TOKYO (AP) - The latest from Day 6 of the Rugby World Cup (all times local):
7:30 p.m.
Australia winger Reece Hodge has been suspended for three matches for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.
Hodge will miss the rest of Australia’s pool matches and become available only for the knockout rounds. He can appeal.
After a four-hour hearing in Tokyo, World Rugby said Hodge was found guilty of a reckless high tackle that was worthy of a red card. Hodge was sanctioned on the field at the time.
His shoulder-led, try-saving hit at the head of Yato in the first half last Saturday forced Yato from the field with concussion symptoms. Yato also missed Fiji’s second pool game on Wednesday against Uruguay.
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4 p.m.
Uruguay pulled off one of the Rugby World Cup’s largest upsets when it beat Fiji 30-27 in a match laden with significance for the disaster-ravaged town in which it was played.
Only days after coming close to a shock result when it led Australia 14-12 at halftime before losing 39-21, 10th-ranked Fiji found itself on the wrong end of a larger surprise, going down for the first time in four meetings to the 19th-ranked Los Teros.
The match was one of the most thrilling in World Cup history, full of dramatic twists and turns and brought to life by the indomitable spirit of the Uruguay team which was given a slim chance of upsetting star-studded Fiji.
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3:20 p.m.
Samoa center Rey Lee-Lo and hooker Motu Matu’u have been cited for dangerous high tackles following the win over Russia on Tuesday and face disciplinary hearings in Tokyo.
Lee-Lo and Matu’u were yellow-carded for shoulder-led hits on the head of Russia captain Vasily Artemyev within two minutes of each other in Kumagaya. Samoa won 34-9.
A date for the hearings has yet to be set.
Samoa winger Ed Fidow received a citing commissioner warning for punching in the same match.
Samoa next plays Scotland on Monday in Kobe in Pool A.
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3:05 p.m.
Uruguay rocked Fiji with three first half tries to lead their Pool D match 24-12 at halftime at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium.
Fiji started an immense favorite after winning the teams’ three previous meetings, most recently 68-7 in England 10 months ago. But 19th-ranked Uruguay, the youngest team at the tournament, preyed on Fiji mistakes to build an emphatic halftime lead, inspired by scrumhalf Santiago Arata and hooker German Kessler.
Uruguay conceded a try after eight minutes to Fiji hooker Mesulame Dolokoto, then hit back with a brilliant try to Arata after a dropped pass by Fiji.
Fiji scored again through prop Eroni Mawi but Uruguay touched down twice more, through No. 8 Manuel Diana and center Juan Manuel Cat while flyhalf Felipe Berchesi added a penalty.
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2:45 p.m.
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has changed all but two of his starting team for the Springboks’ second game against Namibia.
Erasmus retained only center Lukhanyo Am and wing Makazole Mapimpi from the Springboks’ XV that lost to New Zealand 23-13.
In a surprise move, Erasmus selected Schalk Brits, normally a hooker, at No. 8. Brits will also captain the team on Saturday with regular skipper Siya Kolisi on the bench.
As well as an entirely fresh pack, South Africa will have Herschel Jantjies and Elton Jantjies - no relation - starting at scrumhalf and flyhalf, and veteran Frans Steyn, a survivor of the Boks’ 2007 Rugby World Cup triumph, at inside center.
The Springboks have experience on the bench for a game they’re expected to win and must win to stay on course for the quarterfinals.
Forwards Kolisi, Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert, and backs Damian de Allende and Cheslin Kolbe are among the reserves. They all started against the All Blacks.
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South Africa: Warrick Gelant, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Frans Steyn, Makazole Mapimpi, Elton Jantjies, Herchel Jantjies; Schalk Brits (captain), Kwagga Smith, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Vincent Koch, Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Steven Kitshoff, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Cobus Reinach, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe
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1:30 p.m.
United States head coach Gary Gold rates his team as “severe underdogs” for the game against England in Kobe on Thursday.
Like other coaches of Tier Two nations at the tournament in Japan, Gold stresses the so-called smaller teams just don’t get enough games against the big nations to help them in their quest to improve.
The Eagles last played a top team late last year when they lost to Ireland 57-14 in Dublin. But earlier in 2018, the U.S. beat Scotland by a point in Houston. Those two are the U.S.’ only games against top tier opposition in the last two years.
The U.S., like other lesser-ranked teams at the World Cup, can draw inspiration from Japan’s “Miracle of Brighton” at the last World Cup, when the Japanese upset two-time world champion South Africa.
Gold says expectations of an upset in Kobe are low but “the England players, it’ll go through their mind. Maybe not very long, but it’ll go through their mind. What if? What if? What if?”
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10:30 a.m.
Fiji beat Uruguay 68-7 last November in England and is expected to win well in their Rugby World Cup match on Wednesday in Kamaishi.
Fiji made 12 changes after losing to Australia 39-21 last Saturday, but even with a four-day turnaround the Fijians should be too strong.
Uruguay gets its campaign underway six days into the tournament with an entirely domestic-based team, and the youngest in the tournament.
The Teros have two wins in World Cup history, the last 16 years ago.
It is the only match on Wednesday, and both teams will honor the first World Cup game at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in the small fishing town where more than 1,000 were killed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
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