{"id":544301,"date":"2026-07-11T10:37:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T10:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/544301\/"},"modified":"2026-07-11T10:37:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T10:37:13","slug":"ireland-v-japan-live-updates-chance-for-irish-breakthroughs-against-brave-blossoms-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/544301\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland v Japan live updates: Chance for Irish breakthroughs against Brave Blossoms \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Japan 10-12 Ireland<\/p>\n

TRY IRELAND – Tom O\u2019Toole<\/p>\n

21 mins: Another very well-worked score. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s Jimmy O\u2019Brien again breaking into the 22, a short tip close to the ruck sending him into space. Once in the danger zone, Ireland go up a gear with the power in the carry and ruck speed. Japan can\u2019t cope, O\u2019Toole this time the beneficiary from close range. <\/p>\n

Frawley with a poor miss off the tee. <\/p>\n

Japan 10-12 Ireland <\/p>\n

18 mins: No mistake from Matsunaga. Just outside the 22 but in a central position, it\u2019s an easy kick. <\/p>\n

Japan 10-7 Ireland <\/p>\n

17 mins: Ah Stu, you can\u2019t do that. Part of the ruck, he plays the nine illegally. Soft penalty. <\/p>\n

Japan call for the kicking tee. <\/p>\n

15 mins: Now Tom O\u2019Toole gives away a penalty at the scrum, this one for his angle. <\/p>\n

Tit for tat at the set-piece at the moment. It\u2019s been a difficult few games so far at the scrum for O\u2019Toole, back at loosehead of course after playing most of his rugby at tighthead for Ulster. <\/p>\n

13 mins: Round two of the scrum battle goes Ireland\u2019s way. Clarkson will get the credit there as his opposite number, Takato Okabe gets too long with his feet behind him and collapses. <\/p>\n

Penalty Ireland. <\/p>\n

TRY IRELAND – Nick Timoney<\/p>\n

9 mins: That is so good. <\/p>\n

For a few phases, it was deja vu in terms of Ireland playing empty phases close to halfway. All of a sudden, two offloads are thrown and Osborne is linking with O\u2019Brien to get into the 22. <\/p>\n

With the line broken, Ireland revert to type close to the ruck but they are so effective at that when close to the line. Eventually, it\u2019s Timoney who bursts over under the sticks. <\/p>\n

Easy conversion for Frawley. <\/p>\n

Japan 7-7 Ireland <\/p>\n

7 mins: The first scrum of the day goes Japan\u2019s way, Kelleher giving away a free-kick for not using a brake foot. <\/p>\n

This has been a poor, error-strewn start from Ireland. <\/p>\n

TRY JAPAN – Taira Main<\/p>\n

4 mins: Tie a bow on it. That\u2019s a gift from Ireland and Main accepts it with glee. <\/p>\n

Kelleher\u2019s lineout is overthrown, Main racing up to gather at the back of the lineout. Turning defence into attack, he steps past Frawley who slips before sprinting off into the distance. No one can lay a finger on him. <\/p>\n

Takuro Matsunaga, the fullback, converts. <\/p>\n

Japan 7-0 Ireland<\/p>\n

2 mins: It\u2019s a sloppy start for Frawley in the 10 shirt. First, his attempted kick is blocked by a Japanese leg. Then, when trying to throw a wide pass, he puts it between runners instead of into the hands of a teammate. <\/p>\n

To deck the ball goes but Ireland recover possession before Casey clears. <\/p>\n

1 min: And they\u2019re off! <\/p>\n

Ireland\u2019s second Nations Championship fixture is underway. Ciar\u00e1n Frawley kicks us off in Newcastle after a shrill blast of the whistle from referee Andrea Piardi. <\/p>\n

Japan 0-0 Ireland<\/p>\n

A nice moment for R\u00f3nan Kellener who leads the Ireland team out on the occasion of his 50th cap. <\/p>\n

\"IrelandIreland hooker Ronan Kelleher. Photograph: Ben Brady <\/p>\n

Right then. Kick-off is fast approaching. <\/p>\n

Will we see a more disciplined, better connected defensive performance from Ireland?<\/p>\n

Will they show more threat in attack, an ability to cut through the line?<\/p>\n

All while sticking to the ruthless 22 efficiency we saw in Sydney last week? <\/p>\n

We\u2019re about to find out. <\/p>\n

Just under 15 minutes until kick-off. <\/p>\n

\"AA general view of McDonald Jones Stadium ahead of the game. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho \"Ireland'sIreland’s Billy Bohan and Josh van der Flier ahead of the match. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho \"Japan'sJapan’s Warner Dearns and Ireland’s Tadhg Beirne during the coin toss. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Wow, it\u2019s just gone full-time in Brisbane. France have done a second half demolition job on the Wallabies, turning around a half-time deficit. <\/p>\n

