HOW WORLD CUP IS SHAPING UP AS TEAMS BATTLE TO REACH THE LAST EIGHT...

POOL A

PW

Japan 3 3

Ireland 3 2 0 1 74

Scotland 2 1 0 1 37

Samoa 3 1 0 2 53

Russia 3 0 0 3 19

REMAINING POOL FIXTURES

Tomorrow Scotland v Russia Shizuoka, 8.15am Saturday Ireland v Samoa Fukuoka, 11.45am Sunday Japan v Scotland Yokohama, 11.45am 22 27 81 99 3 1 1 0 11 5 5 0

Hosts Japan will win Pool A if they defeat Scotland on Sunday and are most likely to face South Africa, who they beat in Brighton in 2015, in the quarter-finals. If Ireland take second, it’s almost certainly the All Blacks for them, but Scotland could still squeeze through if they beat both Russia and Japan with bonus points.

POOL B

New Zealand South Africa Italy

Canada Namibia

Today Saturday Sunday PWD 3 3 0 3 2 0 3 2 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 2 3 119 98 7 34 29 78 111 175 2 2 0 0 10 10 0 0

South Africa v Canada Kobe, 11.15am New Zealand v Italy Toyota, 5.45am Namibia v Canada Kamaishi, 4.15am

New Zealand set the tone for this pool when beating South Africa and with victory expected against Italy on Saturday, the back-to-back champions are set to top their group and face the runners-up in Pool A. The Springboks look set for second place here and a clash with the winners of the opening pool.

POOL C

England (Q) France (Q) Argentina Tonga

USA

Tomorrow Saturday Sunday 3 3 3 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 2 79 59 36 16 51 74 86 78 1 2 1 0 13 6 1 0

Argentina v USA Kumagaya, 5.45am England v France Yokohama, 9.15am USA v Tonga Higashiosaka, 6.45am

Saturday’s ‘Le Crunch’ is going to decide who tops this pool after England and France made it through to the last eight with few problems. The winner will probably face Australia, while the runners-up Wales. The All Blacks are expected to lie in wait in the semi-finals for the winners of this pool.

POOL D

Australia Wales Fiji Georgia Uruguay PW 3 2 2 2 3 1 3 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2

Tomorrow Wales v Fiji Friday Aus v Georgia Sunday Wales v Uruguay 72 93 57 47 39 79 95 105 1 3 1 0 9 7 5 4

Oita, 10.45am Shizuoka, 11.15am Kumamoto, 9.15am

Wales still have two to play and having beaten Australia, they are the favourites to top Pool D and come up against the losers of England v France. If successful in their quarter-final clash, Warren Gatland’s side are then scheduled to face South Africa — who they have only beaten six times in 35 Tests — in the semi-finals.