Live Commentary: Japan 26-5 Samoa - as it happened

Good afternoon! Two sides that will be looking to progress from Pool B face off at the Rugby World Cup in half an hour as Japan take on Samoa. Let's start with a reminder of the team news.

JAPAN STARTING XV: Goromaru, Yamada, Sau, Tatekawa, Matsushima, K Ono, Tanaka, Inagaki, Horie, Hatakeyama, Thompson, H Ono, Leitch, Broadhurst, Holani

SAMOA STARTING XV: Nanai-Williams, K Pisi, Perez, Leota, Tuilagi, T Pisi, Fotuali'i, Taulafo, Avei, Johnston, Paulo, Thomspon, Treviranus, Ioane, Levave

Samoa have made five changes to the side that were thrashed by South Africa at Villa Park last Saturday. Among the changes, Kane Lock is recalled, having served a two-match ban, while Tusi Pisi gets the nod at fly-half ahead of Mike Stanley.

There are also five changes for Japan, who lost 45-10 in their match against Scotland last week. Kensuke Hatakenyama comes into the pack in place of Hiroshi Yamashita, while Hitoshi Ono stars, winning his 96th cap for Japan.

Ahead of this match, Samoa coach Stephan Betham told reporters: "It's do or die for both teams and I'm sure they are feeling what we are feeling. It's backs against the wall for both teams and whoever wins will have a great shot at making the quarter-finals."

Meanwhile, Japan coach Eddie Jones said at his pre-match press conference: "It's the most experienced team to every play for Japan. We know we've got a big task ahead of us. If we can stick with Samoa for the first 60 [minutes], then for the last 20 we should be able to come home pretty well."

Here's Japan captain Michael Leitch familiarising himself with this afternoon's surroundings:

Checking out the pitch #StadiumMK #rugbyjp #JapanWay #RWC2015 pic.twitter.com/2ZII1xO5fH

— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) October 3, 2015

One of the players Japan will have to keep an eye on this afternoon is Samoa full-back Tim Nanai-Williams. He was phenomenal in the win over USA in the team's first match of the tournament, and was unlucky not to set up a try last week. If he gets going this afternoon, he'll cause all sorts of problems for the Japan defence.

This is the first of three matches taking place at the Rugby World Cup today, with South Africa facing Scotland later, before England take on Australia in a must-win match for the host nation later. You can find all of our World Cup coverage here.

The players make their way out ready for kickoff and the national anthems, which will take place before the action gets underway.

With the anthems out of the way, Samoa line up for their war dance, the Siva Tau. In front of a South Africa-heavy crowd last week, they struggled to make themselves heard, but it's silent at Stadium MK as they watch the Pacific Island side perform. Kickoff is just a few moments away now.

This was the Samoa team just before they made their way out onto the pitch:

#LeManu 🇼🇸🇼🇸 pic.twitter.com/tkZKf1uhMW — Manu Samoa rugby (@manusamoa) October 3, 2015

KICKOFF! Samoa get the match underway.

Samoa have a lineout just a few moments into the match, but a handling error allows Kosei Ono to get it back for Japan. Michael Broadhurst, Tanaka and Ono are all involved as the team move the ball around the middle, but Samoa quickly close the gaps, forcing the fly-half to kick the ball back to Alesana Tuilagi.

Tuilagi looks to make an early charge down the left wing, but Tatekawa makes a last-gasp tackle to stop the winger sprinting clear, although he seems to have injured his shoulder in the process. Tuilagi spills it forward, giving Japan the scrum.

Tim Nanai-Williams puts the ball into touch, but Broadhurst can only bat the ball down into Ken Pisi's hands from the lineout. Yamada quickly forces a turnover though, giving possession back to Japan in a dangerous position.

NO TRY! Japan quickly get the ball out to the left, allowing Ayumu Goromaru to give over in the corner, but Male Sau's pass to the full-back was slightly forward, so it won't count. Goromaru doesn't realise straight away, celebrating the try before it dawns on him that it won't count.

He may not have got the try, but Goromaru does get to put Japan ahead as the referee calls the ball back for a Samoa infringement earlier in the move. It's right in front of the posts, so it's an easy kick for the country's record points scorer.

Michael Leitch has already been busy this afternoon, and he's getting involved again as Japan quickly power back into Samoa territory. An offside by the Pacific Island side sees Goromaru with the ball, and he kicks the penalty for a lineout. It's been all Japan so far.

MISSED PENALTY! Goromaru gets another shot at the posts with Samoa penalised for an infringement on the ground, but this time the full-back's kick curls around to the left too much. Samoa quickly try to make the most of the opportunity, with Nanai-Williams leading a charge into Japan territory, where the side haven't ventured too often yet this afternoon.

