TOKYO (AP) - The Latest on Day 8 of the Rugby World Cup in Japan (all times local):
6:45 p.m.
U.S. forward John Quill has been suspended for the remainder of the group stage at the Rugby World Cup after admitting to making a dangerous tackle that resulted in his red card in the Eagles’ opening loss to England.
An independent judicial committee reviewed the TV footage of Thursday’s game and took submissions from Quill before ruling the foul play was “reckless rather than deliberate.”
The American flanker was the first player to be red carded at the 2019 Rugby World Cup when he hit England’s Owen Farrell in a high, no-arms tackle in the 70th minute.
He will miss the United States’ remaining three group-stage games against France, Argentina and Tonga, and the suspension will be allowed to play again from Oct. 14.
Australian winger Reece Hodge was suspended for three games for making contact with the head of a Fijian rival with his shoulder during the Wallabies’ opening game.
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3:30 p.m.
The combination that worked in an upset win over Fiji has been kept mostly intact as Uruguay attempts to make it back-to-back wins at the Rugby World Cup.
Uruguay coach Esteban Meneses made two changes to his starting lineup for Sunday’s Pool D match against Georgia, with Juan Pedro Rombys replacing Diego Arbelo at tighthead and Alejandro Nieto starting at No. 8 at the expense of Manuel Diana.
Felipe Berchesi, who scored 15 points in the 30-27 win over Fiji in Kamaishi, will again direct play from No. 10.
Uruguay: Gaston Mieres, Nicolas Freitas, Juan Manuel Cat, Andres Vilaseca, Rodrigo Silva, Felipe Berchesi, Santiago Arata; Alejandro Nieto, Santiago Civetta, Juan Manuel Gaminara (captain), Manuel Leindekar, Ignacio Dotti, Juan Pedro Rombys, German Kessler, Mateo Sanguinetti. Reserves: Facundo Gattas Juan Echeverria, Diego Arbelo, Diego Magno, Juan Diego Ormaechea, Manuel Ardao, Agustin Ormaechea, Leandro Leivas
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2:30 p.m.
Center Piers Francis has been cited for a dangerous tackle on U.S. fullback Will Hooley early in England’s win over the Americans at the Rugby World Cup.
Tournament organizers said Francis would attend a hearing in Tokyo chaired by New Zealand lawyer Nigel Hampton at a time to be confirmed.
Francis wasn’t punished by the on-field officials for the tackle during Thursday’s game. U.S. flanker John Quill later became the first player to be red carded at the 2019 tournament when he hit England’s Owen Farrell in a high, no-arms tackle in the 70th minute.
Australian winger Reece Hodge has been suspended for three games for making contact with the head of a Fijian rival with his shoulder during the Wallabies’ opening game.
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1:45 p.m.
Georgia coach Milton Haig has made 12 changes to his starting XV to take on Uruguay in a Pool D game at Kumagaya on Sunday.
Winger Giorgi Kveseladze, flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadze and lock Konstantine Mikautadze are the only players retained from the Georgia starting lineup that lost to Wales last Monday.
Veteran hooker Jaba Bregvadze, who was yellow-carded after going on as a replacement against Wales, will lead Georgia against a Uruguay squad that opened the tournament with an upset 30-27 win over Fiji.
Georgia lineup: Lasha Khmaladze, Zura Dzneladze, Giorgi Kveseladze, Lasha Malaguradze, Alexander Todua, Tedo Abzhandadze, Gela Aprasidze; Otari Giorgadze, Beka Saginadze, Shalva Sutiashvili, Konstantine Mikautadze, Lasha Lomidze, Levan Chilachava, Jaba Bregvadze (captain), Guram Gogichashvili. Reserves: Vano Karkadze, Beka Gigashvili, Giorgi Melikidze, Mamuka Gorgodze, Beka Gorgadze, Vasil Lobzhanidze, Merab Sharikadze, Soso Matiashvili.
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1:15 p.m.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland will start with the same XV for the crucial Pool D game against Australia as he did for the opening win over Georgia.
Veteran lock Alun Wyn Jones will lead the team in what will be his record 130th test cap for Wales, breaking a mark he shares with Gethin Jenkins.
The Six Nations champions opened with a 43-13 win over Georgia on Monday, two days after Australia opened with a 39-21 win over Fiji.
The winner of Sunday’s game at Tokyo Stadium is likely to top the group.
Wales lineup: Liam Williams, George North, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams, Dan Biggar, Gareth Davies; Josh Navidi, Justin Tipuric, Aaron Wainwright, Alun Wyn Jones (captain) Jake Ball, Tom Francis, Ken Owens, Wyn Jones. Reserves: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lewis, Aaron Shingler, Ross Moriarty, Tomos Williams, Rhys Patchell, Owen Watkin
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1 p.m.
Bernard Foley has been recalled to start at flyhalf for Australia in its crucial Pool D game against Wales.Foley kicked all of Australia’s points in a 15-6 win over Wales in the 2015 World Cup, and is one of five players retained from the squad that played in that group-stage match four years ago.
Foley and Will Genia will reunite in the halves after Christian Leali’ifano was cut from the 23-man match squad and scrumhalf Nic White was relegated to the bench.
Foley missed Australia’s opening 39-21 win over Fiji, when Leali’ifano started at 10. Genia’s entry as a second-half replacement helped swing momentum back to Australia against the Fijians.
Head coach Michael Chekia made two other changes to the starting XV, with Adam Ashley-Cooper set to start in his fourth World Cup as a replacement on the wing for the suspended Reece Hodge, and Dane Haylett-Petty starting at fullback at Kurtley Beale’s expense.
Cheika has stuck with the same backrow combination that started against Fiji, with David Pocock remaining on the blindside flank.
Australia lineup: Dane Haylett-Petty, Adam Ashley-Cooper, James O’Connor, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Isi Naisarani, Michael Hooper (captain), David Pocock, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda, Allan Alaalatoa, Tolu Latu, Scott Sio. Reserves: Jordan Uelese, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Adam Coleman, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nicholas White, Matt Toomua, Kurtley Beale.
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12:30 p.m.
All 20 teams have had a taste of Rugby World Cup action and now there’s a one-day pause in the tournament for some rest and relaxation.
There were 12 games in the opening seven days, starting with Japan’s win over Russia and also including defending champion New Zealand’s win over South Africa and France’s win against Argentina.
This weekend will feature three games on Saturday and two on Sunday, with Argentina kicking things off against Tonga in Osaka.
Japan faces Ireland and South Africa and Namibia meet later Saturday. Australia and Wales go head-to-head on Sunday.
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