Australia hold off brave Japan in Tokyo Test – as it happened

9.04am BST Summary There’s plenty more international rugby in these quarters over the next month or so, starting with the Wallabies visiting Twickenham next weekend. We will of course be covering that right here. Thank you for joining me this afternoon. It was a bit of a slog in the Tokyo rain, but sometimes that’s what Test rugby looks like. I’ll catch you back here soon. 8.57am BST Japan can also take plenty away from their performance. They failed to match Australia’s strength for much of the first half, but in the second they played the conditions more effectively and showed great ambition, if not always execution. Some sharper lineout work and a drier ball, and who knows how close they may have come to causing an upset. Fujiwara impressed in the 9 jersey, Era nailed a couple of massive hits, and Gunter was a constant menace. If they are the 13th best team in Test rugby, the sport is in decent shape. 8.54am BST Considering the much-changed XV and the awful conditions Australia will be happy just to take the win and not dwell too much on the analysis. The first half was impressive and worth more than the 11-point lead at the break, especially considering the dominance of the pack. Jake Gordon was mightily impressive at scrum-half, Hunter Paisami typically percussive, and Jeremy Williams fought manfully as he lost two lock partners in the opening 20 minutes. It was the kind of result that will provide plenty of confidence at the start of a tour, showing the group they can hang tough with the game on the line. It remains to be seen what the cost of the victory is though. Salakaia-Loto will need his ribs checking, Tizzano looked to have picked up a knee injury, while Robertson and Canham both suffered head knocks. All things considered a good outing for Joe Schmidt, trusting his squad players and watching them grind to the end. 8.46am BST Credit to Japan for making that a proper grind at the death. That is as close as they have ever come to beating Australia. But it’s the Wallabies who leave with the victory in challenging conditions and they get one over Eddie Jones. 8.45am BST Full-time: Japan 15-19 Australia The Wallabies hold on for a victorious start to their spring tour. 8.44am BST 80 mins: Six slow phases of one-out drives bring the countdown clock almost to 80 minutes. Nothing flash from the Wallabies as they try to run the game out. 8.44am BST 79 mins: Australia kick long to the left, secure easy lineout ball, set up a long slow rolling maul, and then put their heads down and bums up to grind the clock down. 8.43am BST 78 mins: Japan hold their own at the scrum but as soon as it’s out Gordon does incredibly well to hunt down his opposite number. Then Paisani is on the breakdown in a flash and the turnover is inevitable. Massive moment late in the match. 8.41am BST 77 mins: Japan’s lineout is messy, the ball hits the greasy turf and the knock-on is inevitable. But hang on – the TMO spots a gold hand on the ball in the lineout and instead of what felt like a decisive settling moment for the Wallabies, Japan get a scrum on halfway. 8.40am BST 76 mins: Australia secure safe lineout ball and Gordon kicks long to halfway. 8.40am BST 75 mins: Japan’s lineout is sharp and they gain momentum in midfield attacking to the left. A couple of short side phases draw bodies in with Tyler Paul prominent. Then the expansion to the right into the 22. Quick ball and back to the left with Paul busy again. This is good hustle from the hosts but it’s all very sideways and tight and eventually the left touchline proves their enemy. Excellent effort and ambition though, forcing Australia to scramble from coast to coast. 8.38am BST 74 mins: Japan attack off the back of the scrum on halfway from left to right but Flook nails a heavy hit. The hosts trust their handling as they attack back to the right until there’s a chance to dab through a slippery grubber that is dealt with by the Wallabies and allows Gordon to pummel the ball back to halfway. 