SATURDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2019 SPORT 17 There are always things that Red Bull’s TODAY’S ACTION can be improved which we will Max Verstappen look at now and this race is 95 after finishing second at AUSTRALIA VS FIJI (POOL D) 07:45am Qatar time percent about qualifying and the second practice of FRANCE VS ARGENTINA (POOL C) 10:15am Singapore Grand Prix I’m feeling positive so far. NEW ZEALAND VS SOUTH AFRICA (POOL B) 12:45pm Asia’s first Rugby World Cup kicks off AFP Prince Akishino officially declared The global rugby showpiece will competition as the world’s number TOKYO the tournament open, with World also serve as a tasty amuse-bouche one side, but they often flatter to Rugby chief Bill Beaumont saying: for Japan as it prepares to host the deceive when it comes to the World The first Rugby World Cup hosted in “This is the moment we’ve all been Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics. Cup and have never ventured Asia opened yesterday in a packed waiting for... We can all be very proud Japan served up the biggest beyond the quarter-finals. Tokyo stadium, as the game seeks to tonight. You have made history.” shock in World Cup history in 2015 England, coached by Eddie Jones tap into a new fanbase beyond its The tournament promises to be when they beat the mighty -- who led Japan to that famous win traditional heartlands in Europe and one of the most open in history, with Springboks 34-32 in a match over the Springboks -- will also the southern hemisphere. at least five or six teams seen capable dubbed the “miracle of Brighton” fancy their chances but they have A sea of fans decked out in the red of lifting the trophy in Yokohama on that has even inspired a movie. been drawn in a tough Pool C and white jerseys of the host team November 2. This time, however, no one is alongside bitter Six Nations rivals cheered on performers at the opening Organisers hope stars of the game taking the Brave Blossoms lightly France and the ever-dangerous ceremony, a sound and light show such as All Black Beauden Barrett, Ire- and they will do well to achieve Argentina. fused with traditional Japanese cul- land’s Johnny Sexton or South Africa’s their goal of reaching their first ever The other group sees Australia tural references and rugby history. Siya Kolisi will spark enthusiasm for quarter-final by getting out of a pool and Wales as the top teams and Children representing the 20 the game in Japan and Asia more dominated by Ireland and Scotland. either one could trouble the competing teams belted out the broadly. The All Blacks remain the team business end of the competition. World Rugby anthem “World in The early signs are good, with to beat and their crunch encounter But the gap between the tradi- Union” before former All Black officials saying the tournament should with South Africa on Saturday will tional haves and have-nots of World skipper Richie McCaw brought in the be close to a complete sell-out and a go a long way to determining the Rugby has shrunk and more upsets glittering Webb Ellis Cup that New staggering 15,000 fans turning out on outcome of Pool B -- and maybe the are expected -- with Fiji in par- New Zealand’s world cup-winning former Zealand hope to win for an unprec- a public holiday just to watch Wales next home of the Webb Ellis Cup. ticular considered a dangerous dark captain Richie McCaw holds the Webb Ellis Cup edented third straight edition. train. Ireland come into the horse. during the tournament’s opening ceremony at the Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo, yesterday. Fijians get Matsushima hat-trick fires hosts serious about Wallabies Japan to opening win over Russia encounter AFP before Pieter Labuschagne REUTERS TOKYO ripped the ball from his opposite SAPPORO, JAPAN number and raced clear to score Kotaro Matsushima scored a Japan’s third try. Lots of loud, raucous laughter sizzling hat-trick as hosts Japan A Kushnarev penalty closed boomed around the Sapporo recovered from a torrid start to the deficit to 20-10 on the hour- Dome yesterday - Fiji were in beat Russia 30-10 in their Rugby mark but Tamura kicked a three- town and they were there to World Cup opener yesterday. pointer before Matsushima com- have some fun. Japan’s prolific winger pleted a superb hat-trick with a Warming up for their final became the first player to score mazy run that left a trail of training session before their three tries in a World Cup Russian defenders for dead. Pool D clash against Australia opening game after a brilliant