TOKYO (AP) - After playing the same side against Japan and Samoa in five days, has Russia made nine changes to the starting lineup facing Ireland in the Rugby World Cup on Thursday in Kobe.
The only six starters retained on Tuesday for a third straight Pool A match are prop Kirill Gotovtsev, lock Bogdan Fedotko, flanker Tagir Gadzhiev, midfielder Kirill Golosnitskiy, wing German Davydov, and fullback and captain Vasily Artemyev.
Flyhalf Yuri Kushnarev, Russia’s all-time record holder for caps and points, missed out on the matchday 23.
Russia lost to Japan 30-10 and four days later lost to Samoa 34-9. Both times Russia faded in the second half.
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