Ireland v Japan, November Internationals: As it happened
Gus McCarthy of Ireland is congratulated by teammate Andrew Porter after scoring their side's fourth try during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match against Japan at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
That's it from me for the liveblog. I'm off to gather some reaction from Andy Farrell and his lads with our rugby correspondent Simon Lewis. Simon's online report is imminent and the two of us will be sitting down for our usual post-game pod so keep an ear out for that one over the weekend.
Next up for this Ireland team is the visit of Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies in seven day's time but Cullie Tucker's Ireland XV players will be hoping to put their hands up for greater honours when they take on Spain just outside Madrid later today.
Tommy O'Brien is named man of the match one week after the game against New Zealand in Chicago seemed to pass him by. This was his home debut too having made his first appearances on the summer's tour to Georgia and Portugal.
Ireland take the expected win by 41-10. Six tries to one in the end but it will be interesting to see what Andy Farrell makes of it when he talks to the media afterwards because that was a hard watch for a long time.
That's the half-dozen and it comes from Tommy O'Brien who breaks free down the wing and punches the ball into the crowd after touching down. Sam Prendergast's conversion from the sideline makes it to the hosts.
. Number five is scored by Paddy McCarthy. Another groundhog effort from close in but the crowd seem happy enough with the scores now, regardless of how they come. The conversion makes it and that prompts the first of the early exiters to make their way down the steps.
Paddy McCarthy comes in to earn his second cap with Andrew Porter making way.
, Finally, Ireland are back on the scoreboard with Gus McCarthy touching down after a mass maul from close-in. Sam Prendergast's touchline conversion drifts left and wide. It's now .
Jimmy O'Brien is on for Jamie Osborne.
STAT ALERT! Japan have outscored Ireland 10-5 in the last 35 minutes of rugby
Plenty of other stats stand out too. Possession and territory are fairly equal with Ireland having more line breaks but Japan ahead in terms of metres made.
Caolin Blade is on at scrum-half for Craig Casey
Gus McCarthy and Finlay Bealham are on to add some freshness to the front row. Two British and Irish Lions, no less!
Jacob Stockdale has a try ruled out for an offside earlier in the move. Unlucky on the part of the Ulster wing who did brilliantly to chase down his own kick block.
Sam Prendergast has replaced Jack Crowley at No.10. The Leinster man has a good 30 minutes to press his claims here now. Jack Conan is on for Timoney and James Ryan has given way for Cian Prendergast.
Jacob Stockdale is back in from the naughty step with Japan threatening in the Irish 22.
Andrew Porter goes over from close range to claim Ireland's third try but Jack Crowley skews a simple enough kick wide at his near post. It's now
Second-half is underway and the referee confirms that Jacob Stockdale's yellow is staying yellow. Hardly a surprise but then after Tadhg Beirne's experience last week...
Here's Japan's try, which has now been awarded to the hooker Kenji Sato.
Andy Farrell's Ireland has struggled in these November games against less-than-stellar opponents like Fiji and Georgia. Same here. Lots of errors, little pattern and Japan scoring the last ten points of the half is a better reflection on it all so far.
"A lacklustre half in front of a subdued lunchtime crowd," says Irish Examiner rugby corr Simon Lewis.
Japan had already been awarded a penalty for an offside against James Ryan and Seungsin Lee pops that over from close range to leave it at the break.
The game is stopped as officials check for a possible high hit by Jacob Stockdale on Kippei Ishida. They've watched it a tonne of times now but it seems to be little enough.
It's a YELLOW CARD and a bunker review, though.
Japan are on the board with a try from loosehead prop Kenta Kobayashi off a maul. The ref had deemed it held-up but was corrected by his sideline official. Out-half Seungsin Lee has added the extras after 38 minutes. That leaves it with half-time nearly here.
TRY IRELAND! That's the second and, like the first, it came from nowhere, this time from Nick Timoney. Unlike the first, this was no Barbarians move with Ireland huffing and puffing and going nowhere before the Ulster back row burst through into the corner.
Still Crowley's conversion makes it with ten to go to the break.
Here's that opening try from Ireland's No.10...
The game has still to really get going despite that first try. Ireland have made a number of errors, not least at the lineout where their issues from touch are still hurting them.
TRY IRELAND! That's a brilliant score from Jack Crowley, and from virtually nowhere. Wonderful passing and movement between forwards and back across the field, a line break from Thomas Clarkson and Crowley runs a sweep to collect Caelan Doris' pass.
That makes it with Crowley's conversion.
Officials are now looking at whether Charlie Lawrence is guilty of a tip tackle on Tom Farrell. Doesn't look great - and it's a YELLOW CARD and a bunker review for the Japanese centre.
Dance music pumping through the tannoy as we wait for a lineout - and after the lineout goes in. It is any wonder modern crowds are said to be quieter?
Japan threatening with some really good, evasive runs here down Tommy O'Brien's wing. Ireland getting some practise with their exits from the '22'.
Jack Crowley sends over a fairly simple penalty from maybe 35m out and more or less in front of the posts to get the scoreboard ticking after Japan collapse the scrum.
Japan ran a second-string Aussie side close in Tokyo before being filleted by the Springboks in London last week. They've survived the opening few exchanges here.
And we're off...
Japan's anthem is still as amazing as ever! Memories of 2019 flooding back here. Barry Murphy on duty again for Ireland's anthems.
The band is on the pitch and ready, the teams are coming out. The crowd is... taking its time coming in.
Ireland's game is the first of five big Test-matches today, ending with the blockbuster clash of France and South Africa in Saint-Denis, kick-off 8.10pm. Deep breath...
When great minds meet...
Eddie Jones 🤝 Andy Farrell#QuilterNS #IREvJPN #QCNS pic.twitter.com/ZbapeOkHDO
— Quilter Nations Series (@QuilterNations) November 8, 2025
A reminder of the Ireland team and replacements before we get going...
Ready to represent! 👊 pic.twitter.com/bmtjnF59hZ
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 8, 2025
It's a big day for these two Munster men, with Jack Crowley going again at No.10 and Craig Casey coming in alongside him at scrum-half.
Good afternoon (barely) from the Aviva Stadium press box. I'm Brendan O'Brien and it's a positively balmy 13 degrees here, the sky is a brilliant blue and we're still digesting our breakfasts so your usual ingredients for a November international then!
Kick-off here is at 12.40pm so not long to go...
It's an interesting day today with Andy Farrell having made eight changes to the team that fell off a cliff in the last quarter in Chicago against a clunky All Blacks team last week.
I sat down with our rugby correspondent Simon Lewis to look at the game to come and the wider picture as Ireland look to go again...
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