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.

Brian O'Driscoll praised Japan and poured scorn on Ireland's performance after the Brave Blossoms produced a stunning World Cup upset. 

With prop Demba Bamba out with a thigh problem, France announced on social media that Uini Atonio (below) would replace him. But they deleted the tweet after discovering he was injured.

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.

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 KOBE: There was a moment in the second half which pretty much summed up Ireland's performance under the closed roof here at Kobe Misaki Stadium.

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.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: This game will be massive. So far in Anglo-Australian encounters at World Cups we have one victory apiece in the final, two England quarter-final wins and two Aussie pool wins.

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.

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.

WORLD CUP DIARY BY WILL KELLEHER: England v Wales is not quite the intense rivalry of old off the field any more. Some club-mates have been meeting up for coffees.

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.

Caelan Doris has been backed to make a huge impact for Ireland on his Six Nations debut against Scotland on Saturday, with assistant coach Simon Easterby saying the No 8 is 'made for this level'.

WILL KELLEHER AT THE AVIVA STADIUM: Johnny Sexton cannot wait to exact revenge on England after two recent thrashings when unbeaten Ireland travel to Twickenham next.

England will bottle the feeling of seeing Ireland win the Six Nations Grand Slam at Twickenham two years ago and use it this week, according to George Ford.

Brian O'Driscoll has accused Eddie Jones of 'scaremongering' and admitted he relished the sight of the England head coach's comments backfiring so spectacularly against France.

During the Joe Schmidt era, Ireland were renowned for peppering the backfield with high balls from Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray but Eddie Jones insists that England can cope with it.

Conor Murray admits the father-son dynamic between the Farrells will be strange when Ireland face England on Sunday, but hopes his coach can provide crucial insights into his son's game.

Conor Murray admitted that the father-and-son dynamic between the Farrells will be strange when Ireland face England in the Six Nations.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The good news is I sensed a sharpening of intensity with England at Murrayfield - but the bad news is some of Eddie Jones' selections are making me very nervous!

CHRIS FOY AT TWICKENHAM: Eddie Jones had all his selection decisions vindicated at Twickenham as England delivered another statement victory over Ireland.

England dominated from start to finish as they took a 24-12 victory over Ireland. Influential fly-half Johnny Sexton struggled to get into the game as England's defence barely gave him room to breathe.

England wore down Ireland with their physical approach on Sunday but it wasn't just the visitors who left Twickenham with some bruises to show for it.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Monday's meetings at Wolverhampton and Wetherby.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Exeter, Southwell and Newcastle.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Wednesday's meetings at Catterick, Lingfield and Kempton.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Thursday's meetings at Carlisle, Wincanton, Southwell and Newcastle.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Friday's meetings at Ffos Las, Chelmsford City and Wolverhampton.

The loss of Sandown to waterlogging has denied jumps fans their traditional pre-Cheltenham festival appetiser, but backing Documenting may still provide some useful funds for the week ahead.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Monday's meetings at Taunton, Stratford, Kempton, Plumpton and Wolverhampton.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Southwell, Sedgefield and Newcastle.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Wednesday's meetings at Kempton, Huntingdon and Lingfield.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow dishes out his tips for Thursday's meetings at Doncaster, Hexham and Chelmsford City.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Friday's meetings at Southwell, Fakenham and Lingfield. 

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Monday's meetings at Kelso, Hereford and Southwell.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Tuesday's meetings at Kelso and Taunton.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Saturday's meeting at Thurles.

Considering Hong Kong borders mainland China, from where Covid-19 emanated, it might sound surprising that jockey Neil Callan feels he is currently 'in the safest place in the world'. 

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Monday's meeting at Naas.

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.

Sportsmail's racing expert Robin Goodfellow shares his tips for Tuesday's meeting at Clonmel. 

The BHA have postponed their consultation into the use of the whip while operation duties during the COVID-19 pandemic take priority.

The beneficiary is SASH, charity for East Surrey Hospital and all the services provided by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, local to Lingfield racecourse.

Last year Newmarket-based trainer Haggas hatched a plan to target the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Addeybb and the Group One Schweppes Sydney Cup with Young Rascal.

The fund, co-ordinated by the Racehorse Owners Association, is part of a £22m cash flow and hardship funding package for racing announced on Friday.

SPECIAL REPORT BY MARCUS TOWNEND: There is concern that ramifications of the coronavirus shutdown will be felt for years, rather than months, in the racing community.

Taking a serious view on the ante-post Classic markets is often a perilous enough exercise as it is without the current uncertainty on whether racing may or may not resume in the short term.