Wallabies storm past Japan in Townsville
MATCH REPORT: Hulking prop Taniela Tupou scored twice as a rampaging Australia swept past Japan 56-17 with a blistering second-half display on Saturday to win three Tests in a row for the first time since 2024.
The home side ran in seven tries to the visitors’ three in Townsville for another boost to new coach Les Kiss, who got his reign off to a winning start with a tense 35-32 victory in Osaka last weekend.
Josh Nasser, Angus Bell, debutant Massimo De Lutiis, Charlie Cale, Harry Wilson and Brandon Paenga-Amosa also dotted down for the hosts, who went to the break with a 21-17 lead then took full control with 35 unanswered points to complete the job.
Ryan Lonergan chipped in with five conversions to leave Japan still searching for a first victory over the Wallabies, now spanning nine Tests dating back to 1975.
A return to winning ways is a shot in the arm for Australia, who are desperate to improve and mount a challenge at the World Cup on home soil next year.
The back-to-back victories over Eddie Jones’s Japan came on the heels of a 57-10 thrashing of Italy in Schmidt’s last game, which snapped a six-Test losing streak.
The last time Australia won three on the trot was back in 2024 when they won four — beating Portugal, Wales twice and Georgia.
Pumped-up Wallabies
The afternoon match in front of 18,076 fans started at a furious tempo in warm conditions at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, which will host games at the 2027 World Cup.
A pumped-up Wallabies, with eight changes from last week including an almost completely new forward pack, quickly put Japan on the defensive with a seventh minute converted try.
Hooker Nasser stole the honours but it was the culmination of some excellent work by the backs that set Max Jorgensen free to scorch down the touchline.
The advantage was short-lived with Japan pulling back five points minutes later when Australian-born Harry Hockings charged down an attempted clearance from Lonergan and dotted down.
Australia kept their cool and stretched the lead when Tupou bulldozed over to finish a move that started with a short line-out throw and Lonergan again added the extras.
Japan refused to go away and a clever tap and go from scrum-half Naoto Saito after Australia were penalised saw him dart five metres to the line and haul them back to 14-12.
The visitors were building into the game nicely, and they took the lead on 33 minutes after Dylan Riley brushed off some ineffective tackles to score after some effective ruck play.
But it was an unrelenting Australia who went to half-time ahead after the unstoppable Tupou charged over once more on the siren on a penalty advantage.
The second period started strongly for Australia with Bell flopping over from close range after a sustained period of pressure, then substitute prop De Lutiis – who became the 1,000th Wallaby – adding another on his debut, finishing a line break.
With Japan tiring and the hosts dominating in the breakdown, Cale, Wilson and Paenga-Amosa added to the carnage to ensure an emphatic win.
Scorers:
For Australia:
Tries: Nasser, Tupou 2, Bell, de Lutiis, Cale, Wilson , Paenga-Amosa
Cons: Lonergan 5, Donaldson 3
For Japan:
Tries: Hockings, Saito, Riley
Cons: Matsunaga
Teams:
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Issac Henry, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Charlie Cale, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Lachlan Shaw, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.
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.
Japan: 15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shunsuke Uenobo, 11 Haruto Kida, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Tiennan Costley, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns (captain), 4 Harry Hockings, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Takato Okabe.
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Itsuki Kamimura, 22 Samisoni Tua, 23 Kazuma Ueda.
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey (New Zealand), Marcus Playle (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
