By NICK CAIN

Hero: Kotaro Matsushima completes his hat-trick for Japan

A HAT-TRICK of tries by dashing wing Kotaro Matsushima put the gloss on a Japanese win over a gritty Russian side in the opening match of the 2019 tournament at the Tokyo Stadium.
However, Russia who are 20th in the World Rankings, ten places below Japan, proved to be a much harder hurdle to clear than the host nation expected.
Although Matsushima’s sharp finishing and an opportunist try by flanker Pieter Labuschagne earned Japan a winning bonus point in front of a festive 50,000 crowd, a lack of precision could...