Japan 32-35 Australia: rugby union international – as it happened

Key events

Summary

Thank you for joining me this evening. I hope you enjoyed that ding-dong affair as much as I did.

I’ll see you back here for the second half of this double-header next Saturday afternoon. That one comes to you from Townsville.

Stay tuned for all the reaction and analysis as Australia begin the Les Kiss era with a hard fought win.

Kiss was good value in his first postmatch media duties, encouraging his players to back their skills, lamenting a lack of game management, and providing some tactical insights into how he set up his team differently after half-time.

“That was tough, they’re a good team,” remarks Les Kiss. “We gave them too many opportunities. We overplayed at times. But overall its a Test win. Well done boys.”

Harry Potter had a good game for Australia tonight and he spent some of his time in front of a microphone complimenting Japan’s attack, name-checking Ito and his ability to pop up in unexpected places. The 21 year old is going to be his country’s first rugby superstar.

Australian skipper Harry Wilson has said a few words. “We’re really happy to win,” he told Stan Sport, they’re a good team. They were bloody tough conditions.”

“We’re trying to be disciplined… that was our main message… discipline on both sides of the ball.”

Wilson then jogs off to lift a handsome looking trophy akin to the Vince Lombardi awarded after the Super Bowl, and pose with a hilariously large bottle of what looks like cough mixture in support of the matchday sponsor.

That’s the first time in a year Australia have won back-to-back Tests, and only the third time in the past two years.

“Did what we needed to do but simply had to win that for Les to get off to a winning start against a team like Japan,” emails Marlon Maton, a sentiment I’m sure is shared by many Australians. But make no mistake this is a very handy Japanese team and the more exposure Ito gets the better they will become.

That was a thoroughly entertaining Test match. Japan are tremendous fun and Ryunosuke Ito is a superstar.

Australia showed grit to come through despite playing 20 minutes with just 14 men and Declan Meredith enduring a stinker at fly-half.

Full-time: Japan 32-35 Australia

Les Kiss wins his first match in charge of the Wallabies.

80 mins: Meredith goes long from the restart. Japan have 90m to go.

79 mins: One minute remaining for Australia to hold on.

CONVERTED TRY! Japan 32-35 Australia (Dearns, 78)

We do have a grandstand finish! The hosts lay siege to the line. Pick and go after pick and go. Dearns thinks he’s over. The whistle blows. The referee clears the wreckage from the mass of bodies. And he raises his arm to the sky!

77 mins: The lineout is to the front this time and there is something resembling a maul. Japan attack infield off the back, there’s a penalty advnatge on the play, Saito sends the ball back to the left touchline but the door’s closed. Japan camp on the line but there’s no way through. Eventually play is halted and Japan reload from a 5m tap and go.

76 mins: The lineout is secure but the Wallabies are waiting to repel, and then obliterate the maul. Gunter keeps the drive alive, there’s a grubber in behind, but McDermott is alert and pounces on the loose ball – but play is recalled for a Japan penalty and they repeat the trick.

75 mins: Australia try to milk the clock at the scrum but the penalty goes Japan’s way! And the Wallabies are marched for backchat! The kick to the left corner gives the hosts a late opportunity to set up a grandstand finish.

73 mins: Japan get into some phase play across halfway and then there’s some chaos ball in the Australian defence that takes some scrambling from Jorgensen and McDermott to clear up. The latter then box kicks downfield and Yazaki spills it, taking the sting out of the contest. That was a massive let off for the Wallabies.

71 mins: Wilson’s bravery to kick for the corner instead of accepting penalty points comes good for Australia again. It has cost them points twice today, but the statement of intent is worth its weight in gold.

CONVERTED TRY! Japan 25-35 Australia (Tupou, 70)

Can the Australian set-piece spin gold once more? The throw is to the front, but the ball out is spilled – backwards – and the attack continues. It’s pick-and go from 5m out, now with a penalty advantage. Cale gets close. Paisami closer. Tupou goes over under the posts! The Wallabies pack comes up trumps close to the line yet again!

