Rugby World Cup knockouts: Wales v France, Japan v S. Africa

Published Oct. 19, 2019 10:46 p.m. ET

TOKYO (AP) — The semifinal lineup at the Rugby World Cup will be completed on Sunday, with Wales playing France in Oita before host nation Japan takes on two-time champion South Africa in Tokyo.

England and New Zealand advanced with big wins on Saturday and will meet in the first semifinal. It's tough to predict who will be in the second.

Japan's historic qualification to the quarterfinals has been the story of the tournament so far — it's the first time any Asian country has got to the knockout stage — and the team has beaten South Africa at the World Cup before, of course.

In the "Miracle of Brighton" at the 2015 competition, the Springboks were famously defeated by Japan in one of the greatest shocks in any sport.

Wales starts as favorite against France in the all-European quarterfinal, having won seven of their last eight meetings.