2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A#Japan vs Ireland

The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup was played in Pool A with Japan scoring a 30–10 win over Russia. Kotaro Matsushima became the first Japanese player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup. For the Russian side, Kirill Golosnitsky scored the first try of the tournament after four minutes – the fastest try ever scored in the opening match of a World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://japantoday.com/category/rugby-world-cup-2019/host-japan-beats-russia-30-10-in-rugby-world-cup-opener|title=Japan beats Russia 30–10 in Rugby World Cup opener|first=Jerome|last=Pugmire|location=Tokyo|date=20 September 2019|access-date=23 September 2019|publisher=Japan Today}} Two days later, Ireland defeated Scotland 27–3.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/rugby-world-cup-ireland-take-a-bow-after-near-perfect-opening-night-1.4026538|title=Rugby World Cup: Ireland take a bow after near perfect opening night|location=Yokohama|first=Keith|last=Duggan|date=22 September 2019|access-date=23 September 2019|publisher=The Irish Times}} On 24 September, Samoa played their first match against Russia in Kumagaya. Despite Samoa's being reduced to 13 men after Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu'u were sin-binned within two minutes of each other, Russia could not capitalise on their advantage and Samoa went on to win 34–9.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/24/russia-samoa-rugby-world-cup-match-report|title=Samoa ease past battling Russia in bruising Rugby World Cup encounter|date=24 September 2019|access-date=30 September 2019|work=The Guardian}} Four days later, hosts Japan defeated Ireland 19–12, scoring four out of six penalties. While it was an upset win for Japan, World Rugby later admitted three of the four offside penalties were incorrectly awarded to Japan.{{cite news|title=Ireland get World Rugby feedback that three offside penalties were incorrect|newspaper=The42.ie|date=2019-10-01|last=Kinsella|first=Murray|url=https://www.the42.ie/joe-schmidt-ireland-offside-penalties-4831803-Oct2019/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003072257/https://www.the42.ie/joe-schmidt-ireland-offside-penalties-4831803-Oct2019/|archivedate=2019-10-03|access-date=2021-03-16|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Rugby World Cup: World Rugby admitted penalty errors in Japan game, says Schmidt

|newspaper=BBC Sports|date=2019-10-01|last=|first=|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/49893140}} Kenki Fukuoka scored a try in the 58th minute to give Japan a two-point lead after Ireland's Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney had scored the opening two tries. Yu Tamura's conversion and fourth successful penalty kick sealed the result for Japan.{{cite web|url=https://japantoday.com/category/rugby-world-cup-2019/update2-japan-stun-world-no.-2-ireland-at-rugby-world-cup-with-19-12-victory|title=Japan stun world No. 2 Ireland with 19–12 victory at Rugby World Cup|first=Rich|last=Freeman|date=28 September 2019|access-date=30 September 2019|publisher=Japan Today}} Scotland recorded their first victory of the World Cup with a 34–0 whitewash victory over Samoa in muggy conditions in Kobe, with Samoan captain Jack Lam stating that the rugby ball was "a bar of soap."{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/30/scotland-samoa-rugby-world-cup-match-report|title=Scotland shower points over Samoa in Rugby World Cup walkover|date=30 September 2019|access-date=8 October 2019|first=Andy|last=Bull|location=Kobe Misaki Stadium|work=The Guardian}}