68 mins: Paisami, Meredith, and Jorgensen, link neatly in midfield. Williams straightens things up as Australia grind through the phases and win a breakdown penalty just about within kickable distance. Meredith kicks for the left corner.

67 mins: Australia attack from right to left off a lineout on halfway, a move that ends with a nothing kick forward that Japan belt back with interest. Both teams trying to play for territory late in the game.

65 mins: Japan’s scrum just about holds firm and Ito can boot beyond halfway.

63 mins: Both team’s finishers are now on the field but it’s Jorgensen from the starting XV that changes the dynamic of the play with a scorching run down the right. Bell solidifies the platform, but Suaalii fails with his grubber. Ito glides infield menacingly but his kick is wayward and the game descends into broken field chaos. And now Paisami gets in on the act, throwing a loose pass miles forward, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath and pack a scrum.

Meredith will have a three minute hydration break to receive the feedback of his teammates.

62 mins: There’s a penalty advantage on the scrum. Lonergan extracts it, but is quickly wrapped up by Leitch. Play goes back to the infringement, Meredith taps and goes quickly, and he’s monstered at the breakdown. What an absolutely mindless call that was by the No 10. Completely against the structured set-piece based gameplan by a man having an absolute stinker. Another guaranteed three points thrown away.

61 mins: And that scrum becomes a penalty – with Australia opting to repack the set-piece instead of kicking the easy three points.

60 mins: Japan make a mess of the restart allowing the Wallabies an immediate chance to hit back but McReight is just unable to collect the bouncing ball from his bootlaces with the chalk from the try line entering his nostrils. Australia still have an attacking scrum feed.

Penalty! Japan 25-28 Australia (Matsunaga, 59)

Japan attack off the lineout and ease into their phases, executing those quick breakdowns that Eddie Jones demands, and eventually they earn a simple penalty under the crossbar that Matsunaga dabs over. The margin is back to three.

58 mins: Japan attack from right to left off the back of a lineout. Ito dabs a grubber in behind that Wright contemplates touching down for a drop-out, instead passing to Metcalf who makes a hash of his clearing kick. Japan with an attacking lineout.

57 mins: It’s 15 v 15 again as Williams enters the fray in the second row. Australia got away with a couple of fumbles coming out of defence – and a crunching hit on the blindsided Meredith – but they survive.

55 mins: Japan get back into their phase play around halfway, sucking the Australian defence onto them. Ito executes a magnificent sidestep but the gold defensive wall stands firm. With momentum flatlining Saito box kicks and the Wallabies are forced to scramble.

Penalty! Japan 22-28 Australia (Matsunaga, 53)

Matsunaga strokes over the three points as the benches empty with replacements.

51 mins: Japan grind their way through the phases but Australia defend stoutly. Eventually play is recalled for a penalty and the hosts accept the invitation to kick for goal. Perhaps surprisingly considering the player advantage they still have.

CONVERTED TRY! Japan 19-28 Australia (McReight, 49)

The lineout is secure, the Wallabies quickly recycle play at the breakdown and McReight is too quick and strong with the pick and drive to urge himself over the line for another try! That score has become Australia’s trademark in 2026, taking advantage of the solid set-piece and rampaging back row.

Lonergan makes it 4/4 off the tee.

Fraser McReight squeezes over the line. Photograph: Paul Miller/Getty Images

47 mins: Japan threaten again with Takeuchi picking and going but Bell does well in defensive to force the turnover. Meredith multiplies the value with a massive kick out of hands to set up the 5m lineout in the left corner.

TRY! Japan 19-21 Australia (Ueda, 45)

Gifted attacking territory Japan show great urgency around the ruck, Ito is alive to every opportunity, and eventually there’s an overlap on the right. But instead of going through hands Ueda straightens and accelerates through the line with a turbo boost of speed to scorch over for an immediate reply. Matsunaga fails with a straightforward conversion attempt, dragging it across the face.

Kazuma Ueda speeds clear to score. Photograph: Kenta Harada/Getty Images

44 mins: Lonergan kicks out on the full clearing his lines and Japan get an attacking platform.

