All the talking is about to stop, and finally the battles can begin. Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan has been a tournament long in the making. It was a decade ago that World Rugby opted to take the ninth edition away from traditional rugby heartlands and into the Far East for the first time. Ten years later and now the first weekend is upon us, and it will be the Brave Blossoms who get us underway on Friday night in Tokyo. Fireworks will surely fly in what looks like one of the great opening weekends of rugby – possibly in the entire history of the professional sport. **FRIDAY Japan v Russia, Friday 20 September, Tokyo Stadium, Kick off 11:45AM (all times GMT)** Hosts Japan open the tournament in Chofu and will be red-hot favourites to see off Russia. Lyn Jones’ Bears have had a troubled warm-up campaign that has included a loss at home to Jersey and shipping 85 points to Italy on the road. Throw in Japan’s impressive head to head record against Russia, they have won five of the previous six meetings, and the Brave Blossoms should be too strong in their own capital. Yu Tamura at No.10 will pull the strings and has every trick in the book but they are without two key figures in No.8 Amanaki Mafi and wing Kenki Fukuoka. Find out where you can watch #JPNvRUS Live athttps://t.co/z0BgdPYBjN#RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/2si8wj59rz— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) 20 September 2019
