Ireland's second-string overcome Japan to maintain unbeaten start to Nations Championship

“We had to fight hard for that one,” said acting Irish skipper Tadhg Beirne

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Japan's Takuro Matsunaga tackles Ireland’s Jacob Stockdale. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady.

Ireland 36 Japan 20

A second-string Irish side got out of jail against Japan, winning 36-20 in Newcastle on Saturday to keep their unbeaten start to the Nations Championship alive.

After Japan hit back midway through the second half to cut the score to just six points, Andy Farrell’s side was forced to take a settling penalty in the 71st minute to extend their lead beyond a converted try.

Replacement hooker Tom Stewart scored a try in the dying seconds to blow the lead out, but the 16-point victory certainly didn’t showcase the arm-wrestle and fright Japan gave Ireland.

“We had to fight hard for that one. We had to stick in it. Japan kept coming at us and coming at us, but we held out well and obviously got a nice try at the end to make the score look a bit more comfortable than it was,” said acting Irish skipper Tadhg Beirne.

But Beirne certainly wasn’t overstating the victory, especially with a date against the All Blacks at Eden Park next on the agenda for the men in green.

Ireland’s discipline and set-piece was once again tested.

After struggling at the set-piece last week in their narrow 33-31 win over the Wallabies, Japan edged Ireland at the scrum. It almost proved a game-changer, with Japan turning the screws on Ireland in the crucial area in the second half.

“Our set piece didn’t function as well as we would have liked it to tonight, that’s what happens in games, but we’ll look at that for sure and we’ll be ready to go again next week,” Beirne said.

There were positives, however.

As part of the wholesale changes Farrell made for the Test, including nine to the starting side, the Irish coach gave four men their debuts.

None was better than No.8 Sean Jansen, the 27-year-old from Connacht who was player of the match.

Jansen was busy on both sides of the ball, making 14 tackles, getting over the ball and finding space in the open as he combined with Nick Timoney late in the first half.

“I’m just so privileged to wear this jersey, and what a win,” said Jansen.

“When we found out, when the team got selected, us boys were so stoked, it was a dream come true.

“We knew Japan was going to be a really strong side, they’re a very fit team and they went for the 80 minutes, so credit to them. We’re just happy to win the game.”

New Zealand-born Japan captain Warner Dearns, who won a title with the Hurricanes in Super Rugby this year, credited Ireland for their resilience.

“The Irish put on an awesome show,” he said. “We couldn’t handle them in the second half and they got away.

“We came out with a game plan, and I think we executed it pretty well. But I think we got a bit stuck in how we controlled the game and let Ireland play how they wanted to.”

Japan got off to a flyer as winger Taira Main scored in the third minute after bursting onto an overthrown lineout from Ronan Kelleher.

But Ireland locked it up after nine minutes when Timoney crashed his way over from close range.

Intent to build scoreboard pressure, the Brave Blossoms took a 10-7 lead when Takuro Matsunaga banged over a penalty.

Their lead didn’t last long though as Tom O’Toole scored midway through the first half. A simple conversion miss from Ciaran Frawley meant Ireland’s lead was just 12-10.

A second penalty to Matsunaga then saw Japan once again take the lead, before Robbie Henshaw barged his way over first phase from a lineout to give Ireland a 29-13 half-time lead.

Ireland looked like they would run away with it when Jansen scored after 50 minutes.

But as Eddie Jones predicted, Japan continued to make inroads at the scrum and put themselves in the right position of the field.

The pressure eventually told as Japan scored through replacement hooker Hayata Era after 58 minutes.

Despite having plenty of opportunities over the next ten minutes, Japan failed to take their chances and Ireland did. It proved to be the difference.

But sterner tests lie ahead for Farrell’s Irish.