43 mins: That was outrageous handling from the Wallabies, keeping the ball alive in tight on multiple opportunities when play looked destined to be reset. Seven massive points against the run of play.

CONVERTED TRY! Japan 14-21 Australia (Jorgensen, 42)

Japan begin the second half on the front foot, working through phase from right to left, keeping the defensive line in motion. Eventually Saito box kicks and Suaalii mounts a solo counter. Paisami is busy, Bell comes off the bench to add some muscle, then it’s party time among the backs, flicking and offloading like a sevens exhibition to the left! Suaalii is in the mix, Jorgensen, Lonergan, and when play is brought to ground inches form the line Jorgensen is on the spot for a pick and go!

Lonergan stripes another beautiful conversion to complete the perfect start to the half.

Considering how awful Meredith was that half, could he be hooked for Jeremy Williams to secure the Australian pack for the remaining 12 minutes they have to operate with 14 men?

“Aggressive Amatosero Trusted to Toe the Line” was the headline in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph this morning.

Japan’s halves are so much fun to watch, Ito in particular has extraordinary potential. The bravery to attack from anywhere, and the execution of combination passing moves is expressive and thrilling.

Australia had to weather an early storm, and then survive the final seven minutes before half-time a man down, but in between looked capable of taking the game away with a couple of clinical tries.

Everything turned around half-an-hour in when Wilson rejected an easy three points in favour of a kick to the right corner. Not only did Australia not score from the set-piece but they lost their enforcer lock forward Amatosero for the night. He flew in to execute a clearout but failed to make any wrapping motion with his arms and his shoulder connected with the head of the Japanese skipper. It was always a minimum yellow and soon upgraded to a 20 minute red.

Half-time: Japan 14-14 Australia

An incident-filled, entertaining half of rugby ends all square.

Amatosero yellow card upgraded to 20 min red card (39 mins)

39 mins: Belatedly Japan get the shove on, win the penalty advantage, then attack down the right. Play comes back infield for more Ito combination magic. Dearns busts the line, steams inside the 22, but then Wright not only executes the tackle but gets to his feet, puts his head over the ball, and secures the breakdown penalty.

Meanwhile, Amatosero’s yellow is upgraded to a 20 min red.

37 mins: Valetini packs down in the second row for Australia as Japan feed a scrum on halfway. The scrum is set, reset, then reset again, wasting a full two minutes of Amatosero’s sin-binning.

35 mins: Meredith’s horror night continues with a restart out on the full. He is having an absolute Barry Crocker in the 10 jersey.

CONVERTED TRY! Japan 14-14 Australia (Makisi, 34)

Wow! Japan make 15v14 look easy! Following the clearing kick Takeuchi powers downfield miles, Cornelsen takes up the running through a non-existent ruck, and with all the momentum and a ragged defensive line Makisi is strong enough to carry bodies with him for a thrilling try just to the left of the posts.

Faulua Makisi goes in and we’re tied again. Photograph: Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images

33 mins: That was a massive moment in the match. Australia rejected three easy points and now find themselves down to 14 men as half-time nears.

Yellow Card! Amatosero (Australia, 33 mins)

That’s ten minutes in the bin for the Australian enforcer. It could yet be upgraded remember.

33 mins: Replays show Amatosero comes in from the side and collects Dearns flush on the head with his shoulder. Dearns was falling under contact from Valetini. Which takes precedence, the contact or the mitigating circumstances?

32 mins: This time the maul forms, but it wheels dangerously close to the sideline. The ball is released infield, Japan cover, and the Wallabies get into some slow phase play – until Amatosero flies in from the side and concedes a penalty. The offence is considered severe enough for a video review.

31 mins: The lineout is short, quickly spoiled by Japan, and play is soon recalled for a penalty and another kick to the right corner.

30 mins: Wilson asks Meredith to kick to the right corner instead of going for goal.

29 mins: Canham with the first lineout steal of the night. Australia counter down the left from deep and benefit from a kindly ricochet to allow Potter to steam into attacking 22. 15m out there’s a penalty advantage so Wilson tries something funky, Amatosero passes blind, and play is recalled for the gimme three points.