LONDON — Japan will not feel intimidated in the slightest when it bids for another notable Rugby World Club scalp Wednesday, following up its heroics against South Africa with a trip to Gloucester to tackle an exciting but inexperienced Scotland. Pundits suggest that Scotland should win the Pool B clash, but Japan has become fan favorite and chants of support for the Brave Blossoms will ring out at Kingsholm to fill the void left by tournament organizers' bagpipes ban. If they weren't already, Scotland's players will be well aware of what to expect from Japan, which made the rest of the rugby world sit up and take notice with Saturday's triumph over the Springboks. Scotland has made it to the semifinal stage once before, but that was more than two decades ago. In the previous tournament it failed to make it beyond the group stage and it finished last in this year's Six Nations. In previous meetings between the sides, Scotland has been able to dominate physically and in 2004 it ran in 14 tries against the Japanese in a 100-8 victory. That will not be the case on Wednesday. Japan is master of the scything chop tackle and under the tutorship of Australian coach Eddie Jones has added an aggression factor that blunted the Springboks at the weekend. France banks on Fofana for flair against Romania France's second match at the Rugby World Cup is a chance for players to impress coach Philippe Saint-Andre when they take on Romania in Pool D at the Olympic Stadium Wednesday. With only four days rest after a 32-10 victory over Italy at Twickenham, Saint-Andre has made 13 changes to his team, possibly a risk but something he was planning all along. Center Wesley Fofana returns from injury and it is an opportunity for Fiji-born wing Noa Nakaitaci to prove himself after a mediocre performance against the Azzurri. Saint-Andre is hoping Fofana can inject traditional French flair into the back line which was missing Saturday with centers Mathieu Bastareaud and Alexandre Dumoulin powerful but predictable with their lack of a change of pace. France faces a very experienced Romania side with three players in its squad at its fourth World Cup, prop Paulica Ion and flyhalf Danut Dumbrava in the starting XV and back-row forward Ovidiu Tonita on the bench. Wallabies, Fiji ready to entertain In Cardiff, with Australia and Fiji pledging to stick to their traditions of attacking rugby, Cardiff should be in for a cracking contest when the Pool A rivals clash at the Millennium Stadium Wednesday. The Wallabies, winners of both previous World Cups played in Britain, finally get their campaign under way six days into the tournament and will be strong favorites to start with a win over the Pacific Islanders. After Japan's victory over the Springboks on Saturday, however, no one is taking anything for granted and Fiji showed enough in its defeat against England to suggest that it is capable of an upset if everything comes together. Playing under a closed roof should facilitate the famed running game of both sides, even if some players in the first two matches in Cardiff have complained that the humidity can make the ball slippery. — Agencies
