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Ireland entered this autumn international with a bit of unfinished business. Having been beaten by New Zealand national rugby union team in Chicago, many in the Irish camp saw this clash with Japan as a chance to reset.
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Captain Caelan Doris emphasised the need for consistency and a strong performance: “There have been some positives … but probably been inconsistent, probably not quite at where we want to be operating.”
The Sun
Kick-off was scheduled for 12:40 pm local time at Aviva.
Japan, coached by Eddie Jones, know they face a strong Irish side ranked ahead in the world standings (Ireland were #3, Japan #13) and are underdogs on paper.
Right from the whistle Ireland looked fired up. They showed strong physicality in the set-pieces and their backs looked eager to exploit space. The crowd at Aviva added to the momentum.
Japan, mindful of Ireland’s strength and recent form, attempted to press and play with tempo but found themselves restricted in key moments.
By halftime, Ireland held a healthy lead and looked in control. The forwards had laid a solid platform, the backs were sharp, and the defensive line held firm when Japan threatened.
Throughout the opening 40 minutes:
Ireland dominated in contact and breakdowns, preventing Japan from building sustained pressure.
Japan did show glimpses: quick ball movement, occasional breaks, but lacked the consistency and finishing edge.
Ireland’s line-speed defence cut out some of Japan’s preferred attacking pivots.
In short, Ireland entered the second half with the advantage: momentum on their side, Japan under pressure to respond.
🧭 Second half and key moments
The second half saw Japan come out with more urgency — they knew they needed to change the narrative. They attempted to shift the tempo, with more lateral movement and quick recycling.
Ireland, however, remained composed. They resisted pressure, kept their structure, and when the opportunities came, they took them.
Key moments:
A turnover mid-half allowed Ireland to counter-attack, catch Japan short and cross the gain line.
Japan’s best chance came via a strong burst from close to the 22, but Ireland’s defensive scramble prevented a try.
Ireland’s discipline under pressure paid dividends: they did not concede major penalties in dangerous areas, which helped maintain control.
As the match progressed, it became increasingly clear that Ireland would win — Japan’s challenge was genuine but falling short in execution.
✅ Overall assessment
This was a confident display from Ireland. They achieved:
A dominant platform from the forwards, ensuring clean ball and territory.
Defensive resilience when Japan threatened.
Clinical finishing when chances arose.
For Japan, the positives: they competed, showed ambition and pace, and will gain experience from this encounter. But against a team of Ireland’s calibre, marginal errors proved costly.
From Ireland’s perspective this match serves as a reinforcement of how they can perform when all the elements align. For Japan it highlights areas to be sharpened ahead of tougher tests.
Looking ahead, Ireland will aim to maintain this performance level as their autumn programme continues; Japan will regroup and build on the lessons from this outing.
🎯 What to watch moving forward
How Ireland maintain or improve their consistency — a major talking point coming into this game.
Whether Japan can translate their attacking intent into more frequent scoring opportunities against top-tier teams.
The battle in the tight exchanges — set-pieces, rucks, breakdowns — which often determine the outcomes between these levels of sides.
The impact of squad depth and substitutions late in the game as fatigue sets in.