Japan were once destroyed today, a semi-organised hybrid solo effort with just over 10 145-17 by New Zealand at the game of touch rugby and rugby minutes left in Tokyo. World Cup but they are a dif- league broke out. The Brave Blossoms looked ferent proposition these days and The rare dropped ball to have caught stage fright in have become a regular fixture resulted in more laughter and their the Pool A clash and found among rugby’s top 10-ranked some jovial pushing and themselves behind after just five teams since winning three games shoving until the vagaries of minutes before Matsushima at the 2015 World Cup under assistant coach Tabai Matson’s came to the rescue by scoring Eddie Jones. whistle signalled a change of three of Japan’s four tries. The home side, who pro- possession. “Straight from the kick off duced one of sport’s great upsets There was more laughter, they put us under extreme Japan’s Kotaro Matsushima dives to score a try with a jaw-dropping 34-32 but fewer dropped balls. pressure with their gameplan, during their Rugby World Cup Pool A match against defeat of South Africa in their Attention was turning to they really tested us today,” said Russia at the Tokyo Stadium in Tokyo, yesterday. opening game four years ago, their job today, to upset the Japan captain Michael Leitch. never looked like relinquishing Wallabies and push on and “I think with the nerves out control after Matsushima settled become the first Pacific-Island of the way, we can start looking kick had almost led to a score when Nikita Vavilin broke clear, Sucking the Russian their nerves. nation to make the quarter- forward to (their next game before William Tupou spilled a only for Vladimir Ostroushko to defenders in on the left, Japan Japan, who earned a bonus finals since they reached the against) Ireland.” high catch, allowing Kirill Golos- wastefully kick the ball away. switched back the other way and point for scoring four tries, face last eight at the 2007 tour- Japan strode out to booming nitskiy the simplest of tries. A chip-through from Yury Ryoto Nakamura found Matsu- Ireland -- the world’s top-ranked nament in France. taiko drums greeted by a deaf- Tupou made amends in the Kushnarev triggered further panic shima out wide to give the home side -- in Shizuoka next weekend “If we can win tomorrow ening roar from a packed crowd 11th minute with a deft reverse as Golosnitskiy again threatened. side the lead. while the Bears try to lick their then that does make the job of 45,000 but it was Russia’s pass for Matsushima to dive into But with the Russians wilting Leading 12-7 at the half, wounds before taking on Samoa easier, but it’s not the end of “Bears” who began the sharper. the corner. as half-time approached, Japan Tamura extended Japan’s after a quick, four-day the day either,” Fiji coach John Yu Tamura’s charged-down Russia came back again caught their opponents cold. advantage with an early penalty turnaround. McKee told reporters yesterday when asked about his stated goal of reaching the knockout phase. All Blacks, Boks meet in first round blockbuster “All of our focus for our players now is on their per- formance tomorrow and their AFP New Zealand two years ago. Read, the 122-Test veteran who game against Australia.” YOKOHAMA Rassie Erasmus came in as featured in both the 2011 and While Fiji have not beaten coach and instigated an 2015 World Cup finals. Australia since 1954, they have New Zealand captain Kieran approach that hinges on kicking The All Blacks have reacted risen to number nine in the Read said today’s highly antici- for territory and then regaining by dropping prop centurion world under McKee and are pated clash with South Africa is the ball through forward power. Owen Franks and relegating Ben being tipped by pundits as the one of the biggest matches of It has resulted in a margin Smith to the bench, while Rieko most likely tier-two nation to his career as the All Blacks of no more than two points in Ioane, once a first-choice wing, cause upsets at the launch their bid for a record the next four matches against cannot even make the matchday tournament. third consecutive world crown. the reigning world champions, 23. They also have a settled The Pool B match-up at setting up what could be a Instead, coach Steve Hansen and balanced squad that Yokohama features two of the classic at the 70,000-capacity has gone for the youthful exu- includes 25 European-based most successful sides in rugby International Yokohama berance of wings George Bridge New Zealand’s professionals.