Wallabies pull clear late as Japan's early spark fades in Townsville
Australia ran out 56-17 winners over Japan at Queensland Country Bank Stadium, a comfortable final margin that flattered the hosts a little given how close this contest was at the break. The scoreline suggests a rout, but for much of the first half it was anything but.
Australia
Japan
J. Nasser (6'), T. Tupou (16', 38'), A. Bell (50'), M. Lutiis (57'), C. Cale (72'), H. Wilson (74'), B. Paenga-Amosa (80')
Tries
H. Hockings (11'), N. Saito (25'), D. Riley (33')
R. Lonergan (7', 17', 39', 51', 59'), B. Donaldson (73', 75', 81')
Conversions
T. Matsunaga (26')
This was the second meeting between the sides in a week, following Australia's 35-32 win over Japan in Osaka. Eddie Jones's side again made life awkward for the Wallabies early on, before the bench impact and a sharp drop-off in Japan's defensive accuracy told in the second half.
A fast, open first half
Josh Nasser got the hosts moving with a try inside six minutes, and when Taniela Tupou crossed on 16 minutes it looked as though Australia might pull away. Instead, Japan refused to sit back.
Harry Hockings replied on 11 minutes, and after Naoto Saito darted over on 25 minutes, Takuro Matsunaga's conversion made it 14-12. Then came the moment that gave the visitors real belief: Dylan Riley finished on 33 minutes to put Japan 17-14 in front.
The lead did not last. Tupou got his second just before half-time, and Ryan Lonergan's conversion nudged Australia back ahead 21-17 at the interval. Four points in it, and plenty still to play for.
Where the contest slipped away
Japan stayed within touching distance early in the second half, still only 21-17 down before Angus Bell forced his way over on 50 minutes. From there the game turned. Massimo De Lutiis crossed shortly after coming on, and with the bench refreshing the front row and half-backs, the Wallabies started to find gaps that were not there earlier.
The numbers point to a side being worn down rather than blown away. Japan made 167 tackles to Australia's 127, but also missed 48, against just 14 from the hosts. That gap tells the story of the second half: Australia beat 45 defenders to Japan's 14, and made nine clean breaks to three. Once the contact area started leaking, the visitors could not stem it.
Match Stats
CARRIES
CLEAN BREAK
DEFENDER BEATEN
TACKLE
MISSED TACKLE
TURNOVER WON
TURNOVERS CONCEDED
PENALTY CONCEDED
YELLOW CARD
POSSESSION
SCRUMS
LINEOUTS
Discipline hurt Japan too. They conceded 12 penalties to Australia's five and lost Mamoru Harada to a yellow card on 75 minutes. Their lineout, at 5 from 8, gave them no stable platform to build from, while Australia's set-piece held firm — 15 from 15 on their own throw and both scrums won.
Standout performers
Australia's back three did much of the damage. Max Jorgensen made 93 metres from seven carries, beat five defenders and threw three offloads, while Tom Wright added 80 metres and beat seven. In midfield, Isaac Henry was excellent, making 70 metres, beating six defenders and breaking the line twice from outside centre.
- Taniela Tupou - two tries and three defenders beaten before being replaced at half-time
- Charlie Cale - 10 carries for 41 metres, 14 tackles and a late try
- Hunter Paisami - 12 carries, 40 metres and a busy defensive shift
- Carter Gordon - 58 metres and a clean break at fly-half before being replaced
The bench mattered. Brandon Paenga-Amosa came on and finished the scoring on 80 minutes, having carried well and secured the lineout, while Ben Donaldson knocked over three late conversions.
Australia
Forwards
- 1Angus BellLoosehead Prop
- 2Josh NasserHooker
- 3Taniela TupouTighthead Prop
- 4Lachlan ShawSecond Row
- 5Lukhan Salakaia-LotoSecond Row
- 6Charlie CaleFlanker
- 7Carlo TizzanoFlanker
- 8Harry WilsonNumber Eight
Backs
- 9Ryan LonerganScrum Half
- 10Carter GordonFly Half
- 11Harry PotterLeft Wing
- 12Hunter PaisamiInside Centre
- 13Isaac HenryOutside Centre
- 14Max JorgensenRight Wing
- 15Tom WrightFull Back
Replacements
- 16Brandon Paenga-AmosaSubstitute
- 17Aidan RossSubstitute
- 18Massimo De LutiisSubstitute
- 19Jeremy WilliamsSubstitute
- 20Fraser McReightSubstitute
- 21Tate McDermottSubstitute
- 22Ben DonaldsonSubstitute
- 23Filipo DaugunuSubstitute
Japan
Forwards
- 1Takato OkabeLoosehead Prop
- 2Hayate EraHooker
- 3Shuhei TakeuchiTighthead Prop
- 4Harry HockingsSecond Row
- 5Warner DearnsSecond Row
- 6Ben GunterFlanker
- 7Tiennan CostleyFlanker
- 8Faulua MakisiNumber Eight
Backs
- 9Naoto SaitoScrum Half
- 10Ryunosuke ItoFly Half
- 11Haruto KidaLeft Wing
- 12Shunsuke UenoboInside Centre
- 13Dylan RileyOutside Centre
- 14Yoshitaka YazakiRight Wing
- 15Takuro MatsunagaFull Back
Replacements
- 16Mamoru HaradaSubstitute
- 17Sojiro OtsukaSubstitute
- 18Izi SwordSubstitute
- 19Jack CornelsenSubstitute
- 20Michael LeitchSubstitute
- 21Itsuki KamimuraSubstitute
- 22Samisoni TuaSubstitute
- 23Kazuma UedaSubstitute
Fair credit for Japan
For a little over 50 minutes, Japan were more than competitive. Faulua Makisi was their best carrier, making 64 metres from number eight, and Ben Gunter put in a real shift with 17 tackles and 37 metres carried. Warner Dearns topped the tackle count with 16, though he and Hockings also missed five apiece — a sign of how much defending they were asked to do late on.
Riley's try and clean break showed his threat, but his eight missed tackles also hint at where Australia found their way through. The visitors did the hard yards for long spells, but leaked 35 unanswered points across the final half-hour.
What it means
Two wins from two against Japan in the space of a week, and a much healthier scoreline than the Osaka meeting. Australia will be pleased with the second-half response and the impact off their bench, less so with a first half in which they trailed 17-14 before recovering to lead 21-17 at the break.
For Japan, there is enough here to build on, but the same lesson keeps landing: they compete, then fade when the game opens up.