by Staff Writer 13-10-2019 | 6:33 PM
Scotland withstood both a typhoon and an earthquake on the eve of their win-or-bust showdown with Japan but found themselves blown out of the World Cup as the super-charged hosts claimed a 28-21 win in Yokohama. Gregor Townsend's men needed an eight-point triumph to book a quarter-final slot and it looked promising when Finn Russell put them ahead early.
But the Brave Blossoms hit back with a series of ceaseless attacks as they repeatedly crashed through the Dark Blues to secure top spot in Pool A and a rematch with their 2015 victims South Africa in Tokyo next Sunday.
Kenki Fukuoka grabbed a double, while star winger Kotaro Matsushima scored his fifth of the tournament - but it was prop Keita Inagaki who finished off a stunning move that will be hard to beat for try of the tournament. Scotland refused to go down without a fight but second-half scores from forwards WP Nel and Zander Fagerson were not enough to prevent the Scots from suffering their second pool exit in three tournaments.
Script Courtesy to Telegraph News