As it happened: Japan v Ireland, first test (2024)

Hey everybody, and welcome to The42′s live updates of Ireland’s first test in Japan.

Gavan Casey here and I’ll be with you as Greg McWilliams’ side try to begin their own World Cup cycle against a team bound for New Zealand.

Akito Iwamoto / INPHO Akito Iwamoto / INPHO / INPHO

It’s a hot and humid one in f*ckuroi City, with the temperature currently at 27 degrees Celsius and the humidity at a whopping 89% (around 30-50% would be considered ‘comfortable’ by most people on this side of the world).

Team news to follow!

Ireland

• 15. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)*
• 14. Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)*
• 13. Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Leinster)*
• 12. Enya Breen (TBC/Munster)(14)
• 11. Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(10)
• 10. Dannah O’Brien (Tullow RFC/Leinster)*
• 9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(14)
• 1. Linda Djougang (TBC/Leinster)(22)
• 2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster)(11)
• 3. Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(10)
• 4. Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(27)(capt)
• 5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(9)
• 6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(15)
• 7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)(19)
• 8. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(12)

Replacements:

• 16. Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(11)
• 17. Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(5)
• 18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(4)
• 19. Taryn Schutzler (Saracens/Ulster)*
• 20. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby)(3)
• 21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(20)
• 22. Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Leinster)*
• 23. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(2)

Japan

It's GAME DAY!

Here's your Sakura Fifteen team to take on Ireland later this evening at Ecopa Stadium 🔥

Japan v Ireland
📆 Today, 20 August
⏰ 19:00
🏟️ Shizuoka Ecopa Stadium Shizuoka

Watch it live on JSports 2 and JSports On Demand📱#Sakura15 | #Unstoppable pic.twitter.com/s7wVKa1Fbc

— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) August 20, 2022

1′ – Well, I think we’ve kicked off? But the feed for the game has frozen, so I’m currently listening to TG4′s pundits in the studio. Apologies.

Hopefully we see a bit of ball being played very shortly.

13′ - Again, apologies but the TV feed from Japan to TG4 has been lost, so I can’t actually see the game for the moment.

The far worse news is this: Japan lead 12-0 through two early tries. Left winger Komachi Imakugi has just finished the second after an attack from way downtown, apparently.

That’s a poor start for Ireland, but let’s see if they can grow into this one. Well, we might not see it, but surely we’ll hear about it!

16′ — It’s 15-0 to Japan, and I don’t honestly know what happened to result in that latest three points.

But, the feed is back up and running on TG4, so here we go!

17′ – No sooner than the feed returns do Ireland get off the mark! It’s Neve Jones who dots down after tremendous work in the maul.

Tullow teenager Dannah O’Brien adds the extras, and Ireland get back within eight of the hosts.

15-7.

22′ -Ah, that’s an absolutely sublime score by Greg McWilliams’ side!

Ireland build some nice phases in midfield and get a decent attacking platform with a scrum when Japan knock on in the breakdown.

Off first phase, Enya Breen dummies and finds a gap in the Japanese defence. Breen feeds Méabh Deely who bursts into the hosts’ 22′ and pops a perfectly timed pass for Aoife Doyle to touch down in the corner.

Brilliant, brilliant score.

Dannah O’Brien’s tough conversion from the left-hand side is just off the mark, and it’s 15-12 in f*ckuroi city.

30′ -Again, nice phase play by Ireland in midfield and it’s rewarded with a penalty as Japan go off their feet.

Nichola Fryday points to the posts and who else but number eight Hannah O’Connor to have a go from maybe 45 yards?

The kick is off the mark, and Ireland miss the opportunity to pull level. But it was a proper long shot.

39′ - I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a game in which the play has devolved so much around midfield. Both teams trading blows but making virtually no territory.

But on the cusp of half-time, skipper Nichola Fryday makes an unbelievable jackal poach and Dannah O’Brien moves Ireland into the Japanese 22′ from the penalty.

40′ - TRRYYYYYYYY!!! Ireland get over again, and it’s another super score!

It’s Aoife Dalton who dots down after Enya Breen — I think — puts her through a hole in the hosts’ rearguard after a nice move in the 22′.

