International rugby: Japan v Wallabies preview

This weekend marks the start of the Les Kiss era for the Wallabies as he finally takes charge after what must have been the longest ever handover process.

Japan v Australia

Saturday 8 August, 8:05pm AEST, 10:05pm NZST, 7:05pm JST – Osaka, Japan

Les Kiss has named his first matchday squad for the heat of Osaka this Saturday evening and he has made plenty of changes to the side that put away Italy 57-10 in Perth three weeks ago.

After a week of hard slog in scorching hot surrounds of Osaka, Kiss has made nine changes and stacked the bench to stave off a Japanese side that will more than likely use their speed to run the Wallabies off their feet.

Kiss has given a start to Aidan Ross and Miles Amatosero with Fraser McReight resuming his position at openside in the starting pack. While in the backline Hunter Paisami is given the nod at inside centre with Len Ikitau absent after going under the knife on his ankle following the Italy Test.

Angus Bell and Jeremy Williams will start from the bench, and it is a welcome back after two years out of the Wallabies frame for Charlie Cale, after a raft of injuries. Also on the bench is Isaac Henry who is in line to become Wallaby number 999.

Curiously, the Wallabies will be without Carter Gordon and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, with Gordon reportedly back to full fitness after a calf injury in the Ireland game at the start of July and Salakaia-Loto back in the squad after being left out of the Nations Championship squad by Joe Schmidt.

For the home side, Eddie Jones has named a squad with several names that Aussies might be familiar with the likes of Jack Cornelsen, Ben Gunter, Dylan Riley and Harry Hockings.

Throw in the tall timber of Warner Dearns at lock, who had quite the season with the title winning Hurricanes in Super Rugby, and the experience of Michael Leitch off the bench at 37 years of age and it’s a game the Wallabies should be wary of.

Japan will fancy their chances in this one after running the Wallabies close last year going down 19-15 and on the back of the first phase of the Nations Championship where they beat Italy before a close loss to Ireland in Newcastle and a loss to France in their most recent game.

Japan: (1-15) Takato Okabe, Hayate Era, Shuhei Takeuchi, Jack Cornelsen, Warner Dearns, Ben Gunter, Kanji Shimokawa, Faulua Makisi, Naoto Saito, Ryunosuke Ito, Taira Main, Samisoni Tua, Dylan Riley, Kazuma Ueda, Takuro Matsunaga.

Replacements: Mamoru Harada, Sojiro Otsuka, Keijiro Tamefusa, Harry Hockings, Michael Leitch, Thienan Costley, Shunsuke Uenodo, Yositaka Yazaki.

Australia: (1-15) Aidan Ross, Josh Nasser, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Miles Amatosero, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c), Ryan Lonergan, Declan Meredith, Harry Potter, Hunter Paisami, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright.

Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Taniela Tupou, Jeremy Williams, Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Isaac Henry.

Five random stats for this fixture:

• Australia failed to score more than 30 points for the first time in the 50-year history of the fixture when the sides last met in Tokyo in November.

• The four-point win (19-15) was also the smallest margin achieved by the Wallabies in seven meetings.

• This is the fourth time in a row that the fixture has been played in Japan.

• The teams have met at two Men’s Rugby World Cups (1987 and 2007).

• The sides will meet again in Townsville next weekend, their first meeting on Australian soil since the RWC 1987 encounter in Sydney.

Last five games:

• 2025 – Australia 19 Japan 15 – Tokyo

• 2021 – Australia 32 Japan 23 – Oita

• 2017 – Australia 63 Japan 30 – Yokohama

• 2007 – Australia 91 Japan 3 – Lyon

• 1987 – Australia 42 Japan 23 – Sydney

Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: Morgan White (HKCR)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
FPRO: Matt Rodden (HKCR)

Don’t forget that even though there isn’t a version of The Rugby Championship in 2026, there are still some other quality games on this weekend. It all kicks off with the All Blacks tour of South Africa when they take on URC side The Stormers in Cape Town early on Saturday morning AEST.

