Pool A of the 2019 Rugby World Cup began on 20 September 2019. The pool included hosts Japan, and previous 2015 Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists Ireland and Scotland. They were joined by the European qualifier, Russia, and Samoa, the winner of the European-Oceania Cross-Regional play-off.
Japan won all four of their matches, including surprise victories over both Ireland and Scotland, to finish top of the pool and become the first Asian nation to reach a Rugby World Cup quarter-final. Ireland picked up a bonus point in each of their matches, and their victory over Scotland in their opening pool match proved the difference between the two sides in the hunt for second place. Samoa finished in fourth place, their only win coming against bottom-placed Russia.
The opening match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup was played in Pool A with Japan scoring a 30–10 win over Russia. Kotaro Matsushima became the first Japanese player to score a hat-trick at a World Cup. For the Russian side, Kirill Golosnitsky scored the first try of the tournament after four minutes – the fastest try ever scored in the opening match of a World Cup. [1] Two days later, Ireland defeated Scotland 27–3. [2] On 24 September, Samoa played their first match against Russia in Kumagaya. Despite Samoa's being reduced to 13 men after Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu'u were sin-binned within two minutes of each other, Russia could not capitalise on their advantage and Samoa went on to win 34–9. [3] Four days later, hosts Japan defeated Ireland 19–12, scoring four out of six penalties. While it was an upset win for Japan, World Rugby later admitted three of the four offside penalties were incorrectly awarded to Japan. [4] [5] Kenki Fukuoka scored a try in the 58th minute to give Japan a two-point lead after Ireland's Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney had scored the opening two tries. Yu Tamura's conversion and fourth successful penalty kick sealed the result for Japan. [6] Scotland recorded their first victory of the World Cup with a 34–0 whitewash victory over Samoa in muggy conditions in Kobe, with Samoan captain Jack Lam stating that the rugby ball was "a bar of soap." [7]
Three days later, Kobe Misaki Stadium held another match in Pool A – this time it was Ireland, who would whitewash their opponents (Russia) in a 35–0 victory with five different players getting tries for the Irish. The Irish though, did not have everything go right with Jordi Murphy being subbed off in the 27th minute due to a possible rib injury, which added to the Irish back row pain after losing Jack Conan earlier in the tournament. [8] Japan recorded their third victory over Samoa in Toyota with a 85th minute try from Kotaro Matsushima sealing the Japanese a 38–19 bonus point victory. [9] Russia in the final match of the tournament was hammered by Scotland 61–0 with George Horne scoring a hat-trick as the Scots became the first team in World Cup history to not concede a point from two World Cup matches. [10] A red card to Bundee Aki in the 29th minute forced Ireland to go down to 14 men but that was the only blemish with Ireland winning 47–5 over Samoa in Fukuoka. Johnny Sexton scoring two tries for the Irish. [11] Typhoon Hagibis saw the Japan–Scotland match under threat with the Scottish Rugby Union demanding legal action if it was cancelled. [12] But after an inspection deemed the match to go ahead, [13] Japan held their nerve against a fast-finishing Scotland to take home a 28–21 victory with Kenki Fukuoka scoring two tries. The win saw Japan become the first Tier 2 team to qualify since 2007, as they topped the group while Ireland finished in second place. [14]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | T | B | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 115 | 62 | +53 | 13 | 3 | 19 | Advanced to the quarter-finals and qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup |
| 2 |  Ireland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 121 | 27 | +94 | 18 | 4 | 16 | |
| 3 |  Scotland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 55 | +64 | 16 | 3 | 11 | Eliminated but qualified for 2023 Rugby World Cup |
| 4 |  Samoa | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 58 | 128 | −70 | 8 | 1 | 5 | |
| 5 |  Russia | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 160 | −141 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
All times are local Japan Standard Time (UTC+09)
| 20 September 2019 19:45 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Japan | 30–10 | Russia |
| Try: Matsushima (3) 12' m, 39' c, 69' c Labuschagné 47' m Con: Tamura (1/3) 40' Matsuda (1/1) 71' Pen: Tamura (2/2) 44', 64' | Report | Try: Golosnitski 5' c Con: Kushnarev (1/1) 6' Pen: Kushnarev (1/1) 61' |
| Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu Attendance: 45,745 Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales) |
         Japan |     Russia |
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| 22 September 2019 16:45 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Ireland | 27–3 | Scotland |
| Try: Ja. Ryan 6' c Best 14' m Furlong 25' c Conway 56' m Con: Sexton (1/2) 8' Murray (1/2) 27' Pen: Carty (1/1) 68' | Report | Pen: Laidlaw (1/1) 21' |
| International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama Attendance: 63,731 [15] Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
    Ireland |     Scotland |
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| 24 September 2019 19:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| Russia | 9–34 | Samoa (1 BP) |
| Pen: Kushnarev (2/2) 19', 26' Drop: Kushnarev (1/1) 48' | Report | Try: Leiua (2) 16' m, 80' m Amosa 45' m Fidow (2) 49' c, 53' c Lee-Lo 63' m Con: Pisi (2/5) 50', 54' |
| Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Kumagaya Attendance: 22,564 Referee: Romain Poite (France) |
   Russia |    Samoa |
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| 28 September 2019 16:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| Japan | 19–12 | Ireland (1 BP) |
| Try: Fukuoka 59' c Con: Tamura (1/1) 61' Pen: Tamura (4/6) 18', 34', 40', 72' | Report | Try: Ringrose 14' m Kearney 21' c Con: Carty (1/2) 22' |
| Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi Attendance: 47,813 Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia) |
Japan | Ireland |
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| 30 September 2019 19:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Scotland | 34–0 | Samoa |
| Try: Maitland 30' c Laidlaw 34' c Penalty try (2) 57', 75' Con: Laidlaw (2/2) 31', 36' Pen: Laidlaw (1/1) 9' Drop: Hogg (1/1) 38' | Report |
| Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe Attendance: 27,586 Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France) |
Scotland | Samoa |
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| 3 October 2019 19:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Ireland | 35–0 | Russia |
| Try: Kearney 2' c O'Mahony 13' c Ruddock 35' c Conway 62' c Ringrose 76' c Con: Sexton (3/3) 4', 15', 37' Carty (2/2) 63', 77' | Report |
| Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe Attendance: 26,856 Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France) |
Ireland | Russia |
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| 5 October 2019 19:30 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Japan | 38–19 | Samoa |
| Try: Lafaele 28' c Himeno 53' c Fukuoka 76' m Matsushima 80+5' c Con: Tamura (3/4) 29', 55', 80+7' Pen: Tamura (4/5) 3', 8', 24', 51' | Report | Try: Taefu 73' c Con: Taefu (1/1) 74' Pen: Taefu (4/5) 10', 15', 34', 45' |
| City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota Attendance: 39,695 Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) |
Japan | Samoa |
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| 9 October 2019 16:15 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Scotland | 61–0 | Russia |
| Try: Hastings (2) 14' c, 18' c G. Horne (3) 22' c, 45' c, 59' m Turner 51' c Seymour 56' c Barclay 75' c McInally 78' c Con: Hastings (8/9) 15', 20', 24', 46', 53', 57', 76', 80' | Report |
| Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi Attendance: 44,123 Referee: Wayne Barnes (England) |
Scotland | Russia |
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| 12 October 2019 19:45 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Ireland | 47–5 | Samoa |
| Try: Best 4' c Furlong 10' c Sexton (2) 21' c, 39' m Larmour 48' c Stander 65' c Conway 70' c Con: Sexton (4/5) 5', 11', 23', 50 Carbery (2/2) 67', 72' | Report | Try: J. Lam 26' m |
| Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium, Fukuoka Attendance: 17,967 Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) |
Ireland | Samoa |
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| 13 October 2019 19:45 JST (UTC+09) |
| (1 BP) Japan | 28–21 | Scotland (1 BP) |
| Try: Matsushima 18' c Inagaki 26' c Fukuoka (2) 40' c, 43' c Con: Tamura (4/4) 20', 27', 40+2', 44' | Report | Try: Russell 7' c Nel 50' c Fagerson 55' c Con: Laidlaw (2/2) 8', 51' Russell (1/1) 56' |
| International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama Attendance: 67,666 Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) |
Japan |  Scotland |
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| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Rugby World Cup 2019: Japan v Scotland on YouTube |