8.36am BST 72 mins: Yet another scrum, this time on the far left, just outside Australia’s 22. Gordon dummies to the right then snipes down the short side, toeing ahead to gain plenty of territory – only for Ishida to dance and jink his way almost the entirety of the way back before he offloads infield. The Wallabies find the turnover and Gordon returns to his trusty boot in the wet conditions. Pietsch flies through but Japan secure possession, loft an up-and-under of their own, that Edmed can’t handle! Japan almost picked their way through the congestion in that counterattack. They are really making Australia earn their lead. 8.33am BST 70 mins: Japan’s turn to attack off the back of a scrum as they run to the left over halfway. There’s momentum and verve as they spin all the way to the right and towards the 22 – but Pietsch does superbly to win the tackle, hold his ground as the ruck forms and then gets his feet taken out from under him. 8.32am BST 69 mins: Another Australian scrum, just outside Japan’s 22, tries to free Paisami but he’s nailed in the tackle. That’s followed by a brutal tackle by Era on Robertson that dislodges the ball and earns the turnover. There is head contact in that collision but the TMO does not identify foul play with both men so low they’re almost parallel to the ground. 8.29am BST 67 mins: Australia’s scrum holds strong on the left and Paisami gains more hard-running metres on the burst. Japan regroup so Gordon goes to the sky and Leitch knocks on. That’s the last act for the veteran this afternoon and the crowd favourite jogs off to a hearty round of applause. Updated at 8.30am BST 8.27am BST 65 mins: Japan steal Australian lineout ball on halfway with a brilliant midair swipe. They kick possession away, but it returns soon as Leitch is first to the bouncing ball following Gordon’s up-and-under. There’s space opening on the right so the hosts go through hands at speed – but the final ball is too hard for Ishida to claim and Australia escape. This is a heartening fightback from Japan. At times Australia have looked comprehensively the better team but they have failed to turn that ascendancy into points. Updated at 8.27am BST 8.24am BST 63 mins: Japan have had much more energy and momentum this half. They’ve kicked more than they’re run, playing the conditions and territory, and profiting from Australian errors. 8.23am BST CONVERTED TRY! Japan 15-19 Australia (Gunter, 61) Yes they can! Japan’s scrum holds firm and a neat interplay in midfield almost sends Osada through. At the ruck the ball spills out and Fujiwara is first to get to it and he almost scurries over the line. Australia hold him up but in no time Gunter pounds into the fray to muscle the five points! Lee dabs over the simple extras and Japan are right back in this! Updated at 8.42am BST 8.20am BST 60 mins: Ugly knock-on from Kellaway 10m from his own line as the ball bounces and skids off the wet turf following an opportunistic Japan kick-ahead. Can the Brave Blossoms hit back immediately, like the Wallabies just did? 8.19am BST TRY! Japan 8-19 Australia (Tizzano, 57) And Australia make no mistake. Edmed kicks to the left corner. Pollard naiuls the throw. Williams makes the catch. The maul forms and Tizzano finally, finally, gets the try he’s been denied repeatedly. Superb response from the Wallabies to that Japan score, a real show of controlled force. Edmed can’t add the extra two points. 8.17am BST 56 mins: Stung, Australia get right back into their work in attack on the left. Straightforward, one-out, wet weather running builds into 14 phases and gets inside Japan’s 22. Gordon then tries to pick the lock, Paisami sells a dummy for more metres. 5m out under the crossbar and the Wallabies return to the one-out driving until the referee calls play back for a penalty advantage that occurred maybe 10 plays beforehand. 8.15am BST TRY! Japan 8-14 Australia (Takeuchi, 53) For the first time in attack Japan nail their lineout routine and Leitch hits the gold line at pace. Behind the ruck they threaten to cut to the right, switch back to the left, and Takeuchi is isolated one on one with Edmed, with only one possible outcome. Japan celebrate a try! Lee’s conversion attempt from the left curls too much. Updated at 8.22am BST 8.12am BST 52 mins: A lot of kicking, and a lot of 50:50 chaos footy in these horrible wet conditions this half. Japan are sticking to the task though and get another attacking platform from a scrum penalty, kicking deep to the left corner. 8.10am BST 50 mins: Edmed does well defensively to pounce on the bouncing ball and take contact. Kellaway then belts clear and Pietsch wrestles his man with intent. Japan kick away possession so Kellaway elects to run into contact to set up a drive. It doesn’t last long though as the conditions do for Edmed who can’t hold onto the bar of soap on the run. 8.09am BST 49 mins: Japan are enjoying some rare momentum and hit the line hard for a few phases down the right right through Era and Leitch. That sets up a cute crossfield kick to the left wing with play recycled infield. Up to phase 10 and Osada does well to stand his ground on the left touchline. Still Japan press – until they lose control on the ground! Great creativity and ambition from the hosts but tenacious and disciplined defence from the Wallabies. Updated at 8.16am BST 8.07am BST 47 mins: Of course the lineout throw is awful and Australia can go through hands from right to left and clear their lines. Excellent pressure from Wilson in the jump to force that error. 