Three days later, Kobe Misaki Stadium held another match in Pool A – this time it was Ireland, who would whitewash their opponents (Russia) in a 35–0 victory with five different players getting tries for the Irish. The Irish though, did not have everything go right with Jordi Murphy being subbed off in the 27th minute due to a possible rib injury, which added to the Irish back row pain after losing Jack Conan earlier in the tournament.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/rugby-world-cup-ireland-make-heavy-weather-of-russia-win-1.4038952|title=Rugby World Cup: Ireland make heavy weather of Russia win|date=3 October 2019|access-date=8 October 2019|first=Gerry|last=Thornley|location=Kobe Misaki Stadium|publisher=The Irish Times}} Japan recorded their third victory over Samoa in Toyota with a 85th minute try from Kotaro Matsushima sealing the Japanese a 38–19 bonus point victory.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/05/japan-samoa-rugby-world-cup-2019-pool-a-match-report|title=Japan's late bonus from Matsushima against Samoa hurts Scotland|date=5 October 2019|access-date=14 October 2019|work=The Guardian}} Russia in the final match of the tournament was hammered by Scotland 61–0 with George Horne scoring a hat-trick as the Scots became the first team in World Cup history to not concede a point from two World Cup matches.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/09/scotland-russia-rugby-world-cup-match-report|title=Scotland run in nine tries to hammer Russia and keep World Cup hopes alive|date=9 October 2019|access-date=14 October 2019|first=Andy|last=Bull|location=Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa|work=The Guardian}} A red card to Bundee Aki in the 29th minute forced Ireland to go down to 14 men but that was the only blemish with Ireland winning 47–5 over Samoa in Fukuoka. Johnny Sexton scoring two tries for the Irish.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby-world-cup/pool-a/improved-ireland-qualify-for-rugby-world-cup-quarter-finals-1.4048891|title=Improved Ireland qualify for Rugby World Cup quarter-finals|date=12 October 2019|access-date=14 October 2019|first=Gerry|last=Thornley|publisher=The Irish Times}} Typhoon Hagibis saw the Japan–Scotland match under threat with the Scottish Rugby Union demanding legal action if it was cancelled.{{cite news|url=https://japantoday.com/category/rugby-world-cup-2019/world-rugby-slams-scotland-legal-threat-over-typhoon-hit-game|title=World Rugby slams Scotland legal threat over typhoon-hit game|date=12 October 2019|access-date=14 October 2019|first=Talek|last=Harris|publisher=Japan Today|location=Tokyo}} But after an inspection deemed the match to go ahead,{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/13/scotland-relief-rugby-world-cup-match-japan-typhoon-hagibis|title=Rugby World Cup: Scotland v Japan to go ahead but Namibia v Canada off|last=Kitson|first=Robert|date=2019-10-13|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} Japan held their nerve against a fast-finishing Scotland to take home a 28–21 victory with Kenki Fukuoka scoring two tries. The win saw Japan become the first Tier 2 team to qualify since 2007, as they topped the group while Ireland finished in second place.{{cite news|url=https://japantoday.com/category/rugby-world-cup-2019/Japan-beats-Scotland-28-21-to-advance-to-Rugby-World-Cup-quarterfinals-for-first-time|title=Japan beats Scotland 28-21 to advance to Rugby World Cup quarterfinals for first time|date=13 October 2019|access-date=14 October 2019|first=Mitch|last=Phillips|publisher=Japan Today}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=Rugby

| res_col_header = Q

| show_tries_against = n

| bonus_total = y

| team1 = JPN | name_JPN = {{ru|Japan}}

| team2 = IRL | name_IRL = {{ru|Ireland}}

| team3 = SCO | name_SCO = {{ru|Scotland}}

| team4 = SAM | name_SAM = {{ru|Samoa}}

| team5 = RUS | name_RUS = {{ru|Russia}}

|win_JPN =4|draw_JPN =0|loss_JPN =0|tf_JPN =13|pf_JPN =115|pa_JPN =62|b_JPN=3

|win_IRL =3|draw_IRL =0|loss_IRL =1|tf_IRL =18|pf_IRL =121|pa_IRL =27|b_IRL=4

|win_SCO =2|draw_SCO =0|loss_SCO =2|tf_SCO =16|pf_SCO =119|pa_SCO =55|b_SCO=3

|win_SAM =1|draw_SAM =0|loss_SAM =3|tf_SAM =8|pf_SAM =58|pa_SAM =128|b_SAM=1

|win_RUS =0|draw_RUS =0|loss_RUS =4|tf_RUS =1|pf_RUS =19|pa_RUS =160|b_RUS=0

| col_QF = #cfc | text_QF = Advanced to the quarter-finals and
qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup

| result1 = QF | result2 = QF

| col_QC = #ffc

| result3 = QC | text_QC = Eliminated but qualified for 2023 Rugby World Cup

| update = complete | source =

}}

All times are local Japan Standard Time (UTC+09)

