International rugby: Wallabies v Japan preview

This weekend sees the Wallabies v Japan series head to the sunny and slightly less humid climes of Townsville for some Saturday afternoon footy.

While over in South Africa, the All Blacks continue Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour with their third match of the series in Pretoria on Sunday morning our time, fresh off a 54-0 mauling of the Shorks in Durban on Wednesday Morning.

Saturday 15 August, 3:15pm AEST, 5:15pm NZST – Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville

After sneaking home 35-32 in a sweltering Osaka last Saturday, Les Kiss has made a stack of changes for this week’s return leg in Townsville with eight changes to the starting side, and six of those in the forward pack.

There’s a mix of injuries, form and suspension leading to those changes, with Declan Meredith dropped from the 23 altogether, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii out with a hamstring issue, and Miles Amatosero suspended after his red card.

In the forward pack, Kiss has named Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou to start and has named a new lock pairing with Lachie Shaw and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. Charlie Cale comes into the backrow for a rare start at blindside flanker and Carlo Tizzano starts at openside.

Josh Canham, Allan Ala’alatoa and Rob Valetini have all been rested with an eye on the two-match tour of Argentina next month.

In the backline, Carter Gordon is back for his first game since the defeat to Ireland in Sydney and will again partner Ryan Lonergan. With Suaalii out, Isaac Henry moves into the backline for a Queensland 10-12-13 axis.

After much hype and a bench press record to go with it, massive Reds prop Massimo De Lutiis is all set to become Wallaby no.1000, after being named on the bench alongside the returning Brandon Paenga-Amosa. Filipo Daugunu comes onto the bench after Henry’s elevation to the starting side.

Brave Blossoms coach Eddie Jones has made five changes from last week’s side including a start to former Queensland resident Harry Hockings in a swap with Jack Cornelsen.

Tiennan Costley is also named in the forward pack, while Shunsuke Uenobo starts at inside centre alongside Dylan Riley. Michael Leitch is on the bench and is edging closer to 100 caps.

Australia: (1-15) Angus Bell, Josh Nasser, Taniela Tupou, Lachie Shaw, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Charlie Cale, Carlo Tizzano, Harry Wilson (c), Ryan Lonergan, Carter Gordon, Harry Potter, Hunter Paisami, Isaac Henry, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright.

Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Aidan Ross, Massimo De Lutiis, Jeremy Williams, Fraser McReight, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Filipo Daugunu

Japan: (1-15) Takato Okabe, Hayate Era, Shuhei Takeuchi, Harry Hockings, Warner Dearns, Ben Gunter, Tiennan Costley, Faulua Makisi, Naoto Saito, Ryunosuke Ito, Haruto Kida, Shunsuke Uenobo, Dylan Riley, Yoshitaka Yazaki, Takuro Matsunaga.

Replacements: Mamoru Harada, Sojiro Otsuka, Izi Sword, Jack Cornelsen, Michael Leitch, Itsuki Kamimura, Samisoni Tua, Kazuma Ueda

Five random stats for this fixture:

• Australia have scored 149 points this year at an average of 37.25 per match.

• For the first time since the Fiji Test last season (17 Tests), Australia lost a feed on their own scrum against Japan (5/6).

• Takuro Matsunaga’s two penalties and two conversions against Australia took the full-back to 44 points for the year, the most by any player outside of a Men’s Six Nations team.

• Japan visited the Australian 22 on 10 occasions and came away with four tries overall and an average of 2.9 points per visit – an improvement on their Nations Championship form, when only one in four visits resulted in a try.

• Japan have created quick ruck ball at least 60% of the time in their last three tests, with a high of 73% against Australia.

Last five games:

• 2026 – Australia 35 Japan 32 - Osaka

• 2025 – Australia 19 Japan 15 – Tokyo

• 2021 – Australia 32 Japan 23 – Oita

• 2017 – Australia 63 Japan 30 – Yokohama

• 2007 – Australia 91 Japan 3 – Lyon

Referee: Paul Williams (NZR)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Mabey (NZR)
Assistant Referee 2: Marcus Playle (NZR)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR)

New Zealand: (1-15) Xavier Numia, Codie Taylor, Tyrel Lomax, Fabian Holland, Patrick Tuipulotu, Simon Parker, Anton Segner, Peter Lakai, Cortez Ratima, Josh Jacomb, Josh Moorby, Anton Lienert-Brown, Rieko Ioane, Leroy Carter, Beauden Barrett.

Replacements: Samisoni Taukei’aho, George Bower, Siale Lauaki, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Kyle Preston, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Emoni Narawa.

Bulls (1-15) Alu Tshakweni, Juann Else, Francois Klopper, Ruan Vermaak, JF van Heerden, Marcell Coetzee, Hanro Liebenberg, Jeandré Rudolph, Embrose Papier, Curwin Bosch, Stravino Jacobs, Harold Vorster, Stedman Gans, Thaakir Abrahams, Willie (Spiders) le Roux.

Replacements: Juandré Schoeman, Sti Sithole, Khutha Mchunu, Reinhardt Ludwig, Mpilo Gumede, Paul de Wet, Katlego Letebele, Hakeem Kunene.

Random stats for this fixture:

• The All Blacks have played at Loftus Versfeld (and the former Eastern Sports Ground) 16 times since 1928, playing six Tests against the Springboks and four games against the forerunner to the Bulls, Northern Transvaal, in 1949, 1960, 1970 and 1976. The All Blacks won the first three games and lost the 1976 match 29-27.

• The match venue is 1350 metres above sea level, and the rarefied air allows kicks to travel much further than at sea level. Twenty years ago Dan Carter kicked what is possibly the longest ever penalty kick by an All Black, nailing a 62 metre-penalty goal in the All Blacks’ 45-26 victory.

Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referee 1: Karl Dickson (RFU)
Assistant Referee 2: Matthew Carley (RFU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Head to the 8/9 Rugby on Substack Chat page on Saturday afternoon for Australia-Japan live match chat from 2:30pm AEST or thereabouts, for in-game chat, banter, and discussion!

Head to 8/9 Rugby YouTube soon after fulltime for our LIVE 8/9 Rugby Post-Mortem following Australia-Japan in Townsville! And available on all the pod platforms + 8/9 Rugby on Substack afterwards.