Preview: Japan vs. Ireland - prediction, team news, lineups

Newcastle, successful Australia, volition play big to the Nations Championship clash betwixt Japan and Ireland arsenic some sides purpose to transportation connected their signifier from past weekend.

Eddie Jones’ broadside made a cleanable commencement to the contention arsenic they bushed Italy comfortably, portion the Irish emerged from a conflict with Australia with 5 points.

Match preview

Japan demonstrated precisely wherefore they are a unsafe imaginable to each of the large nations successful the satellite of rugby arsenic they secured a 27-10 triumph implicit the Azzurri connected the maiden play of the Nations Championship.

The Brave Blossoms volition beryllium looking to avenge their past Test effect against Ireland, erstwhile they mislaid 41-10 successful November; however, portion the people whitethorn marque it look that it was an casual triumph for Andy Farrell’s side, it was thing but, arsenic Japan fought hard and were successful the crippled until the hr mark.

Japan person lone ever secured 1 triumph against the Irish, but it could beryllium argued that it was successful the biggest lucifer the 2 person ever played.

At their location World Cup successful 2019, the sides met successful the Pool Stage and the hosts bushed Joe Schmidt’s Ireland 19-12, a captious measurement successful them securing apical spot successful the group.

It meant that Japan would get a expected gully successful the competition, arsenic they faced South Africa portion the Irish squared disconnected with New Zealand successful the quarterfinal of the World Cup; however, it should beryllium noted the Springboks would triumph the full tournament.

Jones has besides spoken publically astir this fixture being held successful Australia, believing this favours Ireland and truthful his broadside whitethorn judge they person a constituent to beryllium to World Rugby.

Meanwhile, Ireland participate this crippled aft a good show against the Wallabies arsenic they overcame a first-half shortage to look victorious precocious connected successful the Test.

Farrell’s broadside entered the interval 24-19 down earlier winning the contention 33-31, arsenic Tom Clarkson touched down successful the 77th minute, with Sam Prendergast adding the conversion to springiness their broadside the victory.

However, it could person been antithetic had Ben Donaldson slotted a punishment Bundee Aki conceded successful the dying minutes, but the Australian out-half pulled his changeable wide of the posts.

It means Ireland person got a cleanable commencement to the Nations Championship, and they volition beryllium aiming to transportation this winning signifier into their last Test of this summertime circuit erstwhile they instrumentality connected New Zealand successful Eden Park, aiming to go the archetypal broadside to bushed the All Blacks astatine this venue successful the nonrecreational era.

Japan contention form:

W

Japan form: 

L L L L W W

Ireland contention form:

W

Ireland form:

L W W W W W

Team News

Japan person made lone 1 alteration to the line-up that bushed Italy past clip retired arsenic Taira Main replaces Kippei Ishida, portion assemblage pupil fly-half Ryunosuke Ito remains successful the team, having made his debut against the Azzurri.

Jones volition besides instrumentality to the sideline aft serving a four-match prohibition imposed by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) for abusing lucifer officials during an under-23 circuit of Australia earlier this year.

Farrell has rung successful the changes for the Ireland team, appearing to remainder immoderate cardinal players up of their clash with the All Blacks, arsenic determination are 9 alterations.

The biggest talking constituent is that Ciaran Frawley is acceptable to marque his archetypal commencement successful the 10 jersey for Ireland, portion the squad volition beryllium captained by Tadhg Beirne.

Japan starting lineup:

15. Takuro Matsunaga; 14. Kazuma Ueda, 13. Dylan Riley, 12. Yuya Hirose, 11. Taira Main; 10. Ryunosuke Ito, 9. Naoto Saito; 1. Takato Okabe, 2. Mamoru Harada, 3. Shuhei Takeuchi, 4. Harry Hockings, 5. Warner Dearns (capt), 6. Ben Gunter, 7. Kanji Shimokawa, 8. Jack Cornelsen

Replacements:

16. Hayate Era, 17. Sojiro Otuska, 18. Keijiro Tamefusa, 19. Michael Stolberg, 20. Michael Leitch, 21. Tiennan Costley, 22. Itsuki Kamimura, 23. Sam Greene

Ireland starting lineup:

15. Jamie Osborne; 14. Jimmy O'Brien, 13. Robbie Henshaw, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Jacob Stockdale; 10. Ciaran Frawley, 9. Craig Casey; 1. Tom O'Toole, 2. Ronan Kelleher, 3. Thomas Clarkson, 4. Tadhg Beirne (capt), 5. James Ryan, 6. Jack Conan, 7. Nick Timoney, 8. Sean Jansen

Replacements:

16. Tom Stewart, 17. Billy Bohan, 18. Sam Illo, 19. Cormac Izuchukwu, 20. Bryn Ward, 21. Nathan Doak, 22. Harry Byrne, 23. Bundee Aki

We say: Japan 15-32 Ireland

Ireland whitethorn not person it each their ain way, arsenic Japan could origin them immoderate problems aboriginal on; likewise to the crippled successful November, it could beryllium clunky from Farrell’s side, but they should get the occupation done.