![\"Ireland\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1_inpho_02824010.jpg\")
\nIreland\u2019s Thomas Clarkson is tackled by Japan\u2019s Ben Gunter(Image: \u00a9INPHO\/Billy Stickland)<\/p>\n
One of Andy Farrell’s young guns may have lays down a marker for near future; check out Mirror Ireland vs Japan player ratings
\nIreland\u2019s Thomas Clarkson is tackled by Japan\u2019s Ben Gunter(Image: \u00a9INPHO\/Billy Stickland)<\/p>\n
Ireland beat Japan 41-10 at the Aviva, it wasn’t a vintage Irish performance.<\/p>\n
Andy Farrell’s troops had gone 17-0 ahead within half-and-hour but split for the break at 17-10 and with Jacob Stockdale about to begin a sin-bin period.<\/p>\n
Ireland got the next, crucial in terms of the game’s outcome, before pulling away with three tries in the last quarter.<\/p>\n
We’ve spotted one outstanding stat in the player’s stats that deserves recognition and is most likely an Irish record.<\/p>\n
That’s tight-head Thomas Clarkson’s 15 tackles in his 51 minutes before being withdrawn – that’s some defending for a back-row forward, never mind that he is a front-row!<\/p>\n
IRELAND PLAYER BY PLAYER vs JAPAN<\/p>\n
Jamie Osborne – Caps total moves ten but may be stuck there until next year following picking up an injury. Bright, energetic, tried to make things happen. 7Tommy O’Brien – Man of the Match with an eye-catching 147 metres from a dozen carries. Andy Farrell mentioned his enthusiasm and ‘intent, a fair call. 7Tom Farrell – Slow start but improved as game wore on. Finished with 11 carries for 38 metres which made him, marginally the more productive centre in attack. 6Robbie Henshaw – Playing with a Munster player inside and outside him was a tad outside his comfort zone missing three tackles. Eight carries for 27 metres. 6Jacob Stockdale – Harsh yellow, missed by two scoring passes, own ‘score’ ruled out for penalty against himself earlier. 116 metres but also four turnovers. 6Jack Crowley – Got Ireland off to a decent start with a good penalty and his try was a thing of beauty, looping around Doris to take the key pass. 7Craig Casey – Weird stat, the only Irish player not to miss a first-half tackle. Worked well with Crowley but restricted to 10 minutes with Prendergast. 6Andrew Porter – Furlong bags a key try last week and t’other prop bags a key five points this week. Nine tackles, two misses, is below average for him. 6Ronan Kelleher – Set-piece stats remain a killer, 82 percent lineout, 86 percent scrum success. Not all his fault but against the world’s 10th ranked side. 6Thomas Clarkson – Defensive effort at rucks bordered on heroic, 15 tackles with just one miss is some sort of tight-head record. Five carries for 10 metres too. 7James Ryan – Hooked on 51 mins, along with Crowley and Timoney, but had put up a mean defence to there with a dozen tackles. Three carries for six metres. 6Tadhg Beirne – Unusually below par outing from, normally, one of Ireland’s most consistent performers. Mystery of just one carry, seven tackles in 80 minutes. 5<\/p>\n
Ryan Baird – Lively in attack, with the most metres among the forwards, and in defence, handy 11 tackles too. Central to the better lineouts with five takes. 7Nick Timoney – Fifth cap and fifth try which is decent symmetry although may have benefitted in scoring from Japan stopping – thinking there had been a knock-on. 6Caelan Doris – Normal service resumed on both sides of the ball, his 19 tackles and 12 carries were, respectively, best in Irish defence and joint-best in attack. 7Replacements: Gus McCarthy 7, Paddy McCarthy 6, Finlay Bealham 5, Cian Prendergast 5,Jack Conan 7 Caelan Blade 5, Sam Prendergast 6, Jimmy O’Brien 5.<\/p>\n