{{rugbybox

|date = 24 September 2019

|time = 19:15 JST (UTC+09)

|home = {{ru-rt|RUS}}

|score = 9–34

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/481173 Report]

|away = {{ru|SAM}} (1 BP)

|pen1 = Kushnarev (2/2) 19', 26'

|drop1 = Kushnarev (1/1) 48'

|try2 = Leiua (2) 16' m, 80' m
Amosa 45' m
Fidow (2) 49' c, 53' c
Lee-Lo 63' m

|con2 = Pisi (2/5) 50', 54'

|stadium = Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya

|attendance = 22,564

|referee = Romain Poite (France)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• This was the first meeting between the two nations.
• Ahsee Tuala was due to start the game, but was replaced with Henry Taefu following injury ahead of kick off.

{{rugbybox

|date = 28 September 2019

|time = 16:15 JST (UTC+09)

|home = {{ru-rt|JPN}}

|score = 19–12

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/485939 Report]

|away = {{ru|IRE}} (1 BP)

|try1 = Fukuoka 59' c

|con1 = Tamura (1/1) 61'

|pen1 = Tamura (4/6) 18', 34', 40', 72'

|try2 = Ringrose 14' m
Kearney 21' c

|con2 = Carty (1/2) 22'

|stadium = Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi

|attendance = 47,813

|referee = Angus Gardner (Australia)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• Will Tupou was due to start the game, but was replaced by Lomano Lemeki due to injury ahead of kick off.
• Iain Henderson (Ireland) earned his 50th test cap.
• This is Japan's first victory over Ireland.
• This is Ireland's first Rugby World Cup pool stage loss since losing 30–15 to Argentina during the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
• This is Ireland's first loss to a Tier 2 nation since losing 40–25 to Samoa in 1996.
• This is the first time that Ireland has failed to score any points in the second half of a match since their match against France in the 2016 Six Nations Championship.

{{rugbybox

|date = 30 September 2019

|time = 19:15 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|SCO}}

|score = 34–0

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/491510 Report]

|away = {{ru|SAM}}

|try1 = Maitland 30' c
Laidlaw 34' c
Penalty try (2) 57', 75'

|con1 = Laidlaw (2/2) 31', 36'

|pen1 = Laidlaw (1/1) 9'

|drop1 = Hogg (1/1) 38'

|stadium = Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe

|attendance = 27,586

|referee = Pascal Gaüzère (France)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"|

|}

Notes:

• This is the first time since beating Italy 29–0 in 2017 that Scotland have kept their opponents scoreless, and the first time ever against Samoa. The last time they did so at a Rugby World Cup was in 2007, when they beat Romania 42–0.
• This is the first time that Samoa has failed to score any points in a Rugby World Cup match.

{{rugbybox

|date = 3 October 2019

|time = 19:15 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|IRE}}

|score = 35–0

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/495924 Report]

|away = {{ru|RUS}}

|try1 = Kearney 2' c
O'Mahony 13' c
Ruddock 35' c
Conway 62' c
Ringrose 76' c

|con1 = Sexton (3/3) 4', 15', 37'
Carty (2/2) 63', 77'

|stadium = Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe

|attendance = 26,856

|referee = Jérôme Garcès (France)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• Igor Galinovskiy (Russia) earned his 50th test cap.

