Ireland Outlast Japan In Exciting Nine-Try Encounter

The Vodafone Summer Series made an immediate splash as the 3,000 returning fans at the Aviva Stadium were treated to a hugely entertaining contest between Ireland and Japan.

Match Photo Gallery: Ireland 39 Japan 31

Andy Farrell’s men quelled Japan’s challenge with two final-quarter penalties from Joey Carbery, who marked his first Test appearance since the 2019 Rugby World Cup with 14 points.

The lead changed hands on seven occasions in a real nip-and-tuck tie, Ireland edging the try count five to four as Chris Farrell, Stuart McCloskey, Finlay Bealham, Josh van der Flier and Jacob Stockdale all crossed.

Ireland overcame a rusty start to lead 19-17 at half-time, maiden international scores from Farrell and Bealham sandwiching McCloskey’s well-taken 25th-minute effort.

Two points was still the margin up to the hour mark, the Brave Blossoms producing some sparkling rugby to touch down through Siosaia Fifita and Naoto Saito, closing the gap back to 33-31.

However, Carbery’s reliable right boot put Ireland in the box seat, adding to those third-quarter tries from player-of-the-match van der Flier and Stockdale (who is now joint-sixth on Ireland’s all-time list with 19).

With two recent matches under their belts, Japan were quickly up and running despite the late withdrawal of Highlanders back rower Himeno. Yu Tamura’s third-minute penalty opened the scoring.

Hugo Keenan’s high catch and offload raised the decibel level amongst the home crowd, and from Ireland’s first serious attack in the Japanese 22, they were clinical in setting up Farrell’s seventh-minute score.

Caelan Doris gobbled up yards from quick lineout ball, Jamison Gibson-Park sniped and Bealham barged up towards the posts, before the big Munster centre stepped inside Semisi Masirewa and reached over.

Frustratingly, following Carbery’s conversion, Ireland handed back those seven points as the visitors turned a penalty from the restart into a try. Their lineout drive did the damage, sending captain Mitchael Leitch over for Tamura to make it 10-7.

Masirewa’s fine fielding and Fifita’s gathering of a kick through brought the Japanese back into high-tempo mode. The Irish defence was punctured by Timothy Lafaele but his 17th minute try was ruled out for a forward pass.

The tit-for-tat nature of the game continued, Ireland initially thwarted by a crooked lineout but Carbery scrambling onto his own chip kick, coupled with Doris’ soft hands in the pass, allowed full-back Keenan to cut through past the visitors’ 10-metre line.

McCloskey and Peter O’Mahony then took over, angling out to the left where the Corkman bumped off Masirewa’s attempted tackle and flicked a lovely offload away for McCloskey to neatly gather and score in the corner past Kotaro Matsushima.

Carbery missed the difficult conversion on the near side, leaving it 12-10 to the men in green. Tamura’s 29th-minute penalty then bounced away off the left hand post.

There were still signs of rustiness from Ireland, who had two lineouts pinched by James Moore either side of a knock-on in contact from skipper James Ryan.

Indeed, Japan’s speed and variety in attack was rewarded with a try five minutes before the break. Armed with a penalty advantage, Tamura’s cross-field kick found Fifita who got around replacement Shane Daly and linked with Lafaele who stepped inside Keenan’s tackle to power over the line.

Tamura was back on target with the conversion from the left, and some hard-won possession – O’Mahony increased his impact at the breakdown – was lost by Ireland through a Matsushima interception and then a Stockdale fumble from a Daly break.

However, Japan’s eagerness to attack from deep backfired when Matsushima passed high into touch. Ryan ensured the lineout provided momentum for a late surge. Carbery was held up before tighthead Bealham burrowed in under the posts, a few phases after a quick tap by Ronan Kelleher.

Carbery’s conversion split the sides at the interval, and the 25-year-old shifted out to centre early in the second period due to Farrell’s match-ending head injury when making a tackle. Billy Burns took the reins at out-half.

Japan took advantage of the disruption and although Keenan did well to bring down Matsushima, Tamura scurried down the blindside of a ruck and brilliantly kicked infield for Fifita to collect and crash over. Tamura also converted, leaving Ireland with a 24-19 deficit to overcome.

Better ball from the lineout allowed the home side to swiftly hit back. Doris and Gibson-Park provided the initial incisions, with van der Flier picking up from a ruck to drive over, aided by timely support from Kelleher and Dave Kilcoyne. Carbery brought it back to a two-point game.

The improved lineout platform gave Ireland further joy in the 51st minute, Kelleher rampaging around the rear, his fellow forwards carrying up closer before Gibson-Park’s peach of a long pass took out four defenders and put Stockdale over in the left corner.

The conversion near the touchline was successful from Carbery, giving Farrell’s charges some welcome breathing space at 33-24. Japan had other ideas and Masirewa, the Fijian-born debutant, ran back a kick and offloaded to launch another rewarding attack.

Lively replacement Amanaki Mafi galloped forward with Ireland short of defenders, Fifita was up in support to cut in from his wing and pass inside for 23-year-old scrum half Saito to raid clear and reduce the arrears to 33-31.

The conversion from Tamura was Japan’s final scoring act, though, as Ireland gradually put themselves out of reach. Carbery punished Ryoto Nakamura for not rolling away with a 61st-minute penalty.

Kelleher’s sturdy presence at the breakdown forced a call of side-entry against Japan, setting up Carbery for another well-struck place-kick with 12 minutes remaining.

Neither side could engineer a scoring chance during the closing stages, with Ireland able to hand Gavin Coombes his debut. There should be further opportunities for first caps in next week’s game against the USA.