This is followed on Sunday morning (AEST) when Argentina host the Springboks in Buenos Aires before they head home for the ‘Greatest Rugby Rivalry’ Tests towards the end of August and in early September.

Stormers v New Zealand

Saturday 8 August 3:00am AEST, 5:00am NZST – DHL Stadium, Cape Town, South Africa

Stormers: (1-15) Vernon Matongo, André-Hugo Venter, Neethling Fouché, Adré Smith, Connor Evans, Deon Fourie, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos, Imad Khan, Yaqeen Ahmed, Leolin Zas, Jonathan Roche, Ruhan Nel (C), Seabelo Senatla, Warrick Gelant.

Replacements: JJ Kotzé, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Sazi Sandi, Ruan Ackermann, Keke Morabe, Wandile Mlaba, Dewaldt Duvenage, Wandisile Simelane.

New Zealand: (1-15) George Bower, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Pasilio Tosi, Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu (C), Simon Parker, Peter Lakai, Wallace Sititi, Cortez Ratima, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Billy Proctor, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby.

Replacements: Asafo Aumua, Ollie Norris, Siale Lauaki, Sam Darry, Ethan Blackadder, Kyle Preston, Josh Jacomb, Caleb Clarke.

Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (RFU)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Argentina v South Africa

Sunday 9 August 5:00am AEST, 7:00am NZST – Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Argentina: (1-15) Boris Wenger, Ignacio Ruiz, Francisco Moreno, Guido Petti, Tomás Lavanini, Pablo Matera (c), Benjamín Grondona, Joaquín Moro, Simón Benítez Cruz, Santiago Carreras, Ignacio Mendy, Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, Lucio Cinti, Rodrigo Isgró, Geronimo Prisciantelli

Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Mayco Vivas, Tomás Rapetti, Efraín Elías, Juan Penoucos, Juan Martín Scelzo, Agustín Moyano, Matías Moroni

South Africa: (1-15) Boan Venter, Johan Grobbelaar, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi (C), Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom, Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, André Esterhuizen, Canan Moodie, Edwill van der Merwe, Aphelele Fassi.

Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cobus Wiese, Marco van Staden, Morne van den Berg, Handre Pollard

Five random stats for this fixture:

• South Africa lost to Los Pumas on their last visit to Argentina in 2024, falling to a 29-28 defeat in Santiago de Estero.

• Argentina have beaten the Springboks at home on three occasions, the others being 26-24 in Salta in 2016 and 32-19 in Mendoza in 2018.

• Malcolm Marx has scored in each of the last three matches against Los Pumas.

• At least one yellow card has been shown in each of the last nine matches, with an overall total of 20 yellows and a red.

• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu set a new Springbok record for most points in a test by a single player in the 67-30 win in Durban in 2025, his 37 points made up of three tries, eight conversions and two penalties.

Last five games:

• 2025 – South Africa 29 Argentina 27 - London

• 2025 – South Africa 67 Argentina 30 – Durban

• 2024 – South Africa 48 Argentina 7 – Mbombela

• 2024 – Argentina 29 South Africa 28 – Santiago Del Estero

• 2023 – South Africa 24 Argentina 13 - Buenos Aires

Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Luc Ramos (FFR)
Assistant Referee 2: Craig Evans (WAL)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
FPRO: Ian Tempest (RFU)

Join noted ‘live blog expert’ Steve Lenthall on Saturday night for Japan-Australia updates and live match-chat from 7.45pm AEST or thereabouts, ahead of the 8pm kickoff.

Head to the 8/9 Rugby on Substack Chat page, from where Steve will be posting key moment updates throughout Les Kiss’s Test Debut in Osaka!

And make sure you’re subscribed on 8/9 Rugby YouTube, on your favourite pod platform, or here on 8/9 Rugby on Substack, for another 8/9 Rugby Post-Mortem following Japan-Australia in Osaka!