But being dropped hurt

Tours, as much as I love them, they can drag on a bit. We’ve been away for more than four weeks now but I haven’t felt any discontent. Everyone is enjoying themselves.

“I guess we’re getting to the pressure stage where it’s do or die.”

The atmosphere at the 50,000-capacity Ecopa Stadium, which was built for the 2002 football World Cup, is set to be a high-pitched one with 16,000 local school children in attendance.

“We went to a school in Kobe and there was about 500 there. It was pretty hectic but in a good way,” said Barclay.

“There was a lot of energy. This country has a lot of enthusiasm for everything but rugby in particular.

“For me, Japan have embraced this World Cup completely. You go to schools and there are things written and drawn about you and the whole school is covered in stuff about Scottish rugby.

“I don’t even know if they 2 Scotland flanker John Barclay during the captain’s run at the Shizuoka Ecopa Stadium, where he will win his 76th cap and lead the team out against Russia this morning. have watched a game of rugby. But they are embracing it. The Japanese people get behind it.

“The way we try to play, is to play a fast, open brand of rugby which should be exciting for them to watch.” • Our Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup coverage is brought to you in association with Castle Water www.castlewater.co.uk