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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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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And that looks to be that. The performers head back into the bowels of the stadium as the white canvas is cleared from the pitch. Shorter than I expected admittedly but nonetheless had everything you'd expect from an opening ceremony. Fireworks? Tick. Dancers clad in masks and ancient-looking robes? Tick. Richie McCaw? Tick.
I'll pass you back into the capable hands of my colleague Harry who'll be providing minute-by-minute updates from this evening's opener. Any complaints you may have regarding tonight's coverage so far, please direct in his direction. Thank you kindly.
Here's New Zealand legend Richie McCaw playing his part in this morning's opening ceremony:
Which brings us to...
There is a rugby playing Tom Brady, with the silver-haired wing most prominently of Sale and Leicester a fine player, but I doubt he'll be getting any love from the World Cup Twitter account during the course of the tournament.
Unlike New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, he of the six Lombardi Trophies, who has sent his best wishes to South Africa ahead of their mouthwatering World Cup opener against New Zealand tomorrow:
Half-an-hour to go until the World Cup gets underway...
Here's a reminder of the two teams:
Japan starting XV: Tupou; Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Lemeki; Tamura, Nagare; Inagaki, Horie, Valu; Van der Walt, Moore; Leitch, Labuschagne, Himeno.
Replacements: Sakate, Nakajima, Ji-won, Thompson, Tui, Tanaka, Matsuda, Yamanaka
Russia starting XV: Artemyev; Davydov, Ostroushko, Gerasimov, Golosnitskiy; Kushnarev, Dorofeev; Morozov, Selskii, Gotovtsev, Ostrikov, Fedotko, Zhivatov, Gadzhiev, Vavilin
Replacements: Matveev, Polivalov, Bitiev, Garbuzov, Sychev, Perov, Gaisin, Sozonov
This World Cup starts as the last one ended from a refereeing point of view, with popular Welsh referee Nigel Owens the man with whistle-in-hand today after overseeing the 2015 Final at Twickenham. Owens is very much of his own style, and tends to let more go than most, particularly at the breakdown. His games tend to be open affairs.
There was a bit of a scare over his fitness, with a bothersome lower leg injury leaving him hobbled in the lead up to this game. He's passsed his fitness tests, though, and is good to go. Matthew Carley of England is one of his assistants along the touchline, with Ben Skeen in the truck ready to step in should a trip to the TMO be required.
Talking of the whistle, it was delivered to Owens by two remarkable men who have made the 20,000 mile journey from London to Japan by bicycle in the lead up to the tournament.
James Owens and Ron Rutland have pedaled their way right across Eurasia and were given the honour of handing the referee his whistle for today's fixture.
I'm imagining the "I cycled 20,000 miles and all I got was a whistle" t-shirt has already been commissioned.
It is not raining in Tokyo, which is pleasing after all the pre-match bluster of baby oil, shampoo and the like, with conditions seemingly set fair at the Tokyo Stadium for some running rugby. Japan will play, but they might just hold a little in reserve as they look for a similarly seismic shock to that of South Africa in Brighton four years ago in the games to come against Ireland and Scotland.
Russia will have to cling on. The start will be crucial, you feel - if Japan score early they might just run away with this.
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