuhei Takeuchi to earn a scrum time penalty. This feels like a key day for Rodd, who has the chance to stake a claim to the starting loosehead shirt in the absence of the injured Ellis Genge.

Henry Slade finds the corner with his left boot.

Japan are over eager to put a shove in, but Henry Slade’s free kick misses touch, allowing the hosts to charge back. And Steve Borthwick’s side just can’t their discipline right - another whistle from referee Luc Ramos and they are pushed back on to their own goal line by a fine touchfinder from Seungsin Lee.

Superb maul defence. Japan go to the tail and Maro Itoje can’t win it in the air, but the lock gets down to work, wiggling in like a wood weevil to dismantle the drive from the inside. George Martin gives him a healthy helping hand - maul collapsed legally, England’s scrum.

And England are in real strife, here. A third penalty inside six minutes with the forwards blowing in the heat and humidity. Seungsin Lee prods into the corner.

This is an excellent start from Japan othewise, though. A neat grubber connects with the outside backs and Samisoni Tua puts himself about with intent and intelligence twice, bumping off Marcus Smith. A thumping hit from Tommy Freeman stalls momentum briefly but still Japan come...

Bold - a quick tap just outside the Japan 22! Naoto Saito likes to up the tempo and urges his backline into action, though a long kick three passes later suggests that booting the penalty for touch might have been a better call.

That’s better from the visitors, getting after a stabby Marcus Smith restart and nearly latching on to it, Sam Underhill knocking on in the gather after a ricochet. A first scrum skirmish, then, with Japan relatively sizeable in the tight five...and the arm goes up their way! Bevan Rodd is penalised as he hits the deck almost immediately.

A simple starter for Seungsin Lee and a tidy little start for Japan. They nudge in front.