O'Donovan happy with defence

Stand-in coach Niall O’Donovan was delighted with Ireland’s defensive strength as they kept Japan at bay and laid the platform for a thoroughly convincing victory in Osaka.

Minus their British and Irish Lions stars, O’Donovan’s team won 44-12, restricting the home side to points secured by the boot of Kyohei Morita, who kicked four penalties.

Forwards coach O’Donovan, on head coach watch due to Eddie O’Sullivan’s involvement with the Lions in New Zealand, had clearly done his homework as the tourists outscored the Japanese by four tries to none.

The tourists opened well with two penalties from stand-in skipper David Humphreys and a try from Ulster wing Tommy Bowe.

Despite the loss of fly-half Humphreys to a cut mouth after 21 minutes, Ireland went on to bag further tries from 70-cap centre Kevin Maggs before the break, and front-rowers Frankie Sheahan and Simon Best in the closing quarter.

“We’re very pleased with the win,” said O’Donovan.

“We played some good stuff, kept it tight, scored our tries and defensively, it was a bonus to keep them out for the full 80 minutes.”

Best’s effort – his first for his country – was the highlight as Irish backs and forwards kept the ball in hand, shipping some heavy hits from the tireless Japanese to set up the Ulster prop’s 69th-minute score.

Six players made their senior Ireland debuts – Matt McCullough, Roger Wilson, Bernard Jackman, David Quinlan, Trevor Hogan and Kieran Campbell.

The home side, who lost the Super Cup final 15-10 to Canada last time out, wilted with the second-half sin-binning of record try scorer Daisuke Ohata.

“Japan played as we expected them to play,” said O’Donovan.

“They were competitive in all aspects of play, particularly at the breakdown.”

“Our players haven’t played for a few weeks and competed well to the end though.”