Masks are back in vogue. But all the prevention in the world could not have stopped that virulent strain of rampant Japanese rugby yesterday.
Japan, the defending HSBC Asian Five Nations champions, once again exposed the gulf between themselves and the rest of the region by storming to a 59-6 victory over Hong Kong at Football Club.
Their feverish tempo led to a nine-try romp and put them well on course to retain the title for a second successive year, and extend a long-held regional domination.
New Hong Kong coach Dai Rees, watching the Asian juggernauts in action for the first time, knows he has a huge task in hand if he is to get his team anywhere close to Japan in time for next year's Top Five competition, which decides the Asian team who earn a direct entry to the 2011 World Cup.
'The difference between the two sides is that they are a full-time professional outfit while we are an amateur side,' Rees said. 'I was pleased for 60 minutes of the game but this is international rugby and you can't drop off the pace for 20 minutes and expect a team like Japan not to score.'
Hong Kong, who trailed 26-6 at half-time, had a good first half hour, trailing Japan by a mere six points. Rees' counterpart, John Kirwan, had expected this. He also knew that as long as his players kept their discipline and shape, the tries would come. And it started to flow once the initial exuberance of the home team had dried up in the hot conditions.