Ireland’s Nations Championship clash against Japan will take place at the McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Australia on 11 July, it has been confirmed.
Kicking off at 11am Irish time, it will be Andy Farrell’s side’s second game of the new tournament at the 33,000 capacity venue in New South Wales.
The Wallabies provide the opposition for their opening match on 4 July with that game already confirmed for the Allianz Stadium, Sydney.
The Triple Crown winners’ final game of the Southern Series is against New Zealand in Eden Park on 18 July.
The inaugural Nations Championship pits the top 12 nations from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in a six-round competition.
Ireland will host Argentina, Fiji and South Africa in November and the tournament will culminate in a ‘Finals Weekend’ at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.
IRFU President John O’Driscoll said: “We are hugely excited to face Japan in what will be our second game of the forthcoming Nations Championship.
“We faced each other last November and this will be our 12th meeting against the Cherry Blossoms.
“There’s enormous respect and familiarity between the two unions.
“Every game is played in a positive manner and I expect the July encounter to be no different coming, as it does, in the unique setting of McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.”
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