8.06am BST 45 mins: This time Australia win their lineout ball only to make a mess of things on the ground. Gordon and Nasser get in a mix-up and in the scramble Japan get first hands to the loose pill, find a pass to the left wing where they can toe ahead, chase, and drag Kellaway into touch just 10m out. 8.04am BST 44 mins: Edmed kicks a penalty inside Japan’s 22 on the right to set up the first attacking platform of the half. It’s a poor throw though and Japan get a fingertip to it and are able to clear. Both sides have struggled with their lineout technique in these horrible conditions. 8.03am BST 43 mins: Japan with the scrum just outside their 22, and they benefit from a free-kick. Fujiwara goes to the air and in the aerial collision the initial decision is knock-on against Gordon, but after a slight delay the scrum feed goes Australia’s way for the Japanese scrum-half baulking his box kick. 8.00am BST 42 mins: Bell makes an immediate bursts, rumbling forward with red and white jerseys hanging off him. He offloads to Valetini who makes more metres as the Wallabies send the ball through hands to the right, ignoring the conditions. There’s one pass too many though and the ball goes to ground. 7.58am BST 41 mins: As the rain hammers down in Tokyo we’re back under way for the second 40. 7.45am BST Perhaps the bigger stories to come out of the half are the injuries to Salakaia-Loto (ribs) and Canham (concussion) putting strain on Australia’s lock stocks before this end-of-season tour even touches down in Europe. Updated at 7.46am BST 7.44am BST Half-time: Japan 3-14 Australia And that concludes a wet, scrappy, one-sided half of Test rugby. Australia by far the better of the two teams in testing conditions, but an inability to score tries from three or four golden opportunities means the scoreline remains respectable for the hosts. Updated at 8.03am BST 7.43am BST 39 mins: Japan play on quickly from a penalty on halfway and run towards the Wallaby defencde in repeat phase play for the first time today. After five phases momentum is lost on the right wing, then Fujiwara is fortunate to get away with a fumble behind the ruck. Still the hosts press, after the siren, into phase 13 with play returning to the right through Gunter. Japan edge into the 22 but lack go-forward as Australia’s defence acts as aggressor. It’s little surprise when Tizzano jackals the breakdown turnover. 7.40am BST 38 mins: No try! The TMO adjudged Nonggorr created space for Tizzano to spin through by getting ahead of the ball carrier and creating an obstruction. The correct decision in the end, but a third time this afternoon Tizzano thought he’d crossed only to be denied at the death. Updated at 7.45am BST 7.39am BST … and this time Tizzano does get his try! Another short lineout, another rapid maul, ending with a Tasmanian Devil spin by the flanker over the line. But the TMO is taking a close look at Nonggorr’s involvement in the maul… 7.36am BST 37 mins: Edmed kicks the penalty to the left corner. 7.35am BST Yellow Card - Japan (Takeuchi, 36) Another Australian scrum on the centre spot allows runners to shear off to the left. There’s no connection at the breakdown though and Japan wrestle the play to a halt before Gunter is penalised for losing his feet. Edmed thumps a kick inside the 22. Valetini wins it easily at the front. The maul forms and rumbles quickly 10-15m. This looks irresistible. Tizzano peels off, dives for the line, thinks he’s scored – but the on-field call is held up. While the TMO takes a look at any grounding the Japanese prop is sent for a ten minute spell for coming in from the side to bring the maul down. Updated at 7.53am BST 7.32am BST 35 mins: Yet another lineout throw misses its target and Japan can break in midfield. They make no ground before Paisami clears out forcefully at the breakdown, allowing a simple turnover. 7.31am BST 33 mins: Another easy scrum win for Australia on halfway. This time they attack from right to left but Toole gets caught in possession and Japan can counter. They kick poorly to Flook, who belts the ball the other way, a passage ending with an Australian lineout on halfway. Updated at 7.52am BST 7.29am BST 31 mins: Another poor lineout throw from Japan concedes possession. This has not been a great half technically from the hosts. 