Japan v Australia - Teams and Prediction

PREVIEW: Australia will aim to make a fresh start under new coach Les Kiss against Japan on Saturday, with just 14 months to go until they host the Rugby World Cup.

Kiss takes the reins as the Wallabies face Japan in sweltering Osaka for the first of two Tests, with the return taking place next week in Townsville.

There is not a moment to lose for the new man in charge as he looks to turn a side that won just 12 of 31 Tests under predecessor Joe Schmidt into serious World Cup contenders.

Kiss made nine changes to the 23-strong squad from their 57-10 thumping of Italy in Perth last month, and said the aim was to build squad depth while also making a winning start.

“You’ve got to get the balance right about how much you tinker,” said the 61-year-old.

“But I know the thing that will come straight back at me if I said that these guys had their spot now, they’d look me back and say they want to earn it every time.”

Kiss was named Wallabies coach in April last year but he was not available to take over from Schmidt until his contract with the Queensland Reds was up.

He becomes the fifth Wallabies coach in six years after Michael Cheika, Dave Rennie, Eddie Jones and Schmidt.

Jones, now Japan’s coach, is hoping to gatecrash Kiss’s party in a match that is forecast to be played in 37C heat.

Kiss said he and his coaches had “had a bit of time to put a few little things in place”.

“Our job as a new coaching team is to get to know each other, get to know the group,” he said.

“That has been the focus.”

Caring coach

Kiss has handed lock Miles Amatosero and prop Aidan Ross their first starts.

Fraser McReight returns as flanker in place of Carlo Tizzano, while hooker Josh Nasser is back in the starting team after missing the Italy clash with concussion.

The only change in the matchday backline sees the recall of Hunter Paisami for the first time this season in place of injured inside centre Len Ikitau.

Ross, who played under Kiss at the Reds, said “what you see is what you get” from the coach.

“I love how he cares about the family side as well, and then once it’s training, it’s time to train,” said Ross.

“He really gets the whole picture right. I love playing for him.”

Japan head into the game looking to build on last month’s Nations Championship games, where they beat Italy and lost to Ireland and France.

Jones made five changes to the starting line-up, retaining university student flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito after the 21-year-old made an impressive start to his international career.

Jones said Japan had enjoyed “one of our best preparation periods” since he returned to the job at the start of 2024.

“There’s a lot of pressure on Australia,” he said.

“They’ve got a very experienced team, it’s a game that they’d be expected to win, so we want to make sure we’re putting pressure on them right from the start.”

Players to watch

For Japan: Eddie Jones has backed university student flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito to help deliver a first win over the Wallabies. The 21-year-old Ito made his debut in last month’s Nations Championship, and he started all three games as Japan beat Italy and lost to Ireland and France. Captain and lock Warner Dearns will be important in the engine room to help lay a platform for Japan’s exciting backs.

For Australia: Les Kiss made nine changes to the 23-strong squad from their 57-10 thumping of Italy in Perth last month as he looks to stamp his mark, including handing lock Miles Amatosero and prop Aidan Ross their first starts. Fraser McReight returns as flanker in place of Carlo Tizzano, while hooker Josh Nasser is back in the starting team after missing the Italy clash with concussion.

Prediction

Rugby365: Australia by six points.

Teams:

Japan: 15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Kazuma Ueda, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Samisoni Tua, 11 Taira Main, 19 Ryunosuke Ito, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns (captain), 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Takato Okabe.
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Harry Hockings, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Tiennan Costley, 22 Shunsuke Uenobo, 23 Yoshitaka Yazaki.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Charlie Cale, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Isaac Henry.

Date: Saturday, August 8
Venue: Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka
Kick-off: 19.05 (20.05 AEST; 10.05 GMT)
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Morgan White (Hong Kong China)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)

AFP & Rugby365