Summary

  • England qualify for the last eight as Pool D winners thanks to Japan's win

  • Japan run in three tries before 14-man Samoa staged late fightback

  • Samoa's Ben Lam sent off for head-on-head tackle early in second half

  • Japan's Shota Horie returns after similar incident in first half

  • Japan v Argentina on 8 October for place in last eight as Pool D runners-up

  • Samoa play England in final fixture

  1. Japan build the scoreboard uppublished at 20:35 BST 28 September 2023

    Japan 10-3 Samoa

    Hugo MacNeill
    Ex-Ireland full-back on BBC Sports 5 Extra

    That is very good from Japan, they gave away a soft three points to Samoa. To go straight back up to Samoa's half and they get another three points from them.

  2. Postpublished at 30 mins

    Japan 10-3 Samoa

    Samoa have got to be careful, they're overdoing it at the moment.

    Straight from the restart one of their players is penalised for coming in off their feet and Japan are given some cheap yards to get forward.

  3. Penalty - Japan 10-3 Samoapublished at 28 mins

    Rikiya Matsuda

    Japan restore their seven-point lead. Rikiya Matsuda smashes it through.

  4. Postpublished at 28 mins

    Japan 7-3 Samoa

    Japan had the better of the first 15 minutes, Samoa dominated the next 15.

    Where will this game swing to next? Japan earn a penalty in midfield and will kick at goal.

  5. 'Soft concession of play' from Japanpublished at 20:30 BST 28 September 2023

    Japan 7-3 Samoa

    Hugo MacNeill
    Ex-Ireland full-back on BBC Sports 5 Extra

    That is a really soft concession of play. Japan will be frustrated there, they now have a four-point lead.

  6. Penalty - Japan 7-3 Samoapublished at 25 mins

    D'Angelo Leuila

    Samoa are on the board. D'Angelo Leuila splits the posts.

  7. Postpublished at 25 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Japan can't clear out though and their player comes in from the side to give Samoa a cheap penalty.

    They're going to kick for points. This'll be a chip-in.

  8. Japan match Samoa in the scrumpublished at 20:27 BST 28 September 2023

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Hugo MacNeill
    Ex-Ireland full-back on BBC Sports 5 Extra

    I think the Japanese scrum was far stronger than the last scrum. Samoa went for the high-risk option but now it is a great chance for Japan to clear their lines.

  9. Postpublished at 24 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Too cute from Samoa. Jonathan Taumateine plays a reverse-pass from the scrum to Ben Lam but the winger fumbles and Japan regain possession.

  10. Postpublished at 22 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Again Samoa struggle to develop a flowing move, and then again a Japan error gifts them an attacking scrum.

    Japan's right wing Kotaro Matsushima looks onImage source, Getty Images
  11. Postpublished at 20 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Another Samoa penalty. Another kick to the corner.

  12. Postpublished at 18 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    The line-out from Samoa is poor but a Japan knock-on gives them another chance with a scrum in a promising area.

    Meanwhile, a Mexican waves brews in Toulouse. Gulp.

    Mexican wave in the stadiumImage source, Reuters
  13. Postpublished at 16 mins

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Samoa have responded well and they win a quick penalty, opting to kick to the corner.

  14. 'Excellent try'published at 20:20 BST 28 September 2023

    Japan 7-0 Samoa

    Hugo MacNeill
    Ex-Ireland full-back on BBC Sports 5 Extra

    Pieter Labuschagne of Japan celebrates scoring the team's first tryImage source, Getty Images

    A really excellent try, Japan shaped like they were going down the short side.

    When Japan moved it wide it was made clear they had an overlap.

    They created the overlap and they all ran straight committing the opposite number to not drift outside.

  15. converted try

    Converted try - Japan 7-0 Samoapublished at 13 mins

    Pieter Labuschagne (con Rikiya Matsuda)

    It had been coming!

    A gap appears down the left and Lomano Lemeki, head down, drives into space, bouncing off two Samoan defenders before being held up five metres out.

    The ball is scampered out to Pieter Labuschagne and he strecthes out a long arm to go over.

    Japan are in front, and deservedly so.

    Pieter Labuschagne stretches to score the opening tryImage source, Reuters
  16. Postpublished at 11 mins

    Japan 0-0 Samoa

    Japan skip forward and Naoto Saito sprints down the left. But he's held up brilliantly by some Samoan defence and then Japan get called for a holding call.

    The Cherry Blossoms are definitely growing, they've shaded it so far.

  17. 'Japan have started slowly'published at 20:13 BST 28 September 2023

    Japan 0-0 Samoa

    Hugo MacNeill
    Ex-Ireland full-back on BBC Sports 5 Extra

    Japan again with a poor kick which gives no chance for team-mates to go up and pressurise Samoa.

    Japan have started slowly. They have struggled to get to the form which we have started to associate with them.

  18. Postpublished at 9 mins

    Japan 0-0 Samoa

    Little bit of kick-tennis between the two full-backs at the moment.

    Oh what's this? Samoa spill the ball and Japan have a chance to burst forward, but they very nearly come unstuck themselves with a Samoan intercept-attempt.

    It doesn't quite work out and Japan have a scrum on halfway. This game is bursting into life.

    Japan's right wing Kotaro Matsushima  and Samoa's number eight Sa Jordan TaufuaImage source, Getty Images
  19. Postpublished at 8 mins

    Japan 0-0 Samoa

    True that Jack, although I reckon Japan will argue that, still to play Argentina, they are also in a brilliant position.

    Win their next two and that's two quarter-finals on the bounce. That's where this team will feel they belong.

  20. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:09 BST 28 September 2023

    #bbcrugby, via WhatsApp on 03301 231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Jack: Lots of comments focused on the QFs, which is still a mathematical possibility for these teams, but realistically Argentina are in the box seat. The bigger picture being missed is that this game is basically a qualifier for the next World Cup, which is huge in itself.