7.28am BST CONVERTED TRY! Japan 3-14 Australia (Flook, 29) Superb set-piece try from Australia. The scrum was powerful, then the running and timing from the backs afterwards was spot on. Paisami hit the line with Edmed in support to feed Kellaway on the charge. He does well to keep his head up, look inside and send Flook through unopposed. Training ground stuff. Edmed can’t miss the conversion and the scoreboard starts to reflects Australia’s dominance. Updated at 7.39am BST 7.26am BST 28 mins: From the restart Japan deal with the initial incursion but knock-on in the air after box-kicking. 7.25am BST Penalty! Japan 3-7 Australia (Lee, 27) 22m out, just to the right of the posts, the Japanese fly-half gets the scoreboard moving for his team. 7.24am BST 26 mins: Australia win a scrum free-kick, that Edmed launches high for Leitch to spill. The Wallaby 10 repeats the trick a few metres further downfield but this time Japan neutralise it effectively and kick deep in return. Toole fluffs his line, shanking the clearing kick into touch just outside the 22. Japan execute the set-piece and attack from right to left. They make a few metres infield before O’Keefe spots an offside and Japan get a bonus kick for goal. 7.22am BST 24 mins: Champion de Crespigny moves into the second row as Japan feed a scrum just inside their own half. They get clean ball, attack out to the right, where Ishida chips ahead and the ball rolls into touch inside the 22. Australia make no mistake with the lineout, accept a tackle, then Gordon again goes to the sky. The ball bounces favourably for the Wallabies but there’s nothing on so Paisami kicks deep. It’s straight to Yazaki though, who runs the ball back at pace, but after contact he loses possession and concedes a scrum near halfway on the far touchline. 7.18am BST 22 mins: The Wallabies are soon back in possession on halfway with Gordon immediately going to the sky. Japan don’t take the mark but they scramble the ball clear, then play is halted for Canham to receive some treatment after he crouched low to make the tackle only to find himself on the wrong side of the hefty Dearns and get collected. That is the second Australian lock out of today’s clash and we’re barely a quarter of the way through. Harry Wilson makes his way onto the field, much sooner than planned I’m sure. 7.15am BST 20 mins: The Wallabies tap and go, resuming their siege. This is like the old Kirkwall Ba game more than modern international footy. Bodies flat out on the turf, diving at one another in the rain. Surely a pushover try is coming. No! Australia finally send the ball out to the backs, Leitch is up in a flash and forces the breakdown penalty! How did Japan survive that? 7.13am BST Yellow Card - Japan (Lawrence, 19) Short lineout, quick maul, the Wallabies rumble 15m down the right to set up an assault on the line. Japan eventually regroup so Australia set up a series of pick-and-goes: Paisami, Nonggorr, Williams – then the ball comes out to the left with almost all 30 men clustered under the dot on the crossbar. Tizzano thinks he’s scored, Paisami goes close, twice, Phase 18, then 19, almost all one-out drives measuring inches. A series of penalty advantages on the play go ignored until eventually O’Keefe can’t abide the infringements. Not only that but he sends Lawrence to the bin for his troubles. Updated at 7.50am BST 7.10am BST 16 mins: That will steady the Wallabies and give them the scoreboard security to play the conditions and keep Japan at arm’s length, just as Gordon does, kicking to halfway following the restart. Japan try to run the ball back but as they go through hands from left to right it’s all a bit chaotic and comes to nought. Then play is recalled for a penalty against Gunter for a croc roll and Australia kick inside the 22 on the right. Updated at 7.49am BST 7.08am BST CONVERTED TRY! Japan 0-7 Australia (Champion de Crespigny, 14) More awful Japanese handling in these slippery conditions allows Australia another opportunity. Paisami chips ahead to gain territory and turn Japan’s defence on its heels 5m from the line. The Wallabies swarm all over them and soon earn the penalty. The visitors tap and go, laying siege to the line. Valetini is the spearhead but it’s Nick Champion de Crespigny on the second phase that has the honour of picking and diving over the whitewash. Edmed adds the extra two points from just to the left of the posts. Referee Ben O'Keefe signals a try to Australia's Nick Champion de Crespigny. Photograph: Shuji Kajiyama/AP Updated at 7.18am BST 7.05am BST 12 mins: Now it’s Japan’s turn to fluff their lines at the set-piece. Target missed in the air, Australia clean up on the ground, but heading back to the short side the scurrying gold jersey is hammered into touch with a huge tackle. 