Ireland vs Japan Preview & Prediction | 2025 End-Of Year Internationals
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Ireland and Japan meet in Dublin after both teams suffered defeats last weekend.
Start date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Cannot be streamed
Ireland team news
Squad: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 James Ryan, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Rónan Kelleher, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Paddy McCarthy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Cian Prendergast, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Sam Prendergast, 23 Jimmy O’Brien
Japan team news
Squad: 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley (vice-captain), 12 Charlie Lawrence, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Seung-sin Lee (vice-captain), 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns (captain), 4 Epineri Uluiviti, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Kenji Sato, 1 Kenta Kobayashi
Replacements: 16 Shodai Hirao, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Micheal Leitch, 21 Shinobu Fujiwara, 22 Shinya Komura, 23 Yuya Hirose
Ireland vs Japan prediction
Despite at one point leading 13-7, Ireland fell to a 26-13 defeat to New Zealand in Chicago last Saturday – the third time in succession that they have lost to the All Blacks.
One or two questions have started to be asked about Andy Farrell’s squad, and whether some fresh blood needs to be brought into an ageing side.
Japan, meanwhile, were predictably outclassed by world champions South Africa on the same day, losing 61-7 to the Springboks at Wembley Stadium.
Both teams will be smarting from those defeats but Ireland have the class to respond. They should have far too much for Eddie Jones’ Japan side with a convincing victory expected in Dublin.
Ireland vs Japan tip: Ireland to win with -33.5 handicap
