TOKYO (AP) - The Latest on Day 11 of the Rugby World Cup (all times local):
12 a.m.
Samoa wing Ed Fidow has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday in Tokyo after being red-carded in the Pool A game against Scotland in Kobe.
Fidow was sent off for receiving two yellow cards, both of which led to penalty tries for Scotland, which won 34-0.
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9:20 p.m.
Scotland was given two penalty tries and Samoa winger Ed Fidow a red card for giving away both of them in a pressure-relieving 34-0 win for the Scots in Kobe.
Fidow collapsed a maul for his first yellow card, and slid in knees first to stop Sean Maitland scoring for his second sin-bin offense with five minutes to go. The two yellows added up to a red to keep Samoa’s terrible disciplinary record going at the World Cup. They had two yellows in their first game.
Scotland’s chances of making the quarterfinals would have been left hanging by a thread if it had slipped to a second straight loss in Pool A. They’re still by no means certain.
First-half tries by wing Maitland and scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw, and a dropped goal from distance by fullback Stuart Hogg put Scotland out of sight at Kobe Misaki Stadium. Hogg launched his drop from near halfway and wide out on the left wing to give Scotland a 20-0 halftime lead.
The two penalty tries came in the second and Scotland bounced back resoundingly from a 27-3 walloping by Ireland.
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8:10 p.m.
Scotland leads Samoa 20-0 at halftime after two tries in four minutes on a sweaty night under the roof at Kobe Misaki Stadium.
Both teams made errors galore in the first 30 minutes in difficult conditions as the roof seemed to exacerbate the humidity and heat and turn the Kobi Misaki into something like a greenhouse.
But the Scots kicked behind Samoa to put them under pressure and pounced for two tries at the end of the half.
Wing Sean Maitland collected a cross-kick by flyhalf Finn Russell for the first. Soon after, Russell broke and found flanker Jamie Ritchie in support. He fed scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw, who bounced out of Tim Nanai-Williams’ tackle and went over.
Fullback Stuart Hogg kicked a dropped goal from about 40 meters to stretch the lead and Scotland is in prime position to bounce back from a 27-3 loss to Ireland to starts its campaign in Pool A.
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7:20 p.m.
Scotland is under pressure to put its Rugby World Cup back on course against Samoa in Kobe.
Scotland was dominated in a 27-3 loss to Ireland in its first match in Pool A. Samoa beat Russia 34-9.
That victory came at a cost for Samoa. The Pacific Islanders lost four players to injury and suspensions, including hooker Motu Matu’u and center Rey Lee-Lo, who were banned for three games each for dangerous tackles. Samoa does have captain Jack Lam back from injury, though.
Scotland has lost just once in 11 tests against Samoa and won all three of their previous Rugby World Cup games.
Monday’s game under the roof at Kobe Misaki Stadium is the day’s only game at the World Cup.
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7:05 p.m.
Canada made six changes to the starting lineup in the loss to Italy for the Pool B match against New Zealand in Oita on Wednesday.
Canada was forced to replace centers Nick Blevins and Ben LeSage, who suffered tournament-ending injuries in losing to Italy 48-7 last Thursday.
Ciaran Hearn and Conor Trainor take their spots.
Canada has also changed half the pack, including both props. Loosehead Djustice Sears-Duru will make his first start in a Rugby World Cup after five appearances as a reserve.
Winger DTH van der Merwe will equal Canada’s record for the most World Cup appearances with Rod Snow and Jamie Cudmore. The winger and Trainor are the only survivors of Canada’s last match against New Zealand at the 2011 World Cup.
Canada: Patrick Parfrey, Jeff Hassler, Conor Trainor, Ciaran Hearn, DTH Van Der Merwe, Peter Nelson, Gordon McRorie; Tyler Ardron (captain), Matt Heaton, Lucas Rumball, Conor Keys, Evan Olmstead, Cole Keith, Eric Howard, Djustice Sears-Duru. Reserves: Andrew Quattrin, Hubert Buydens, Jake Ilnicki, Michael Sheppard, Josh Larsen, Phil Mack, Taylor Paris, Andrew Coe.
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4 p.m.
Japan coach Jamie Joseph, a former All Black, could one day coach New Zealand, incumbent Steve Hansen says.
Hansen is stepping down as All Blacks coach after this Rugby World Cup. Assistant Ian Foster is the favorite to succeed him, but Joseph’s guidance of Japan has put him in the conversation even though he hasn’t spelled out his post-tournament plans.
Joseph coached New Zealand Maori and Super Rugby’s Highlanders before he became Japan coach in 2016. Hansen has admired him from afar.
Asked about his prospects for the All Blacks position, Hansen says, “Jamie Joseph’s a very good coach. He didn’t become one overnight just because he coached Japan to beat Ireland.
“I always find it amusing, you beat someone and all of a sudden you’re a super coach. I hold the world record for the most losses in a row and the world record for the most wins in a row so what sort of coach am I?
“Coaching’s a lot more than just the results. Is he good enough to be an All Black coach? I think he is one day, I do. Am I picking the next coach? No.
