With 10 minutes to go, Japan would have thought that they were safe from Samoa. Yet, a self-converted try from Taefu in the 72nd minute brought the score back up to 26-19 to keep Samoa within seven points on their rivals.

Just two minutes later the home crowd was wildly celebrating as Kenki Fukuoka touched down on the wing to make the game safe at 31-19.

As the gong went for the full time and with Japan chasing a bonus point, the Japanese pack overturned Samoa scrum five meters from the try line. Two big scrums later and Matsushima had stepped past two Samoan defenders to send the stadium into pandemonium.

In the afternoon kickoff in the capital, Argentina took on England to try and stay in the tournament, after a disappointing opening loss to France.

A 10th-minute red card for Argentina's Tomas Lavanini overshadowed the contest in the second game of the day as England strolled past the Pumas.

An early try for England in the eighth minute immediately put Argentina on the back foot, in a game described by Argentine head coach Mario Ledesma as their "World Cup Final."

This was a game that Argentina had to win to stay in the competition and with the pressure mounting in the first ten, frustrations boiled over and a high tackle on England captain Owen Farrell by Lavanini soon gave the South Americans a mountain to climb.

By the half time break, Argentina, already fatigued, only had a solitary penalty for all the hard work they were forced to put in to make up for England's extra man. The score at the break stood at 15-3, following two further England tries, however, missed conversion by Farrell, perhaps still feeling that high tackle, gave Argentina a slim opportunity to get back into the game in the second half.

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