Nanai-Williams can't keep the ball in, allowing Japan to get the ball back, led by Inagaki, who passes to Goromaru, who is hit by a late tackle from Levave. The Samoa number eight could be in trouble.

SIN BIN! Fafili Levave is off the pitch for the next 10 minutes for the late challenge with no arms. In the slow motion replays, it really did look like a nasty challenge. Japan have a penalty inside the 22, with the man advantage, Goromaru kicks it for a lineout.

Samoa try to stop Japan using the driving maul to get the ball across the line for the first try of the afternoon, but Ole Avei catches the eye of the referee for collapsing the maul. He gives Samoa a warning that there are too many penalties, and lets Goromaru kick it back out for another lineout. Samoa will have to be careful not to end up with another player in the sin bin.

SIN BIN! Samoa didn't heed the warning from the referee, as Sakaria Taualofo tackles Nanai-Williams in the air, leaving his side down to 13 men for the next seven minutes are so before Levave is able to return.

Japan are quickly looking to take advantage of their numerical advantage, with Shota Horie and Tanaka both trying to force the ball across the line, but Samoa are defending ferociously.

It looks like Samoa survive as Tanaka and Tatekawa string together a run of passes, but the ball is knocked on by the centre, giving Samoa the scrum.

Japan try to drive the ball over from the scrum, but Johnston gives away another penalty, and this time Craig Joubert decides that it directly prevented the try, so he awards the penalty try instead.

Despite still being two men short, Samoa are still showing flashes of brilliance, with Nanai-Williams tosses the ball out wide to Ken Pisi, but a well-timed tackle from Inagaki forces the turnover.

Samoa are back up to 14 as Fafili Levave returns from his 10 minutes in the sin bin. Hatakeyama tries to power down the flank for Japan but he knocks on, giving Samoa the scrum.

Taualofo also returns from the sin bin, so Samoa are back up to full strength. They're already drawing the attention of the referee as they try to set the scrum up though, resulting in Joubert giving the penalty the other way. It's been a very stop-start match so far, which seems to be favouring Japan. When Samoa get the ball moving, they do look dangerous, but they need to cut down the penalties to keep the action flowing.

Samoa captain Ofisa Treviranus is called over to the referee again and told that his players aren't respecting offside. Samoa are giving an official warning over offside, and told that another offside will result in a player being sent to the sin bin again.

As a result of the offside warning, Samoa line up another attempt at the posts, and Goromaru makes it three from four kicks this afternoon, splitting the uprights with ease. Samoa desperately need to get something on the board before half time.

Tuilagi tries to slip through the middle before passing to Ken Pisi, but a heavy hit from Holani knocks the ball loose from the winger's hands. The ball goes forward too, so it's another Japan scrum.

Samoa get the ball back just inside their own half, allowing Tuilagi and Ken Pisi, who have looked a dangerous pairing so far, to link up, but Ioane is turned over, allowing Matsushima to charge towards the try line, but Tusi Pisi just about rescues the situation.

It's a magnificent athletic effort from Akihito Yamada to get the first try, excluding the penalty try, of the match so far. He slips through Tuilagi fingers as he cuts out wide to the sideline before diving across the line, just keeping his legs off the touchline.

It's been a completely dominant opening 40 minutes from Japan, who have cruised to a comfortable 20-0 lead in the opening half. Samoa have shown the odd spark, particularly through Tuilagi, Ken Pisi and Nanai-Williams, but discipline has been a real issue.

In the first half, Japan had 70% of the possession and 75% territory. They've only made marginally more going forward than their opponents, with 159 metres to Samoa's 137. The different is that Japan have often got the ball back in Samoa territory, while the Pacific Island side have had to come from inside their own 22 all too often.

Goromaru's second penalty of the game made him the 2015 Rugby World Cup's top scorer so far. He's added another two since then, so now has 39 to his name:

#JPN's Ayumu Goromaru calmly slots another penalty - he is now #RWC2015's top points scorer with 37 #SAM 0-13 #JPN pic.twitter.com/qxkqRILzMM — Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 3, 2015

Assuming Japan can hold on for the win, they'll move up to second in the pool, climbing above South Africa who play later today.

The players are making their way back out ready for the start of the second half.

RESTART! Japan get the match back underway.

Tusi Pisi knocks the ball out for an early Japan lineout. Tatekawa and Tanaka get the ball moving around the back, but the scrum-half loses control of the ball to give Samoa the scrum. An early score in the second half would certainly give Samoa some hope of getting back into this tie.

Johnny Leota, who is picking up 20th cap this afternoon, was quiet in the first half for Samoa, but he's involved early in the second half as he tries to muscle his way through the middle.

Japan have a lineout, and try to get the maul going from it, but the referee orders Tanaka to use it. He flings it out wide to Matshushima, but there's a bit of a skirmish as Fotuali'l somehow wriggles out of his shirt, resulting in him and Tanaka clashing.