That all came from a captain doing captain things: Fryday’s turnover near halfway, O’Brien’s boot to touch, and Ireland take the lead at half-time: 19-15 with O’Brien’s conversion sailing over.

What a turnaround this has been by McWilliams’ women, who trailed 15-0 earlier in the first half.

Really enjoyable stuff as Ireland more than hold their own, and begin to assert a bit of control, on this game.

We heard that the Japanese heat and humidity might be an issue for the tourists. But did the Japanese consider that Nichola Fryday plays for Ireland?

Catch you in a few.

41′ - We’re back underway in Shizuoka.

Let’s see if Ireland can build on a very promising first half — and they have a chance to do so in the first minute back from the break as O’Brien prods them back into the Japanese 22′.

42′ - IT’S ANOTHER TRY FOR NEVE JONES!!! Brilliant, brilliant work again by Ireland off the lineout maul, an area of the game upon which they’ve been working hard in the build-up to this tour.

That’s a two-score lead for the tourists who are worth every bit of it.

The conversion, again from a wide angle, is marginally wide by O’Brien — but it’s 24-15.

48′ - No score update but just a sumptuous passage of free-flowing, attacking rugby by Ireland. Virtually every player on the pitch had a carry there, and there were a couple of beautiful offloads — including by Sam Monaghan obviously — before they eventually got pinged for sealing off as they entered Japanese territory.

This is an inexperienced Ireland team but they’re playing like a side who have been together for years.

51′ - A sustained spell of Irish pressure breaks down with a forced knock-on in the Japanese 22′ by Linda Djougang, who has been exceptional all day.

But mother of God, what a shove in the scrum by replacement Christy Haney on her fifth cap! And it’s a penalty to Ireland! Monstrous stuff.

52′ -AND YOU KNOW THE DRILL AT THIS STAGE! IT’S NEVE JONES FOR THE HAT-TRICK!!!

Wonderful rolling maul again by Ireland, and the score honestly felt inevitable as soon as they claimed their own lineout. What a day this is turning into.

O’Brien slots the afters: 31-15!

57′ - Ohhhh, it’s a beauty! And it’s Méabh Deely on her debut who takes it to the house from halfway!

Ireland had the scum on halfway and Ailsa Hughes passed to Enya Breen at first receiver. Breen fires this sumptuous, flat pass which totally splits Japan’s defensive line. And Deely shows the wheels to take it home. Brilliant again by Ireland.

And O’Brien adds the extras from a tough enough angle, the cherry on top.

It’s bloody 38-15!

Is there a bit of life in the hosts? They crash over through Makoto Lavemai from the quick tap about five metres out. Really poor awareness and defence by Ireland on this occasion.

Ayasa Otsuka adds the conversion from under the sticks, and we’re at 38-22 with about 16 minutes to go.

69′ - It’s Chloe Pearse, straight off the bench!

Moments after coming on, the UL Bohs woman charges down a clearing kick and controls the ball with her feet before dotting down. A cheap score for Japan to give away but brilliant work by the sub.

O’Brien’s seventh kick of the day is narrowly wide again. She’s 4/7 for the day but most of the kicks have been very tough.

43-22.

71′ - Ah, what a score by Molly Scuffil-McCabe. This is turning into some hammering.

The Railway Union woman picks from the base of a ruck about 40 yards out and makes a dart. She backs herself to go all the way, riding a high tackle on the line to touch down.

O’Brien adds the conversion and Ireland have 50.

What a win this is going to be!

77′ - Wonderful passage of play by Ireland. A crossfield kick by O’Brien is collected brilliantly on the bounce by Natasja Behan. She’s tackled in the Japanese 22′ and Ireland build the phases, working their way to the line.

Unfortunatel, Enya Breen spills it over the whitewash as she reaches for a try. So close, but so good.

80′ - You knew what was coming!

It’s sub hooker Emma Hooban who applies the finishing touches this time as she crashes over from a yard out. Ireland punched at the line and, after maybe three or four phases, they get their reward again.

The ball falls off the tee for Dannah O’Brien and what does she do? Drop-kicks it between the sticks with the final act of the game.

57-22.

What. A. Day.

Greg McWilliams, Niamh Briggs, John Fogarty and co: take a bow.

And to those 23 players, take a day!

An unbelievable start to this summer series by Ireland.