Japan's hopes of upsetting Scotland in Gloucester ended four days before kick off and everyone at Kingsholm Park knew it.

That's taking nothing away from the way Vern Cotter's polished Scots clinically put the tournament darlings to the sword on Thursday.

But even local hero Greig Laidlaw admitted there was asterisk on a 45-10 result that highlighted a draw that's still stacked against the Rugby World Cup's second-tier nations.

ATSUSHI TOMURA/GETTY IMAGES Japan coach Eddie Jones refused to use a four-day turnaround as an excuse for his side's loss to Scotland.

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Kingsholm Park swelled with new found-fans of the Cherry Blossoms, the community getting behind the colours shared by the local premiership side that calls the intimate ground home.

There were 14,354 on hand to see the Pool B match and about half of them had found a Japan rugby jersey, flag or headband to don for the day.

Most of the rest were nervous Scots, praying they didn't suffer South Africa's fate as their team kicked off their World Cup campaign.

Some tension remained until halftime when the Scots led just 12-10, but what followed had an air of inevitability.

Japan coach Eddie Jones was as impressive at the foot of the mountain as he had been at the top a week ago in Brighton when his band of Davids slayed Goliath.

"I said we weren't going to use that [short turnaround] as an excuse and we're not. Scotland scored 33 points in the second half to our 0," he said.

"We're a fit side, we didn't run out of wind in the second half. I thought we did pretty well and we kept running. We just weren't good enough mate."

Only it wasn't an excuse as much as an inconvenient fact and when asked if any team could sustain the intensity Japan showed against South Africa four days later, Jones was cornered.

"On today's evidence, no," he said when pushed on whether any team could get up for two tier-one tests in four days.

"Of course it's difficult. You look at everything involved in any sort of physical intent, you need a six-day turnaround. That's not the case here, so you have to suck it up and do the best you can … we play a high-energy game as you can see, so the boys need a bit of a break now."

Laidlaw said he felt Japan's legs go near halftime and Cotter had some sympathy for the opposition as his team came into the test with 15 days since their last match.

"To be fair I thought Japan found the four-day turnaround hard and now we're in the same situation. We'll be focusing on recovery, trying to regenerate energy levels and get focused for a physical team that's had a whole week to prepare."

Except Scotland aren't quite in the same situation, because, like the rest of the tier-one teams at the tournament, their short turnaround is followed by a tier-two opponent, the USA.

Fiji played England and Australia in quick succession, Japan played South Africa and Scotland. The All Blacks played Argentina and then Namibia on Friday.

And while it might not be an aerobic challenge, there is no doubt these double-ups are taking a physical toll, Japan's talented No 8, Amanaki Lelei Mafi, heading to hospital early in the second half.

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At Gloucester even the rugby gods seemed to disapprove as the match wore on. The skies darkened as Scotland clinically picked off tired passes and exposed weary legs.

Even man mountain Michael Leitch started to run out of batteries and by the time first five-eighth Finn Russell showed Michael Flatley-like legs to dance in under the posts the flood lights had to be turned on.

One wondered how the match would have turned out on more equal terms? Jones was short on reasons or answers.

"Ask the television people. I'm not an administrator, so I don't know. I'm just a silly rugby coach."

Jones will do the only thing he can and attempt to turn a flawed system to his team's advantage when they play Samoa at Milton Keynes on October 3.

"I hope the South Africa-Samoa game is like a UFC fight," Jones said.

"I hope they belt each other up. That's what we hope, some of the old Springbok power coming forward. Then Samoa have to back up seven days later against us. What comes around goes around."