SHIZUOKA, Japan (AP) — Scotland coach Gregor Townsend trusted his backup players with the responsibility. They repaid him nine times over.

Scotland’s reserves scored nine tries in a 61-0 rout against Russia at the Rugby World Cup on Wednesday, more than enough for the victory and the bonus point the Scots wanted to set up a showdown with Japan for a quarterfinal place.

Scotland put away a tired Russia team, with scrumhalf George Horne scoring a hat trick and flyhalf Adam Hastings getting the first two tries in among his 26 points. It also put the Scots in touching distance of Pool A leader and tournament host Japan and second-place Ireland ahead of the group’s decisive final games this weekend.

Scotland will face Japan in what promises to be a humdinger in Yokohama on Sunday, and after Ireland plays Samoa in Fukuoka on Saturday. That’s if Super Typhoon Hagibis, the tropical storm heading toward Japan and the Rugby World Cup this weekend, doesn’t intervene.

The Pool A standings are Japan (14), Ireland (11), Scotland (10), Samoa (5) and Russia (0).

Russia is now done at this Rugby World Cup and they couldn’t come close to threatening a first-ever win at the showpiece. Russia is 0-8 at Rugby World Cups, as is captain Vasily Artemyev, who has started every one of those losses.

He’s still been an inspiration for Russian rugby and was taken off to an ovation from the crowd in the second half in what’s likely his last World Cup game.

The Scots had no time for sentiment. They were ruthless at Shizuoka Stadium after leading 21-0 at halftime through Hastings’ early double and the first from Horne. Scotland added another six tries in the second 40 and also had two disallowed for forward passes. They would have given Horne four and Hastings a hat trick.

The three first-half tries came in an eight-minute blitz between the 13th and 21st minutes and the result was obvious from then on. Hastings showed sublime touch to drift through a gap for the first, and then chase down his own kick ahead for the second. Artemyev made an error to let Hastings in for that second when he overran the kick and then fell as he tried to change direction in reaction to the ball’s unexpected bounce.

Horne’s first was a present from opposite number Dmitry Perov. Attempting a long pass inside his own try area, Perov threw the ball straight to Horne.

Horne’s second early in the second half, after wing Darcy Graham broke majestically into open field, sealed the bonus point that Scotland really wanted. The other five tries, from Horne again, hooker George Turner, wing Tommy Seymour, flanker John Barclay and replacement Stuart McInally, just hammered it home.

Scotland was despondent after losing 27-3 to Ireland to start its World Cup. The Scots have responded by beating Samoa 34-0 and then drubbing Russia, with 95 points scored and none conceded in their last two games.

The Scots claimed a record for that as the first team to keep their opposition scoreless in successive Rugby World Cup matches. The Scots also hold another record outright now, having blanked their opposition five times at World Cups. Scotland and South Africa had both done it four times before Wednesday’s game.

Russia had the air of a brave heavyweight boxer that had taken some big shots and was hanging on as the final bell approached. The Russians threw everything into their first three games in Japan and had nothing left in Shizuoka.

Scotland flyhalf Hastings is the son of Scotland great Gavin Hastings. His uncle, Scott, also played at the Rugby World Cup for Scotland. In the space of a game, Adam surpassed his uncle’s 18 career points at the Rugby World Cup. Adam’s got a long way to go to catch dad, though. Gavin Hastings’ 227 points is second on the tournament’s all-time list.

Hastings started the game as one of 14 changes Townsend made to the starting team from the Samoa win, the most ever by Scotland between World Cup games. Only wing Graham was retained.

The new guys all delivered for Townsend, who has a group of fresh first-choice players ready to go against Japan in Yokohama.

The Japanese, with three wins from three and playing ferocious rugby in front of their home fans, will be a different proposition to the erratic Samoans and exhausted Russians, though.