The World Cup is upon us and with it comes a host of young players looking to make a name for themselves on the global stage. Sportsmail take a look at the best emerging talent on display in Japan.
RORY KEANE: This Ireland squad were primed to reach a first-ever World Cup semi-final, and possibly more. But they have been seemingly in free-fall since the events of February 2 at the Aviva.
Rugby World Cup tournament is two weeks away with Japan currently being hit by typhoon Faxai. Find out the rules in place should games be disrupted by weather meaning they have to be cancelled.
Over a long and distinguished career, Brian O'Driscoll became adept at dealing with everything and anything thrown his way.
With the World Cup set to begin on Friday, nobody can predict which side will lift the Webb Ellis trophy on November 2. Sir Clive Woodwood has run the rule on every side in Japan.
Sportsmail provide a breakdown of how points are won and lost during the Rugby World Cup as 20 teams look reach the final in Japan and how teams can obtain the bonus points in Japan.
Our first home nation clash of the Rugby World Cup and hopefully not last will see Ireland take on Scotland in their pool A clash. Follow live score, substitutions, sin bins and more right here.
Ireland delivered on their promise to hit form when it mattered most by stunning Scotland 27-3 with a bonus-point blitz to launch their Japanese World Cup quest in style.
Gregor Townsend confessed it 'doesn't look good' for Hamish Watson after admitting the Scotland flanker's World Cup might be over already. The Dark Blues suffered a 27-3 mauling from Ireland.
Scotland's World Cup hopes have suffered a third major blow in as many days after scrum-half Ali Price was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament.
One week and 12 matches in the Rugby World Cup and we have our first rest day, which seems a natural time to take stock ahead of a jam-packed weekend. Here is our team of the week...
RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Carty starts only his second Test in place of conductor-in-chief Johnny Sexton, who is out with a groin injury. Schmidt reckons Carty has the right stuff.
Japan claimed one of the greatest upsets in rugby history, four years after their historic win over South Africa.
Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt admitted Japan had raised their game to 'furious' levels after stunning them 19-12 in Shizuoka.
RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Japan shocked the globe for the second time in four years by stunning Ireland 19-12 to light a bomb under Pool A and a fire under their home World Cup.
RORY KEANE IN SHIZUOKA: Johnny Sexton has challenged Ireland to channel the hurt of the loss to Japan into their final pool games with Russia and Samoa.
Ireland picked up the bonus point they needed but were made to work hard for it by a stubborn Russian side. Russia spent 20 minutes down to 14 men in the middle of the match.
Sportsmail provide you with everything you need to know for Rugby World Cup 2019 including pool fixtures, channel and results in Japan.
Sexton captained Ireland for the first time on Thursday, but he was replaced by Jack Carty for the second-half of his side's five-try win over the Bears.
RORY KEANE AT THE MISAKI PARK STADIUM: Job done. Ireland got their World Cup campaign back on a track with a bonus-point win over Russia in Kobe, but this was another worrying performance.
RORY KEANE IN FUKUOKA: Fourteen-man Ireland sealed their place in the World Cup quarter finals with a seven-try victory over Samoa here in Fukuoka, but Bundee Aki's red card will be a worry.
Bundee Aki was sent off in the 29th minute after a high tackle at Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium and faces a multiple-game suspension, souring the win that put Ireland through to the quarters.
Johnny Sexton has questioned the 'strange' negativity around Ireland's World Cup campaign, insisting Joe Schmidt's men are ready to peak for the All Blacks.
Bundee Aki will miss the rest of the World Cup after receiving a three-match ban for his red card against Samoa. The Ireland centre was sent off in the 47-5 win for a high tackle on UJ Seuteni.
WORLD CUP DIARY: Johnny Sexton was as combative off the field as he is on it on Monday, questioning the media coverage of Ireland's World Cup.
All Blacks boss Steve Hansen lit the fuse on a potentially explosive week on Monday by vowing to lay false traps for Ireland's master tactician and head coach Joe Schmidt.
SCRUM'S THE WORD: South Africa star Cheslin Kolbe has warned that a new wave of pint-sized wingers are ready to explode into life at the World Cup.
'Sean aggravated a pre-existing neck muscle complaint and has been ruled out of the remainder of RWC19,' read an Irish Rugby Football Union statement.
NIK SIMON IN TOKYO: Hansen owns a share of Nature Strip, who will run in the $14million sprint race in Sydney. Coach is focused on the All Blacks' quest for a third straight World Cup title.
WORLD CUP DIARY: Uruguay's legacy at this World Cup has been tainted after a drunken bar fracas the weekend before they flew home.
The Rugby World Cup kicked off four weeks ago today and now, via 50 pool stage matches, we are down to eight teams. Sportsmail tells you all need to know about the quarter-finals.
Johnny Sexton has predicted that New Zealand will be cleaner in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Ireland following a bruising encounter in Dublin three years ago.
RORY KEANE IN TOKYO: Ireland have a shot at history here on Saturday, with the All Blacks standing in the way of a place in the World Cup semi-finals.
All Blacks take on Ireland in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final clash in Japan as they look to progress to the semi-final to take on either England or Australia. Follow LIVE ACTION RIGHT HERE.
RORY KEANE AT TOKYO STADIUM: Dear, oh dear. Ireland's abysmal record in World Cup quarter finals continued in Tokyo as a rampant All Blacks outfit romped to a seven-try victory.
Sportsmail provide you with everything you need to know for Rugby World Cup 2019 including knockout stage fixtures, channel and results in Japan.
Siya Kolisi succeeds Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton as holder of the Pat Marshall Memorial Award after being recognised at the RUWC's annual dinner in central London.
There had been plans to stage the meeting behind closed doors, but despite participants taking part in routine exercise on Sunday morning, the announcement was made by the afternoon.
Giacinti opened the scoring following a goalmouth scramble inside 15 minutes, while Galli double Le Azzurre's lead four minutes into the second half with a long range strike.
Bucharest police have questioned 17 football fans after clashes at the World Cup qualifier between Romania and Poland on Friday.
Goals from Eric Dier and Marcus Rashford saw England come from behind to defeat Slovakia 2-1 to take a giant step towards qualifying for the World Cup next summer.
The 32 teams contesting next summer's World Cup in Russia have now been decided with Peru becoming the final team to earn a place after their victory over New Zealand on Wednesday night.
The countdown to the 2018 World Cup ramps up significantly on Friday when the draw for next summer's tournament in Russia takes place. Sportsmail previews how it will all happen.
Spain are paired in the same group as Portugal for the World Cup next summer, while Russia host Saudi Arabia in the tournament's opening game as England are handed favourable draw.
The World Cup is always an intense battle of the best national football teams in the world to see who comes out on top, but there is another contest going on - the battle of the kits.
The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2018 is on after the draw for the finals in Russia — and here is your brilliant Mail on Sunday wallchart to get yourself ready for the tournament.
Get yourself ready for the World Cup with our brilliant sweepstake kit. It's a fun way for you and your friends to follow the tournament - and have someone to cheer on when England go out!
Bayern Munich striker appeared hard at work on Monday as Adam Nawalka's squad trained ahead the tournament. Poland have two friendlies still to play against Chile and Lithuania.
Whether you storm to glory or go out early, a World Cup strip can sometimes be the most memorable aspect of a team's tournament. Sportsmail ranks all the 2018 strips here.
Here is the full fixture list for the World Cup in Russia. We've split them up day by day and also by group to make it easy to follow and plan which games you will be watching.