Shizuoka (Japan) (AFP)

Scotland no longer has a choice: the improved victory of Japan in front of Samoa forces the XV of the Thistle to beat Russia, Wednesday (9:15 am, 07:15 GMT) in Shizuoka, to offer a shock at the top, tunes of the round of 16, facing host country Sunday.

The try of Kotaro Matsushima, the fourth of Japan against Samoa (38-19), after five minutes of play time, finally clarified things for the Scots: finished the calculations, they have two games left to win, if possible with the bonus, to see the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

An improved success in front of the Russian Bears would bring the Thistle to four points from Japan and one from Ireland, who faces Samoa on the last day.

The first step is through Russia to Shizuoka. "You have to try to treat this match as one of the most important games of your life - that's the context for us - there's no bigger match: you play for a quarterback position" hooker Fraser Brown.

Same story for the "star" Greig Laidlaw, dispensed from the match like most of the team executives, left at rest for the shock against the Japanese.

- Like Japan of 2015 -

"It's pretty clear for us: we have to do the job against Russia, but we can not look any further.If we succeed in this match, we will enter a good dynamic, with two successive victories, before Japan" , points out the scrum half.

For Scotland must succeed a feat she has not achieved in 20 years: win three games in a row at a World Cup.

In addition to the pressure of the result, Gregor Townsend and his staff must manage the four days between the two appointments of the week. Also, the coach chose to make ... 14 changes in the team that started against Samoa (34-0).

But the situation in Scotland is the same as that of Japan in the 2015 edition in England, where his victory against South Africa, the famous "Miracle of Brighton", was followed four days later by a 45-10 defeat against ... the Scots.

"It's fair because it's part of the competition, that's how it's organized," Brown said.

"There are five-day deadlines in the league, there are five-day deadlines between the championship and the European Cup," said the Glasgow Warriors. "You just have to deal with it."

In any case, the Scots do not really have a choice.

© 2019 AFP