“So there’s not much point even asking what my opinion is because those people who are appointing him won’t take any notice of it anyway, and probably rightly so.”
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2:45 p.m.
France’s players will wear black armbands in memory of former French President Jacques Chirac for Wednesday’s match against the United States in Fukuoka.
Chirac died last Thursday at the age of 86. He was president from 1995 to 2007.
The French Rugby Federation said a minute’s silence will be held before the game in agreement with World Rugby.
France called a national day of mourning on Monday and France’s players and staff members observed a minute’s silence before they began their training session.
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1:35 p.m.
Wales is back up to No. 2 and Ireland down to No. 4 in rugby’s world rankings after the Welsh beat Australia and the Irish were upset by Japan.
Japan moved up to No. 8, its highest placing in the 16-year history of the rankings, after beating Ireland 19-12 in the Rugby World Cup’s biggest stunner so far on Saturday.
New Zealand retains the No. 1 ranking it lost to Wales and then Ireland in the weeks before the Rugby World Cup in Japan. The All Blacks regained top spot from Ireland after holding off South Africa 23-13 in their Pool B opener in Yokohama nine days ago. New Zealand plays Canada in its second pool game on Wednesday.
In the rankings, England stays No. 3 and South Africa No. 5.
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12:25 p.m.
France has made 12 changes for the Pool C match against the United States in Fukuoka on Wednesday.
Only three players remain from the lineup which won 23-21 against Argentina: Flanker Arthur Iturria, center Gael Fickou and left winger Yoann Huget.
The game is going ahead as scheduled after World Rugby worried about nearby Typhoon Mitag However, weather information experts and the Japan Meteorological Agency confirm the typhoon is lessening in strength, and moving westward away from Japan’s coastline.
It “will not impact the match,” World Rugby said in a statement.
Fickou makes his 50th test appearance and is partnered in midfield by Sofiane Guitoune, who comes in for Virimi Vakatawa.
Camille Lopez, who kicked the winning dropped goal against the Pumas, starts in place of Romain Ntamack and will take penalties.
Thomas Ramos steps in for veteran Maxime Medard at fullback and gives France another kicking option.
An entirely new forward pack sees veteran No. 8 Louis Picamoles, who is appearing in his third World Cup, displace Gregory Alldritt and he captains the side instead of Guilhem Guirado, who is replaced at hooker by Camille Chat.
Mainstay props Jefferson Poirot and Rabah Slimani swap out for Cyril Baille and Emerick Setiano, respectively. Lock Sebastien Vahaamahina sits out for Paul Gabrillagues.
Guirado, Poirot, Slimani, Vahaamahina, Alldritt, Ntamack and Medard are among the reserves.
The other reserve is scrumhalf Baptiste Serin and Antoine Dupont, who started against Argentina, drops out of the matchday 23.
At the World Cup four years ago, the French used a similar turnover and made 13 changes for their second game.
France: Thomas Ramos, Alivereti Raka, Sofiane Guitoune, Gael Fickou, Yoann Huget, Camille Lopez, Maxime Machenaud; Louis Picamoles (captain), Yacouba Camara, Arthur Iturria, Paul Gabrillagues, Bernard Le Roux, Emerick Setiano, Camille Chat, Cyril Baille. Reserves: Guilhem Guirado, Jefferson Poirot, Rabah Slimani, Sebastien Vahaamahina, Gregory Alldritt, Baptiste Serin, Romain Ntamack, Maxime Medard.
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11:50 a.m.
New Zealand has made 11 changes from the starting XV that beat South Africa for its second Pool B match against Canada on Wednesday in Oita.
Only lock Scott Barrett and captain and No. 8 Kieran Read in the forwards, and flyhalf Richie Mo’unga and fullback Beauden Barrett in the backs kept their starting spots after defeating the Springboks 23-13 in Yokohama nine days ago.
The two Barretts are starting with their third brother, Jordie, who is on the right wing. They will be the second trio of brothers to start in a Rugby World Cup match behind the Vunipola brothers in 1995 for Tonga. Elisi and Manu Vunipola started against France, and Fe’ao came off the bench to become the first trio to play in the same game. Four days later, against Scotland they all started.
New Zealand: Beauden Barrett, Jordie Barrett, Jack Goodhue, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Richie Mo’unga, TJ Perenara; Kieran Read (captain), Matt Todd, Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Angus Ta’avao, Liam Coltman, Atu Moli. Reserves: Codie Taylor, Ofa Tuungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Sam Whitelock, Ardie Savea, Brad Weber, Ryan Crotty, Ben Smith.
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11:45 a.m.
Scotland and Samoa meet in Pool A on Monday as the Rugby World Cup group-stage approaches the halfway mark.
The Scots are coming off a 27-3 loss to Ireland, which then lost in a World Cup shocker to host Japan. The Samoans opened with a win over Russia but have been forced to reshuffle the lineup because of injuries and the suspension of two players for high tackles.
The second weekend off the tournament culminated with Six Nations champion Wales holding off a resurgent Australian lineup on Sunday night to take control of Pool D.
There’s a rest day on Tuesday, before the defending champion All Blacks are back in action on Wednesday against Canada.
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