7.04am BST 10 mins: Australia win easy lineout ball and expand from left to right. Edmed almost slips Kellaway through a tiny gap but he’s stood up then Japan concede a penalty at the breakdown allowing Edmed to kick deep to the right corner. The first good attacking platform of the day is wasted though with a poor lineout throw, compounded by a high tackle from Williams in his desperation to rectify the situation. Updated at 7.48am BST 7.01am BST 8 mins: Australia get into some good phase play in midfield around halfway but Japan hold their own defensively and after nine phases Gordon lofts a garryowen that lands Japan’s way after an aerial contest. The clearing kick sends both sets of players back to halfway. 7.00am BST 6 mins: Australia boast a considerably heavier pack but Japan secure their own ball off the day’s opening scrum. Paisami does well to execute a legs tackle as the hosts try to expand off the back of the set-piece, then the Wallaby forwards do well to slow the play down and force a handling error from the Brave Blossoms. This has not been, and is unlikely to be, champagne running rugby in these conditions. Meanwhile Salakaia-Loto is done for the day. Josh Canham is on in his place. 6.57am BST 5 mins: Japan execute another sharp lineout but fail to secure the ruck and the Wallabies pilfer with ease, only to grass the slippery ball almost immediately. Behind play Salakaia-Loto is being treated for what looks like a rib issue following that barnstorming early carry. 6.56am BST 4 mins: Both teams exchange kicks, testing out the conditions, until Japan find touch in Australia’s half. The first Wallaby lineout is crisp and off the back Valetini gets some go-forward. Gordon does well to tip onto Salakaia-Loto who makes a charge through the line and deep into Japanese territory. The hosts regroup well, slow the play down and eventually Era forces the breakdown penalty, holding his feet under duress. Updated at 7.04am BST 6.54am BST 2 mins: Kellaway accepts the kick-off under pressure and the Wallabies try a couple of short plays in their 22 before Gordon box kicks towards halfway. Japan’s first lineout is superb, long to the onrushing runner, but he’s stripped on the ground by a superb Nasser tackle. 6.52am BST Kick-off! Australia’s five-match spring tour is under way… 6.50am BST Dignitaries greeted, hands shaken, anthems sung, it’s time for 80 minutes of slippery Test rugby in the Tokyo rain. 6.46am BST Japan are ranked 13 by World Rugby, on a similar points total to Wales, with whom they drew at two-Test series in July. Following that they secured comprehensive victories over Canada, USA, and Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup, before falling narrowly to Fiji in the final. Updated at 7.01am BST 6.45am BST Today’s referee is the most experienced in New Zealand rugby history, Ben O’Keeffe. He took charge of the first Lions Test against the Wallabies earlier this year. Captain to captain 🫡 pic.twitter.com/jB5gUJeI2T— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) October 25, 2025 6.44am BST The two teams make their way out into the drizzly gloom of the Olympic Stadium. Hosts Japan are wearing a modern variation on their traditional cherry and white hoops, white short and socks. The Wallabies are in trademark gold jerseys, green shorts and socks. There’s a decent looking crowd in Tokyo, but it is a long way from a sellout. 6.41am BST This is the Wallabies’ first visit to Tokyo after recent tour fixtures in Oita and Yokohama. It is the seventh time these teams have faced each other with Australia victorious in the previous six encounters. The last clash was in 2021 with the Brave Blossoms pushing their more storied opponents harder than ever before, going down 23-32. It is 50 years since the maiden clash when Australia ran out 35-7 winners at the SCG. 6.40am BST Japan National Stadium, home of the 2020 Olympics, has absorbed plenty of moisture over the past 24 hours, and today’s match is likely to be played in persistent light rain. There is little wind to report. Updated at 6.41am BST 6.37am BST As has been the case for what seems like two decades, it’s near impossible to appraise where the Wallabies are at. Are they a team