FULL TIME! 34-12. England walk away with a bonus point win after a very good second half display. Japan made too many errors and while it was a one-point difference after 55 minutes, those errors eventually started to tell.
CONVERSION! FORD! 34-12. Easy kick for Ford to add the extras.
TRY! ENGLAND! MARCHANT! 32-12. This time England get over through Marchant. A few phases close in before they got wide and Marchant drives over.
Scrum penalty to England. Ford sets the lineout up inside Japan's 22. Bonus point time for England.
While Chile and Samoa are still to come, it would seem England have done enough to progress. Japan will have to cause an upset against Argentina, and beat Samoa.
With just over three minutes to go this game is done. England might not be in good form yet, but like against Argentina, they have been tactically really good.
Japan are defending well but are not getting anywhere with ball in hand. England have tactically outclassed them in this second half.
Superb defence by Japan on their own line. England go through 13 phases but can't get the bonus point score.
England with three tries will now be chasing the bonus point try.
Japan now three scores away which makes a comeback very unlikely. They have not been great with ball in hand, far too many errors.
CONVERSION! FORD! 27-12. Ford nails this from the touchline. He is in some form.
TRY! ENGLAND! STEWART! 25-12. And that's the game folks. Brilliant cross kick by Ford and Steward scores in the corner.
Messy scrum on their own line and England force Japan over their own line. 5m scrum for England, Japan really aren't doing themselves any favours here.
England with a chance to wrap the game up but a knock-on on the Japanese line gives the Brave Blossoms a lifeline.
One feels it will take some inspired play for Japan to come back in the final 18 minutes. Daly and Ford are keeping them deep in their half with the boot.
Japan with a skew throw on halfway, handing possession back to England. They have really been their own worst enemies tonight.
Japan almost certainly have to score next to keep the game alive. But they keep making errors at crucial times.
Great chance for Japan. They get numerous line breaks, go through nine phases but then drop the most basic pass. From their own 22 to 10 meters from England's line.
CONVERSION! FORD! 20-12. Simple conversion for Ford.
TRY! ENGLAND! LAWES! 18-12. That is so fortunate for England. The ball hits Marler's head, everyone thought it was a knock and Lawes dots down under the posts.
We are going to the TMO. England are in under the posts but there may have been a knock-on.
PENALTY! JAPAN! MATSUDA! 13-12. It is a one-point game here. Not as free-flowing as the games earlier but this is a proper battle.
Japan win a penalty in front of the sticks as England are slow to roll away. They will kick for goal.
Crowd getting quite frustrated with both teams kicking plenty. England certainly winning the kicking battle, Japan need to find a way to put some phases together.
Japan making errors as soon as they make some meters. Far too many handling errors and England are just lapping these mistakes up.
The rub of the green going England's way at the moment. But still Japan manage to hold on with some last ditch defending.
Erratic start to the second half by Japan but they win a crucial turnover penalty on their own 22.
KICK OFF! 13-9. Japan get the second half underway. They will certainly want to score the next points.
HALF TIME! 13-9. This contest has been very even but Japan are giving England way too much territory as they continue to fail on the high ball. Second half should be interesting.
PENALTY! ENGLAND! FORD! 13-9. Ford sends this one between the uprights to give England a four-point lead.
Another penalty to England. This time England will kick for goal.
England win a penalty and go for the lineout option. Can they score just before the break?
Japan just keep letting England back into it. Directly into touch gives England a lineout just outside their 22.
England make some good meters through a few carries but they then lose the ball forward.
Japan seem completely incapable of taking any high ball under pressure. England gaining great territory with the tactic.
PENALTY! JAPAN! MATSUDA! 10-9. Matsuda puts Japan within one point.
Japan now get a penalty after a late charge. It is just outside England's 22 and they will also take the shot.
Ford misses this one and it is one you'd expect him to make. It was about 45 meters out but very close to in front.
Penalty to England and Ford will look for another three points.
England have another decent attacking opportunity here. They have a scrum on halfway.
CONVERSION! FORD! 10-6. Ford adds the extras to put England back in the driving seat. That was poor all round from Japan.
TRY! ENGLAND! LUDLAM! 8-6. Ford comes up with a clever kick to put Japan on their own 5m line. From there Japan lose their lineout and Ludlam drives over to score.
PENALTY! JAPAN! MATSUDA! 3-6. Matsuda slots quite a tough kick to give Japan the lead.
After an iffy start, Japan have dominated this match and have another penalty. They will kick for goal from about 37 meters out on the angle.
Japan concede a penalty at scrum time but then the ref changes his decision to redo it. The grass cut up completely under the Japanese feet.
Japan playing some smart rugby. England pinned in their 22 again through smart little kicks.
PENALTY! JAPAN! MATSUDA! 3-3. Simple kick to level matters.
Great attacking phase by Japan. They can't get over the line but went through about eight phases on their way upfield. They do have the penalty though and will kick for goal.
England try to go wide and find a bit of space. Unfortunately Daly can't hold on. England dominating the kicking battle, Japan need to up their game there.
Solid defence by England and they win the turnover penalty. Poor from Japan, great opportunity gone.
Japan put a grubber through and then take Daly out on his own line. Great chance.
England have looked good in the opening few minutes. Japan making a few errors, and they are not secure under the high ball.
PENALTY! ENGLAND! FORD! 3-0. Ford knocks it over from straight in front to give England the early lead.
England have the penalty and will kick for goal.
Leitch makes a big error knocking on behind his line. 5m scrum to England.
KICK OFF! 0-0. England get us underway through George Ford. Superb atmosphere here with both sets of fans in great voice.
Kick off is at 21:00 SAST. Join us then for all the live action.
Japan: 15 Semisi Masirewa, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, Tomoki 13 Osada, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Jone Naikabula, 10 Rikiya Matsuda, 9 Yutaka Nagare, 8 Kazuki Himeno (captain), 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Amato Fakatava, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Jiwon Gu, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki
Replacements: 16 Atsushi Sakate, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 Warner Dearns, 20 Kanji Shimokawa, 21 Naoto Saito, 22 Dylan Riley, 23 Lomano Lemeki.
15 Freddie Steward, 14 Jonny May, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Lewis Ludlam, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Courtney Lawes (Captain), 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Ollie Lawrence.
Japan were pushed by Chile but in the second half their quality told. But this Japan side is not the convincing one we saw in 2019 on home soil. However, they still have plenty of quality and if things go their way, we could be in for another cracker.
George Ford put in a superb flyhalf display for the English against Argentina, kicking all 27 points which included three drop goals
Both England and Japan got their World Cup's off to a winning start last weekend. Japan beat Chile 42-12 while England saw off Argentina 27-10.
Hello and welcome to the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool D fixture between England and Japan at the Allianz Riviera.