With a number of first choice players left at home as well. Fabien Galthi\u00e9 probably has the deepest international talent pool in rugby. <\/p>\n

They are also a joy to watch. When they come out, look at the performance of Th\u00e9o Attissogb\u00e9 on the highlights. <\/p>\n

Full-time: Australia 26-42 France<\/p>\n

\"ThéoTh\u00e9o Attissogb\u00e9 during France’s clash with the Wallabies. Photograph: Chris Hyde\/Getty Images <\/p>\n

Down in Sydney, Gerry Thornley has caught up with Keith Gleeson, the Australia born former Leinster and Ireland backrow. Given the week that\u2019s in it, Rugby League\u2019s State of Origin dominating the news waves down under, Gerry got some good thoughts from Gleeson on the battle between League and Union in Australia. <\/p>\n

You can read the interview here.<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cYou see [league] players more regularly. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen a Waratahs player walking around the streets, whereas in Dublin kids who idolise rugby players would see their Irish internationals like Dan Sheehan walking up to the supermarket in Tescos in Donnybrook. You just don\u2019t get that here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Keith Gleeson\"KeithKeith Gleeson in action for Leinster back in 2002. Photograph: Andrew Paton\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Eddie Jones is at it again. Looking at the Irish debutants among the bench propping department, he reckons Japan have an edge. <\/p>\n

Good on him. Rugby pressers are boring at the best of times, at least the bloke is being honest. <\/p>\n

You can read Eddie\u2019s full thoughts here. <\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the second half, we expect to dominate the Irish scrum.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 \u00a0Eddie Jones\"JapanJapan head coach Eddie Jones. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n

Given we\u2019re still 90 minutes away from kick-off, there\u2019s still time to listen to our pre-match podcast while you\u2019re walking the dog or making the family breakfast. <\/p>\n

For this chat, I was joined by Brett Igoe, the former Leinster and Scotland analyst. There\u2019s some good stuff in here about analysis espionage with a detailed look at some of the changes Andy Farrell has made to his Ireland team this week. <\/p>\n

Have a listen. <\/p>\n

\"\"What to make of Ireland’s rotation for Japan?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the Japan team. Of course, they beat Italy last time out in Tokyo. <\/p>\n

Keep an eye out for Ryunosuke Ito at 10, he\u2019s a real livewire. Warner Dearns at lock is another of their stronger players – he recently turned down an approach from New Zealand to switch his international allegiance!<\/p>\n

Michael Leitch, one of the heroes from the South Africa win at the 2015 World Cup that put Japanese rugby on the map, is still going. He\u2019s on the bench today. <\/p>\n

One day to go \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the matchday squad for the Brave Blossoms\u2019 Nations Championship 2026 clash against Ireland tomorrow \ud83d\udc4a<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcc6 Saturday, 11 July 19:10
\ud83c\udfdf\ufe0f McDonald Jones Stadium<\/p>\n

Catch the action live on WOWOW Prime, On Demand, JSports 1 and JSports On Demand \ud83c\udf7f\ud83d\udc40#IREvJPN<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/G4AT3GEsOH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) July 10, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Starting with the Irish team, there are changes aplenty. Those who continually call on Andy Farrell to freshen things up have been satiated. <\/p>\n

There are four uncapped players set to debut. Connacht\u2019s Sean Jansen is at number eight while Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Bryn Ward alre all on the bench. <\/p>\n

Ciar\u00e1n Frawley and Craig Casey form a new look halfback combination, while Robbie Henshaw replaces Gary Ringrose at 13. Jamie Osborne is back at fullback as Hugo Keenan gets the week off, Jacob Stockdale coming in at wing to complete the backthree alongside Jimmy O\u2019Brien. <\/p>\n

Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier all get a breather, allowing R\u00f3nan Kelleher, Tom Clarkson, Tadhg Beirne and Nick Timoney all a start. <\/p>\n

Notably, the provincial breakdown of the squad reads different to what we\u2019re used to. Leinster and Ulster lead the way with eight players apiece, Connacht have five while there are just two Munstermen. <\/p>\n

A sign of the times? <\/p>\n

Good morrow Irish Times readers and welcome back to our live rugby coverage. <\/p>\n

Japan vs Ireland in Newcastle, New South Wales. <\/p>\n

A familiar opponent in Eddie Jones, the Japanese boss, in a new location north of Sydney. Ireland also recently played Japan, beating them 41-10 in Dublin back before Christmas. <\/p>\n

Nathan Johns here to guide you through all the day\u2019s action. Kick-off is just about two hours away, we\u2019ll build up to the start of the match right here. <\/p>\n