on the up that should be judged on winning in Johannesburg, holding their own against the Lions, and blooding dynamic young players? Or is a more accurate measure their record of 13 defeats from their past 20 Tests, chronic ill-discipline at the breakdown, and an inability to find a halfback partnership? Related: Wallabies need to find something special on the road to finally deliver on promises | Angus Fontaine 6.34am BST Last week, Len Ikitau was rewarded for his consistency by becoming the first centre to be awarded the John Eales Medal. Ikitau enjoyed a phenomenal year in the gold jersey, opening the voting period in spectacular style by delivering the magical match-winning flick pass to Max Jorgensen in Australia’s epic win over England at Twickenham last November. Nicknamed “Flickitau” ever since, the 48-Test midfield linchpin ended the voting season by topping the Rugby Championship in try assists to become the first centre to win the medal since it was introduced in 2002. Ikitau edged out fellow nominees, flanker Fraser McReight and captain Harry Wilson, who were unveiled as the other short-listed finalists at Friday night’s ceremony at Sydney’s town hall. Related: Wallabies star Len Ikitau wins John Eales Medal after ‘exciting’ year 6.28am BST At first glance, the XV selected by Joe Schmidt could smack of hubris, but the Wallabies coach is keen to stress his much-changed line-up is based on player management, explaining during the week: We have already had ten Test matches, three against a big team like the British and Irish Lions, the Rugby Championship, who are very physical. There is a degree of fatigue. We only had a nine-day break after the Rugby Championship before we came together to get ready to travel here. I think it’s just around energy management as much as anything. I think with five test matches in five weeks coming up on the back of a pretty intense Rugby Championship where we were in the mix right until the finish of every one of those six games, and then three British & Irish Lions tests before that, I think it’s just trying to get everyone to the finish line. I know last year, by the time we got to the second half of the Irish test match, players were willing, but energy levels were just starting to taper a little bit. Part of the job of the coaching staff is to manage risk as best we can. If we don’t give opportunity to the squad, then I think we start to lose that energy toward the end of a five-test window. Particularly when you’re traveling such long distances and jumping time zones, fatigue becomes pretty apparent within two or three weeks, let alone five consecutive weeks, let alone on the back of ten test matches that we’ve had already. Updated at 6.31am BST 6.28am BST Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones was feeling confident when he announced his side. We’ve had really good preparation, so we feel well prepared for the game. Australia is coming back as a growing power in world rugby, and I’ve admired the way they’ve played this year. But we’re looking forward to taking them on, playing a Japanese style of rugby in what should be a really good game at the National Stadium. We’ve got a great referee in Ben O’Keeffe who likes the game to be open and flowing, so we’ve prepared for a game like that. It’s a big task for us but we feel like were up for it and we’re ready to take them on. Updated at 6.38am BST 6.25am BST Australia XV There are 13 changes from the side that lost last time out against the All Blacks as Joe Schmidt charts a course through a condensed five-match spring tour. Nick Champion de Crespigny takes the captain’s armband, the problematic halfback pairing remains the same despite the return to camp of Carter Gordon, and Angus Bell gets a chance to assert himself in the front row. 1 Angus Bell, 2 Josh Nasser, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 4 Jeremy Williams, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (c), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 8 Rob Valetini, 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Tane Edmed, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 12 Hunter Paisami, 13 Josh Flook, 14 Corey Toole, 15 Andrew Kellaway. Reserves: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Josh Canham, 20 Harry Wilson, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Filipo Daugunu 6.25am BST Japan XV Michael Leitch, the second most capped Japanese international, runs out for the 90th time. He is one of a clutch of overseas-born players, including Australian citizens Jack Cornelsen, Ben Gunter, Dylan Riley, and Sam Greene. 