After the two sides calm down, the referee calls the play back for an offside, allowing Goromaru to kick again. Knowing that they need to make changes to get back into the match, Samoa send on several replacements to try to turn this around.

Paul Perez breaks free from a tackle before sprinting into Japan territory, but he's tackled short of the line, before Horie gets it back for Eddie Jones's men. That's the kind of move Samoa need to get something from this match, but Perez just didn't have numbers forward to held him out.

Almost inevitable, Samoa give away the penalty for not rolling away, allowing Goromaru to boot the ball away for Japan. Michael Leitch and Matshushima both make up ground for Japan, while Kosei Ono moves it back towards the middle, but it's turned over. Ken Pisi passes it out wide to Perez, who has shown good pace on the left in this second half, but Goromaru makes a superb tackle to stop him bursting clear.

Samoa are slowly building a bit of possession, and get themselves into JApan territory, but Kane Thompson loses control of the ball, allowing Michael Leitch to pounce on it for Japan. Samoa are starting to take more risks as they try to at least get off the mark, but Japan are ready every time they slip up.

There's an injury concern for Japan as Akihito Yamada has gone down injured. He seems to be unable to get back to his feet, resulting in the stretcher being brought on for the winger. He'd be a big loss, but it looks like Karne Hesketh is taking his place. He scored the winning try in the victory over South Africa, so is a more than capable deputy.

Yamada is fitted with a neck brace before being moved onto the stretcher and taken away. Hopefully it's all precautionary, but it does look like a serious injury for the Japan try scorer.

With 16 points today, Ayumu Goromaru has now passed Matt Giteau and Morne Steyne on the all-time international points scorers list. Japan go for the posts again after Inagaki is brought down by a high tackle, and the full-back kicks it through with ease.

Bonus points could be the difference in the closely-contested Pool B, and with that seemingly in mind, Japan send Amanaki Mafi on in place of Holani. Mafi was probably's Japan's best player in the defeat to Scotland, but picked up a knee injury in the first half. Eddie Jones had admitted that he intended to send him on midway through the second half to prove the difference if the match was close, but he could now be the difference as Japan look for another two tries.

Samoa have the ball inside their own 22, and Levave loses it, with Michael Leitch intercepting a pass before getting down low and charging at the try line, but he can't quite force his way across. Karne Hesketh tries to keep the attack going, but Samoa get the turnover.

Finally Samoa are on the board, with Paul Perez, who has looked the most likely in the second half, keeping his feet inside the line before grounding it in the left corner, following a pass out wide from Tusi Pisi, who misses the resulting conversion.

Horie tries to use his size to power through the Samoa line, but the hooker is brought down. He manages to get it to Yamashita, before Hendrik Tui picks up a few metres before winning a penalty as he's tackled by Treviranus while off his feet.

MISSED PENALTY! Goromaru slices his penlty too much, curling it too tightly to leave it sailing past the left upright. It wasn't a popular decision with the crowd for Japan to so for the posts, particularly with the team chasing a bonus point.

Japan have the ball again, and are continuing to look for the third try, but a knock on from Yamashita gives Samoa the put in at a scrum. Vavau Tuilagi, who has just come off the bench, gets it from the back, and skips around a couple of Japan players before passing to Leota, but the move is quickly halted.

Time is running out if Japan are going to get the bonus point, but they get a penalty when Paulo is penalised for holding. This time Goromaru does kick it out for the lineout, getting the side close to the corner, but Samoa steal it, leaving Afatia and Tusi Pisi to look for a way back into Japan territory.

Tuilagi gets the ball out from a ruck, but Japan are penalised for a mistake in the ruck, allowing Pisi to take a quick penalty. He chips it forward for himself, but it's claimed by Michael Leitch, before Hesketh charges down the right to get Japan back into a strong position.

SIN BIN! Filo Paulo will finish the game off the pitch as he's shown a yellow for what the referee calls a cynical tackle on the half-back. The forward buries his head in his hands as he heads to the sideline, clearly realising the gravity of his error. It's Samoa's third yellow card of the match.

Japan try to exploit their man advantage again, with Mafi trying to slip through for a third Japan try, but a knock on gives Samoa the scrum as the match heads into the final minute.

Rey Lee-Lo tries to set up a late consolation for Samoa, eventually passing it to Afatia, but the ball comes loose, allowing Japan to kick it out.

So it's another win for Japan, who climb back above South Africa in Pool B to give themselves a real chance of progressing to the quarter-finals. Once again, Ayumu Goromaru was in fine form, kicking the majority of the points while making some superb tackles, while Michael Leitch also posed a threat throughout. The side will certainly fancy their changes against USA next week.

So, that's all for this match, but stick around as our live coverage of South Africa's match against Scotland will be getting underway in just a few minutes. Until then, thanks for joining me this afternoon. Goodbye.