Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

The crowd are absolutely desperate for their team to get off their own line. Goodness knows what they will be like when they're at the other end.

Hearts in mouth all around Tokyo Stadium as Japan fly-half Yu Tamura is charged down attempting to clear his lines...

The ball bobbles just over the dead-ball line before a Russia hand can get downward pressure.

The hosts have been well under the cosh so far. And they have put-in to a scrum five out...

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

Being in Japan is breaking new ground for the sport. Russia will be emotionally charged up.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Tokyo Stadium

Thirty seconds on the clock and there is already some very organised chanting from Japan fans. There's a shout of something then three quick claps.

This is what we came for.

Russia earn a penalty as Japan fail to roll away.

Now, points or the potential for a try? Russia opt for the latter.

The ball is kicked to the corner. Russia looking to launch the driving maul from five out.

Here we go...

Two minutes late, we are up and running.

And Japan fail to claim the kick-off. Russia hooker Stanislav Selskii nabs the ball and rumbles in the hosts 22m.

Not the start that was in the script!

Chris Jones
BBC rugby union correspondent in Japan

I don't think there is a team in the group that Japan will fear. I still think Ireland and Scotland will go through but I think the hosts will give some teams an almighty scare.

Ben: I want Japan to do really well. After England, I think I'm a Japan fan...

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live

Japan have to get off to fast start but there is always that pressure of over-egging it and not focusing on the job in hand.

The top two inches has to be in the fridge but the rest of the body has to be on fire.

Heads back, eyes closed, unexpectedly jaunty facial hair in place.

Russia do their national ditty justice with full-back and captain Vasily Artemyev's wing commander moustache bristling at the prospect of the off...

Kick off is next. Nigel Owens is on the whistle...

There are some moist eyes and trembling bottom lips as the Japanese national anthem rings out around Tokyo Stadium.

A nation in harmony.

Now, for the growl of the Russian bear...

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Tokyo Stadium

Oriental drumming to welcome the teams onto the pitch?

Just putting it out there: I want all World Cups to be in Asia.

What a moment.

Japan captain Michael Leitch leads his side out of the dressing room and brings them to a halt side-by-side with their Russian counterparts.

From out on the pitch, there is a rumble.

It grows and grows as a phalanx of drummers pound the pigskin to welcome the teams.

A nod from an off-camera official and Leitch begins the Brave Blossoms' final steps into a home World Cup.

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Tokyo Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Japan captain Michael Leitch it a pretty popular guy round here. They announced the team one by one on the big screen and he got possibly the loudest cheer I've heard all evening.

Image source, Getty

Russia coach Lyn Jones, a former Wales international and Ospreys boss, has included Sale prop Valery Morozov in his starting XV, one of only two players who play their club rugby outside of Russia.

Second row Andrei Ostrikov, who moved to Grenoble from Sale at the end of the season, is the other.

Former Northampton wing Vasily Artemyev, who now plays for Krasny Yar, captains the side from full-back.

Russia:Artemyev; Davydov, Ostroushko, Gerasimov, Golosnitskiy; Kushnarev, Dorofeev; Morozov, Selskii, Gotovtsev, Ostrikov, Fedotko, Zhivatov, Gadzhiev, Vavilin

Replacements:Matveev, Polivalov, Bitiev, Garbuzov, Sychev, Perov, Gaisin, Sozonov

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Tokyo Stadium

Superb.

Japan are walking back into the tunnel in an arrowhead formation with a hand on each other's shoulders. They mean business.

Predictably, the crowd loved it.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty

Japan are without wing Kenki Fukuoka and back row Amanaki Mafi for their Rugby World Cup opener against Russia.

Both picked up injuries in the heavy defeat by South Africa earlier this month, with Fukuoka, scorer of 21 tries in 34 Tests, suffering a calf injury and Mafi hurting his shoulder.

Japan: Tupou; Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Lemeki; Tamura, Nagare; Inagaki, Horie, Valu; Van der Walt, Moore; Leitch, Labuschagne, Himeno.

Replacements:Sakate, Nakajima, Ji-won, Thompson, Tui, Tanaka, Matsuda, Yamanaka

Becky Grey
BBC Sport at Tokyo Stadium

The big screens have been explaining how line-outs and scrums work to the crowd, maybe a sign they’re expecting some new rugby fans in.

Matt Dawson
England World Cup winner

The closer we get to the tournament, the more I fancy England. They are in a trio of top-tier contenders with New Zealand and South Africa.

But, for now, with less than an hour before Japan and Russia meet in the tournament's first game, the Rugby World Cup is only posing questions.

You can read my exclusive column here.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

In the 1970s they had ping-pong diplomacy.

Come the twenty-teens and he have boat-race diplomacy.

Japanese and Russian fans have been bringing down the language barrier using a time-honoured drinking game.

Winner gets the Kuril Islands yeah?