Key events
Today’s referee is New Zealander Paul Williams.
It is a beautiful dry mostly sunny day in north Queensland with temperatures in the low 20s. An easterly breeze may make life awkward for goal kickers.
Japan XV
Just the five changes from Eddie Jones after his team’s promising display last weekend. Among the quintet coming into the starting lineup is Harry Hockings, born a couple of hours along the Bruce Highway in Prosperpine.
1 Takato Okabe, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 4 Harry Hockings, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Tiennan Costley, 8 Faulua Makisi, 9 Naoto Saitō, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 11 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 12 Dylan Riley, 13 Shunsuke Uenobo, 14 Haruto Kida, 15 Takuro Matsunaga.
Reserves: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Itsuki Kamimura, 22 Samisoni Tua, 23 Kazuma Ueda.
Australia XV
The Wallabies have made eight changes to their starting XV, including an almost brand new pack. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii misses out with injury, joining centre partner Len Ikitau on the sidelines. Isaac Henry comes in for his first start after debuting off the bench in Higashiōsaka. Another debutant, Massimo de Lutiis, is in line to become Wallaby cap number 1,000.
1. Angus Bell, 2. Josh Nasser, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Lachlan Shaw, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Charlie Cale, 7. Carlo Tizzano, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Carter Gordon, 11. Harry Potter, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Isaac Henry, 14. Max Jorgensen, 15. Tom Wright.
Replacements: 16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17. Aidan Ross, 18. Massimo De Lutiis, 19. Jeremy Williams, 20. Fraser McReight, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Filipo Daugunu.
Jack Snape
Of the No 10s tried by the Wallabies in the past two years, injuries, form, age or commitments overseas have prevented any from securing the jersey. That dynamic was highlighted when Rugby Australia paid the Gold Coast Titans – Carter’s club during his flirtation with rugby league – what was described by a “comprehensive financial settlement” to trigger a release from the final year of his NRL contract.
But just as his NRL career was impeded by injury, so too has the resumption of his one in union. Injuries, or “small niggles” as Carter described them, sidelined the 25-year-old from Nambour immediately after the two Tests he has played for the Wallabies since his return.
Angus Fontaine
In his first Test as new Wallabies coach and World Cup saviour, Les Kiss stepped up. Despite only two weeks with the team, he showed enough coaching nous to outlast his rivals on their home range. The Wallabies started slow, lost a man to a red card and played like a hot mess at times. But they kept climbing and found a way to win.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Japan in the second and final Test of this bilateral series. Kick-off at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville is scheduled for 3.15pm.
The Wallabies snuck home in the series opener last Saturday to kick off the Les Kiss era with a morale boosting win. But in a highly entertaining contest it was 21-year-old flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito who stole the show, leading the Brave Blossoms around the field with boundless creativity.
Ito’s brilliance contrasted with yet another underwhelming performance from an Australian five-eighth, this time Declan Meredith. In the past two years the Wallabies have auditioned seven No 10s in a so-far forlorn search for a consistent playmaker. Kiss continues that quest, replacing Meredith with Carter Gordon, who is fit to start following a calf strain.
Gordon is one of eight changes to the XV that started the hot and humid first Test as Kiss explores his options with precious little preparation time ahead of next year’s World Cup.
I’ll be back with final team lists and more shortly. Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the evening. The address is jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2026/aug/15/wallabies-japan-nations-championship-rugby-union-international-townsville-aus-v-jpn-live-updates
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