{{rugbybox

|date = 5 October 2019

|time = 19:30 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|JPN}}

|score = 38–19

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/500473 Report]

|away = {{ru|SAM}}

|try1 = Lafaele 28' c
Himeno 53' c
Fukuoka 76' m
Matsushima 80+5' c

|con1 = Tamura (3/4) 29', 55', 80+7'

|pen1 = Tamura (4/5) 3', 8', 24', 51'

|try2 = Taefu 73' c

|con2 = Taefu (1/1) 74'

|pen2 = Taefu (4/5) 10', 15', 34', 45'

|stadium = City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota

|attendance = 39,695

|referee = Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• Ben O'Keeffe was due to be part of the officiating team for this game, but swapped with Angus Gardner's appointment between England and Argentina.

{{rugbybox

|date = 9 October 2019

|time = 16:15 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|SCO}}

|score = 61–0

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/507409 Report]

|away = {{ru|RUS}}

|try1 = Hastings (2) 14' c, 18' c
G. Horne (3) 22' c, 45' c, 59' m
Turner 51' c
Seymour 56' c
Barclay 75' c
McInally 78' c

|con1 = Hastings (8/9) 15', 20', 24', 46', 53', 57', 76', 80'

|stadium = Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi

|attendance = 44,123

|referee = Wayne Barnes (England)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• This is the first meeting between the two nations.
• Vladimir Ostroushko (Russia) earned his 50th test cap.
• Scotland became the first team to hold their opponents to nil points more than once in a single World Cup campaign.
• Mathieu Raynal was due to referee this game but withdrew ahead of kick off due to illness – Wayne Barnes stepped up from assistant with Alexandre Ruiz covering the assistant role.

{{rugbybox

|date = 12 October 2019

|time = 19:45 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|IRE}}

|score = 47–5

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/510684 Report]

|away = {{ru|SAM}}

|try1 = Best 4' c
Furlong 10' c
Sexton (2) 21' c, 39' m
Larmour 48' c
Stander 65' c
Conway 70' c

|con1 = Sexton (4/5) 5', 11', 23', 50
Carbery (2/2) 67', 72'

|try2 = J. Lam 26' m

|stadium = Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka

|attendance = 17,967

|referee = Nic Berry (Australia)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

{{rugbybox

|date = 13 October 2019

|time = 19:45 JST (UTC+09)

|home = (1 BP) {{ru-rt|JPN}}

|score = 28–21

|report = [https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/news/511548 Report]

|away = {{ru|SCO}} (1 BP)

|try1 = Matsushima 18' c
Inagaki 26' c
Fukuoka (2) 40' c, 43' c

|con1 = Tamura (4/4) 20', 27', 40+2', 44'

|try2 = Russell 7' c
Nel 50' c
Fagerson 55' c

|con2 = Laidlaw (2/2) 8', 51'
Russell (1/1) 56'

|stadium = International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama

|attendance = 67,666

|referee = Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

}}

|style="vertical-align:top"|350px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%;"|

|}

Notes:

• This was Scotland's 700th test match.
• This was Japan's first win over Scotland.
• This was the first time that a Tier 2 nation had defeated two Tier 1 nations in a single World Cup tournament.
• With this win, Japan topped the pool and advanced to the quarter-finals for the first time – the first Asian side to do so.
• Japan became the first Tier 2 nation since Fiji in 2007, and the fourth ever, to advance to the quarter-finals.
• Japan became the first Tier 2 nation to top their pool and win all of their pool games.
• The game was at risk of cancellation due to the after effects of Typhoon Hagibis the previous night. There was a lot of determination that, of all games, this one would be played. During the early hours of that morning a clean up operation was carried out by a large number of local residents. After an appeal put out by stadium management, they had spent the night in the stadium to be sure of being there as soon as the worst of the typhoon had passed. To get the venue match-ready mud had to be cleaned up and the entire pitch was dried by hand with towels. It was passed safe by 1100 and the game went ahead.

{{external media|video1={{YouTube|gIFEpNt8PBQ|Rugby World Cup 2019: Japan v Scotland}}}}

{{reflist}}

{{2019 Rugby World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Cup}}

Pool A

Category:2019–20 in Japanese rugby union

Category:2019–20 in Scottish rugby union

Category:2019–20 in Irish rugby union