Ireland Take On Japan in Nations Championship

Farrell Names Four Debutants for Japan Test

Andy Farrell has rolled out a reshuffled Ireland side with four fresh faces set to earn their first caps against Japan. Connacht back‑row Sean Jansen starts at No 8, while prop duo Billy Bohan and Sam Illo are among the replacements. Ulster flank Bryn Ward also makes the bench, completing the uncapped quartet.

The captaincy shifts to lock Tadhg Beirne, who assumes the role from Dan Sheehan. Ciaran Frawley slots into the fly‑half berth, and Jamie Osborne moves from wing to full‑back, with Jacob Stockdale joining the back three.

Ireland kicked off their Nations Championship campaign with a victory over Australia in Sydney, and now head to Newcastle for the encounter with Japan. The Irish squad also includes established names such as Robbie Henshaw, James Ryan and Craig Casey, who aim to build on the early momentum.

Japan Rely on Ryunosuke Ito for Fly‑Half Duties

Japan made a strong impression in their inaugural Nations Championship fixture, securing a 27‑10 win over Italy. Eddie Jones continues to back 21‑year‑old university student Ryunosuke Ito at No 10, trusting the young fly‑half to lead the back line.

“He’s a young 10, he’s going to have his ups and downs but we’ve got a team that’s going to support him,” Jones said. The coach, returning after a four‑match ban for abusing match officials, praised the squad’s willingness to protect the fledgling talent.

Only one change stands in Japan’s line‑up, with Taira Main replacing Kippei Ishida on the wing. The remaining 22 players retain confidence from the opening win, aiming to keep the pressure on opponents.

Key Match‑Day Squads

• Japan XV: Takato Okabe, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi; Harry Hockings, Warner Dearns (capt.), Ben Gunter, Kanji Shimokawa, Jack Cornelsen; Naoto Saito, Ryunosuke Ito; Taira Main, Yuya Hirose, Dylan Riley, Kazuma Ueda, Takuro Matsunaga.
• Replacements: Hayate Era, Sojiro Otuska, Keijiro Tamefusa, Michael Stolberg, Michael Leitch, Tiennan Costley, Itsuki Kanimura, Sam Greene.
• Ireland XV: Tom O’Toole, Ronan Kelleher, Tom Clarkson; Tadhg Beirne (capt.), James Ryan; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen; Craig Casey, Ciaran Frawley; Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne.
• Replacements: Tom Stewart, Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Cormac Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward, Nathan Doak, Harry Byrne, Bundee Aki.

The clash in Newcastle promises to test Ireland’s depth as they bid to sustain their campaign’s early success, while Japan looks to reinforce their credentials after a memorable opening win. Both sides will aim to adapt to each other’s tactics, making the match a key benchmark for their Nations Championship hopes.