21 year old fullback Yoshitaka Yazaki will add to his five caps after starring for a Japan XV against Australia A last weekend. 1 Kenta Kobayashi, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 8 Michael Leitch, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 10 Seungsin Lee, 11 Tomoki Osada, 12 Shogo Nakano, 13 Dylan Riley, 14 Kippei Ishida, 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki.Reserves: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Tiennan Costley, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Charlie Lawrence, 23 Sam Greene 6.19am BST Beyond the beef with Eddie Jones, today’s Test is vital in the race to secure a strong seeding for the 2027 World Cup draw. With the tournament expanding to 24 teams for the first time, the group phase will feature six pools of four nations. The six top-ranked sides in the world will be separated at this stage of the draw, and if early matches go to form, they should also avoid each other in the first knockout stage (round of 16). The ranking cut-off point for this huge advantage is December 2025. Rankings points are traded during each Test. These are based on the match result, the relative strength of each team, the margin of victory, and there is an allowance for home advantage. In short, this means underdog victories are worth their weight in gold, while upsets at home can prove very costly. Argentina (currently sixth on 83.82) and Australia (seventh on 82.93) are locked in a battle for that crucial final seeding, meaning every Test between now and December carries significance beyond the 80 minutes of action to avoid a nightmare World Cup scenario. After today’s challenge the Wallabies face England, Italy, Ireland, and France in consecutive weekends in November, with the Pumas taking on Wales, Scotland, and England. Related: The Breakdown | South American rugby success stories propel men's World Cup qualifying 6.10am BST Another chapter will be written in Australian rugby’s long and tempestuous relationship with Eddie Jones this evening, and for the Wallabies it’s an opportunity to lay some ghosts to rest. The Japanese believe in onryō – malicious spirits who perished full of anger and then return to scare the living to death and steal their souls. The Wallabies face an onryō of sorts this weekend – their former coach Eddie Jones, who led them off a cliff at the 2023 World Cup and then abandoned them to coach Japan. This will be the first time the Wallabies have faced off against their old mentor since he fled a five-year $5m contract just nine months into a quest to rebuild Australian rugby for home men’s and women’s World Cups in 2027 and 2029. Instead, Jones scarcely checked in on the Wallaroos and won two of his nine Tests as the Wallabies were eliminated in RWC pool stages for the first time. Related: Wallabies out to banish ghosts of Eddie Jones era in Tokyo Test reunion | Angus Fontaine 6.01am BST Preamble Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Japan v Australia in the opening match of the Wallabies’ spring tour. Kick-off at Japan National Stadium in Tokyo is 2.50pm local time (4.50pm AEDT). This is one of those standalone internationals for which context and narrative will be much easier to deduce with hindsight. Is this the Eddie Jones Test? Is it a gentle commemorative 50th anniversary of the first meeting between the two sides at the SCG? Is it the springboard to a triumphant European tour? Or will it expose tired Australian legs following a gruelling Rugby Championship and Lions series? Will Joe Schmidt’s transformed XV demonstrate impressive squad depth or the coach’s overthinking? In the race for a crucial World Cup seeding is this the moment the 2027 hosts seize the initiative from Argentina, or hand it to them? Related: Wallabies change 13 starters and hand captaincy to two-Test rookie for Japan clash All of these ponderables will likely only concern the die-hards, with this afternoon’s match accessible only on pay tv and coinciding with a blockbuster ODI. Following the big push to make the Wallabies a more accessible national team over recent months, it will be interesting to measure the care factor over this result, win or lose. I’ll be back with more shortly. If you want to get in touch while I’m around, the address is jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com. MATCH DAY 23.🆚 Japan📅 Saturday 25 Oct | 4:50pm AEDT📍 Japan National Stadium, Tokyo📺 @stansportau#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/YIjPsgy6TZ— Wallabies (@wallabies) October 25, 2025