Defending champions Romania came out on top in the battle of the former IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy champions with a 15-12 victory over Uruguay on day one, as Italy, Japan and Canada also ran out winners in the Russian capital Moscow.
Romania missed two early kicks at goal against Uruguay, one of four sides in the Trophy who had played in the IRB Junior World Championship in Japan last year, and as a result found themselves trailing 6-0 after two Jose Asuaga penalties.
Gabriel Conache made up for one of those misses with a drop goal to get Romania up and running just before the hour mark, the fly half kicking a penalty to send the two sides in level at half time at the Slava Stadium.
Conache and Asuaga traded penalties before Stefan Patrascu, the leading point scorer in last year's tournament, took over the kicking and edged Romania ahead 15-9.
The lead could have greater had he not missed two attempts at the posts, a factor which nearly proved decisive when Felipe Berchesi's drop goal brought Uruguay within touching distance only for Asuaga to miss a penalty and with it the draw.
Impressive start for Italy
It is Italy, though, who top Pool A after an impressive 74-0 defeat of Papua New Guinea across Moscow in the Fili Stadium. Italy have five points, one more than Romania with Uruguay third with a losing bonus point.
Italy had arrived in Moscow as arguably the favourites to claim the title and showed just why with their display against Papua New Guinea, prop Carlo Fazzari scoring three of his side's 12 tries.
A older, more experienced and heavier side than their opponents, Italy opened the scoring in the third minute with Lorenzo Santelli's try and never looked back, crossing for another four tries in the first half.
Ornel Gega, captain Tommaso Benvenuti and Nicola Belardo were the try scorers before Fazzari touched down his second to give Italy a 38-0 lead at half time in their opening Pool A match.
Fazzari completed his hat-trick within six minutes of the restart with Filippo Ferrarini, Alberto Chillon, Ruggero Trevisan, Belardo and Nicola Corbanese also crossing against a Papua New Guinea side who kept battling to the end.
Braid kicks Canada to win
Italy may have been convincing winners, but know the challenge really begins on Saturday when they face Romania in a must win match for both sides with the pool winner progressing directly to the final.
Canada sit atop Pool B after beating Zimbabwe 22-6, although only by a slightly better point differential than Japan, the Asian champions having beaten hosts Russia 31-17 to the dismay of the home crowd at the Slava Stadium.
Connor Braid's 100 percent record with the boot, the fly half kicking six from six - five penalties and a conversion - proved decisive, particularly with Zimbabwe full back Danny Robertson with four kicks at goal in the first half.
Zimbabwe had started brightly at the Fili Stadium, pushing Canada back towards their own line, Robertson giving the Africans an early 3-0 lead with his only successful kick of the day.
Braid, though, sent Canada in leading 9-3 with his reliable boot and the score remained that way until just past the hour mark when scrum half Pat Fraser scored the only try of the match in the corner, giving his fly half a difficult conversion.
Japan take their chances
Zimbabwe finished the match strongly, but were unable to turn the possession into a try, having to settle for a drop goal by wing Tafadzwa Chitokwindo. The African representatives will hope for better luck against Japan on Saturday.
With the stands at Slava Stadium packed and Rugby Union of Russia President Vyacheslav Kopiev among the interested spectators, Russia made a promising start when scrum half Alexey Shcherban sprinted away for the opening try in the second minute.
Japan, though, recovered from this early set back with Hirotomo Ono kicking a penalty before wing Takaaki Nakazuru touched down. Russia's cause was not helped by the loss of two players to the sin-bin in as many minutes, captain Kota Yamashita capitalising on the man advantage to score Japan's second try.
Russia did hit back with Denis Simplikevich's try cutting the deficit to only 15-12 at half time. Nikolay Pochechuev scored the hosts' third try to leave them trailing by a single point with 10 minutes to go, only for Ono's boot and a late Lafaele Fakamisia Vaifu try taking Japan to victory.
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