Scotland put on a great performance in the Rugby World Cup on Wednesday with their bonus point win over Russia, holding on to their quarter-final dream.
Gregor Townsend’s men earned their biggest win in 15 years by beating Russia 61-0, running in nine tries against the group.
That means Scotland now have ten points in the pool, with Ireland one point ahead, and Japan four points ahead, who they face next in Yokohama on Sunday.
Although it remains uncertain where or when the two sides will face off, with Typhoon Hagibis forecasted to hit the Tokyo area and World Rugby yet to announce their contingency plans, one thing is certain: with a quarter-final place on the line, it needs to be a lavish win for Scotland.
READ MORE: Scotland could face elimination from Rugby World Cup due to Typhoon Hagibis
What do Scotland need to do to qualify for the World Rugby Cup quarter-final?
Getting the bonus point five minutes into the second half against Russia has gone a long way in giving Scotland a realistic chance to qualify and will also have boosted the team’s confidence.
However, going up against the hosts will be no easy task.
There are a few ways that Scotland can progress through to the next stage of the competition.
One way is that they would need to beat Japan by eight points or more. This would deny Jamie Joseph’s men a losing bonus point.
Another way would be if Scotland score four tries or more to win with a bonus point, but that also relies on Japan not scoring four tries and to lose by less than eight.
Lastly, the other way would be if Scotland beat Japan and hope that Samoa also beat Ireland.
Ireland take on Samoa on Saturday kicking off at 11:45am (7:45pm in Japanese time) before Scotland face Japan on Sunday at 11:45am.
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