Rueful Aki sees red as Ireland enjoy Samoan stroll in Fukuoka
The odds on Ireland remaining visible in the tournament beyond next weekend are long
With a flick of a button, someone changed the mood music, the despair of Shizuoka making way for songs of praise in Fukuoka. Driven by the passionate support of thousands of their fellow citizens, Ireland took a step towards redemption, playing as impressively here as they did during their record-breaking year in 2018.
But their propensity for making life difficult for themselves was also apparent when Bundee Aki was shown a red card ...