​Japan and Ireland head into their Nations Championship fixtures in Newcastle, Australia, aiming to build on promising opening performances as they chase further success this summer. With Eddie Jones back in the Japan hotseat after a four-match ban for misconduct toward match officials, Japan will look to maintain momentum from their victory over Italy in Tokyo, a result that kick-started their July Tests in emphatic fashion. Ireland, meanwhile, edged a tense clash with the Wallabies, with Ben Donaldson’s late penalty miss sealing a narrow win for Andy Farrell’s side and offering a platform to press on in their own campaign.
The looming question for both teams is whether they can repeat or even improve upon those results when they meet on Saturday in Newcastle. Farrell has indicated a degree of rotation as the squad heads toward a match against the All Blacks next week, a test that will further shape his selection strategy. Could Japan deliver another statement performance on home soil versus a traditional Six Nations side with recent experience of facing top-level competition?
Kick-off for Japan vs Ireland is scheduled for 11:10 BST on Saturday, July 11, at the McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. In the United Kingdom, ITV1 will broadcast the match live, with pre-match coverage starting at 10:40am BST, and a live stream available via ITVX for viewers preferring digital access.
Eddie Jones returns to the Japan coaching role following his suspension, resuming a lineup that places continued trust in fly-half Ryunosuke Ito, whose performance against Italy impressed. The only change to the starting XV sees Taira Main added on the left wing. The Japanese pairing of lock Harry Hockings and Warner Dearns adds considerable physical presence, with Dearns having been a standout during the Hurricanes’ successful Super Rugby Pacific campaign. Veteran captain Michael Leitch provides leadership from the bench, offering experience and impact as the game unfolds.
Japan’s XV for Newcastle reads as follows: Takato Okabe, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi in the front row; Harry Hockings and Warner Dearns (captain) in the second row; Ben Gunter, Kanji Shimokawa, and Jack Cornelsen across the back row; Naoto Saito at scrum-half and Ryunosuke Ito at fly-half; Taira Main and Yuya Hirose in midfield with Dylan Riley and Kazuma Ueda in the back three, and Takuro Matsunaga at full-back. The replacements include Hayate Era, Sojiro Otuska, Keijiro Tamefusa, Michael Stolberg, Michael Leitch, Tiennan Costley, Itsuki Kamimura, and Sam Greene, providing a blend of youth and experience to be unleashed as needed.
Ireland bring a fresh looking and ambitious squad to the northeast, under the leadership of captain Tadhg Beirne. No. 8 Sean Jansen features as one of four debutants in the matchday 23, joined by Connacht’s Billy Bohan and Sam Illo as front-row options, and Ulster’s Bryn Ward poised for what could be his first cap in Newcastle. Jamie Osborne shifts to full-back as Jacob Stockdale enters the back three, while Ciaran Frawley earns a chance at fly-half, aiming to steer the attack with precision and flair.
Ireland’s starting XV is: Tom O’Toole, Ronan Kelleher, Tom Clarkson in the front row; Tadhg Beirne (captain) and James Ryan in the second row; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, and Sean Jansen in the back row; Craig Casey at scrum-half and Ciaran Frawley at fly-half orchestrating the backline; Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Robbie Henshaw, and Jimmy O’Brien forming the back three with Jamie Osborne at full-back. Replacements include Tom Stewart, Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Cormac Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward, Nathan Doak, Harry Byrne, and Bundee Aki, giving Farrell plenty of options to reshuffle as needed.
Both teams will be looking to translate this early momentum into a sustained sequence of positive results as the Nations Championship unfolds. For Ireland, developing more options in the front row and at fly-half could be a key to unlocking further attacking potential, especially against top-tier opponents. For Japan, maintaining their tactical discipline, leveraging Ito’s creativity, and using their bench depth could prove decisive as they chase back-to-back strong performances on foreign soil. Fans will be watching closely to see which side can assert their game plan, manage pressure moments effectively, and deliver a result that could set the tone for the rest of their campaigns.