It was endless entertainment in Toulouse today as Chile made an exciting World Cup debut, Japan though emerging triumphant and taking maximum points from a match featuring eight tries and three yellow cards.

Crossing the whitewash for Japan were a brace for lock Atamo Fakatava, Jone Naikabula, Michael Leitch, Ryoto Nakamura and substitute, Warner Dearns, all converted by the clinical kicking of fly-half, Rikiya Matsuda to cancel out Chile tries from Rodrigo Bruni and Alfonso Escobar.

Seeking to stun the rugby world in the same fashion as their opponents today eight years ago against South Africa, Chile enjoyed some early attacking but coughed up possession before Japan’s defence could be properly examined.

With Japan forced into a hasty rejig this morning after injury deprived them of captain, Kazuki Himeno, they were disjointed in the first few phases, Chile snapping at them ferociously.

Then, full-back Inaki Ayarza made a dazzling line break, feeding scrum half Marcelo Torrealba who calmly found support in his half back, Rodrigo Fernandez who spiralled over the line, the try given the green light by the TMO, history made in Chile’s first ever Rugby World Cup try!

Santiago Videla added the extras but almost immediately, the Brave Blossoms scythed Chile open from the restart, imposing lock, Amato Fakatava bursting through acres of space, an unstoppable surge which, allied with Rikiya Matsuda’s conversion drew us level at 7-7 in a breathless opening!

Spurred on, Japan piled on the pressure, twice declining kickable penalties in favour of the corner but they hadn’t reckoned on Chile’s physicality, the men in red tackling superbly to force a Japanese error and alleviate Japan’s attacking energy.

Featuring two sets of siblings across their starting fifteen, Chile’s brotherhood across the pitch shone through, even under the scorching sunlight of the Stade de Toulouse.

A blow though came in the twenty-fourth minute, the referee, Nic Berry and TMO concluding a yellow card was merited for Chilean prop, Matias Dittus, for foul play, in the form of a very mistimed hit on his opposite number, Jiwon Gu.

They saw off the first wave of renewed Japan attacks as the TMO bunker began their eight minutes review to decide if Dittus’ offence would stay at yellow or upgrade to red.  To their relief, Dittus’ sin bin offence would not be upgraded to further punishment.

Ten minutes before half time though, Japan made the extra man count, winger Jone Naikabula spotting space, sprinting, and wriggling through Chilean tackles brilliantly to dot down.  Matsuda masterfully converted to double his side’s advantage, 14-7 after half an hour.

Chile couldn’t enjoy their replenishment of fifteen players as two minutes before the break, captain, Martin Sigren, saw yellow for upending, unintentionally but late, Japan centre, Ryoto Nakamura, the TMO bunker once more called into action.

This time, Japan inflicted instant woe on the World Cup debutants, Fakatava thundering over from close-range after a rumbling maul drive.  Matsuda made it three from three with another pinpoint conversion from wide, giving Japan a fourteen-point lead over the interval.

A chaotic second half ensued with Japan losing a player of their own to the naughty step, centre, Dylan Riley yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on.

How Chile drew dividends, Fernandez conducting a ferociously high-octane attack, his kick gathered by the mesmerising feet of Ayarza, held up just short.  Not to be denied however, number eight Alfonso Escobar muscled over for Chile’s second score.

Japan responded with renewed offensive vigour of their own that resulted in experienced, Michael Leitch dynamically diving in under the posts, a try on his eighty-first international appearance as his fourth World Cup started with a bonus point performance, Matsuda unerringly adding two for 28-12.

The heat, over 30 degrees in Bordeaux, made itself felt as a brilliantly entertaining match lulled for parts of the second half, Japan with maximum points packed up despite an imperfect display.

Into the closing stages though and Japan pulled a party trick out from under their sleeve, a dominant scrum wheeling off as Naoto Saito took the ball, fresh legs pumping but brain ticking even faster as the replacement cleverly released the inside runner, Nakamura pounding across for try number five, converted with ease by Matsuda, taking his tally to ten from the kicking tee.

That became twelve with the last kick of the match, as substitute Warner Dearns drove through a tiring Chilean defence in the final minute, Matsuda making it a flattering, thirty-point margin of victory with the last act, his sixth successful conversion.

After this encounter, both sides are swiftly back in action next weekend, Chile facing Samoa on Saturday afternoon (2pm KO) at the Stade de Bordeaux.  They were a thrilling watch and will certainly have won even more goodwill following their spirit and tenacity today, if they can cut out the mistimed hits, they’ll be even more of a force to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile, the following evening (8pm KO), in Nice, the two early victors of the group meet, Japan facing England in a potentially pivotal Pool D clash, both teams perhaps seeking improvements in performance to take control of the group and their quarterfinal destiny.