FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14 (Report)
That’s all from me for today.
Stay tuned throughout the week for further comment and analysis from our writers, and we’ll have news on Friday of Ireland’s team to face Spain next weekend.
Until then, enjoy what’s left of the weekend!
“The bottom line for Ireland was overwhelmingly positive after a bonus-point victory over Japan to start their World Cup campaign, claiming six tries in front of an Irish-dominated crowd at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton,” Nathan Johns writes from Franklin’s Gardens.
“Under the hood, a faltering lineout and a high second-half error count will keep the team analyst busy. That Ireland dropped off after a breathtaking first half which only took 41 minutes is understandable. After opening up a 21-point lead at the break, Ireland were at risk of opening the door for a Japanese recovery.
“The manner in which that fightback was quashed, the likes of Eve Higgins, Neve Jones, Amee-Leigh Costigan and Béibhinn Parsons to the fore in a series of critical defensive moments, will be of comfort to Scott Bemand and his staff.”
Read Nathan’s full report from Northampton below:
[ Rugby World Cup: Ireland open campaign with bonus-point win over JapanOpens in new window ]
Speaking after the win, Ireland head coach Scott Bemand didn’t rule out that 2025 Six Nations Player of the Tournament Aoife Wafer could be fighting fit for their game against Spain next Sunday.
Wafer joined the squad in England after spending a few extra days rehabbing in Dublin following knee surgery last month.
She’d be a huge addition for Ireland facing into their game against New Zealand on September 7th.
FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14
RTÉ have been speaking to Player of the Match Brittany Hogan:
FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14
FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14
FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Dannah O’Brien looks up to see the clock in the red and kicks the ball out to end things in Northampton.
The kind of start Ireland would have been hoping for, a statement of intent going forward.
FT: Ireland 42 Japan 14
The Fields of Athenry rings out at Franklin’s Gardens as we enter the final minute of play.
Stacey Flood takes it into contact at the halfway line for Ireland, they’ll keep pushing to the final whistle.
79 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Ireland are on the attack again and are pushing on Japan’s 22. They knock-on so it’s a scrum to Japan.
78 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
A camera-shy Brittany Hogan is named Player of the Match. Ireland’s bench suitably celebrate her, much to her embarrassment. A great shift put in by the Number 8.
75 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Ireland floundering as they try to clear their lines. Dannah O’Brien kicks to relieve the pressure and Ireland get up the other end to gain possession.
Japan draw a penalty at the breakdown as Grace Moore comes on in place of Brittany Hogan.
74 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Japan go again to threaten Ireland on the line. Ireland turn it over and feed it back to Dannah O’Brien to clear but she fails to find touch.
It’s enough to push Japan back to Ireland’s 22 though and Japan fumble a pass to let the ball out for an Ireland lineout.
72 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Ireland a player down for the next 10 minutes as Linda Djougang is sent to the bin.
69 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
TRY FOR IRELAND!
Replacement Enya Breen gets over in what could be her first touch of the game after a great carry from Aoife Dalton.
Dannah O’Brien adds the extras.
63 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Ireland have their penalty try chalked off for obstructing at the formation of the maul.
Japan’s Sachiko Kato, who had been yellow-carded for bringing down Ireland’s maul therefore returns to play.
Penalty for Japan as Scott Bemand makes five changes. Anna McGann, Enya Breen, Eimear Corri-Fallon, Cliodhna Moloney MacDonald and Ellena Perry come on, Costigan, Higgins, Campbell, O’Dowd and Jones make way.
60 MINS: Ireland 35 Japan 14
PENALTY TRY FOR IRELAND!
Japan pull down Ireland’s maul on the line so referee Clara Munarini opts for a penalty try.
60 MINS: Ireland 42 Japan 14
Penalty for Ireland and Dannah O’Brien again kicks for the corner.
Aoife Dalton ships a heavy hit from Mana Furuta but it’s the Japan centre who comes out the worse of it.
59 MINS: Ireland 35 Japan 14
Dannah O’Brien adds the conversion for Ireland.
Disappointing one for Japan. Just as they looked like they were going to narrow the gap Higgins shows her blistering pace to extend Ireland’s lead back out to 21.
53 MINS: Ireland 35 Japan 14
TRY FOR IRELAND!
Eve Higgins takes one for herself with a superb run up the length of the pitch after taking the intercept on Ireland’s five-meter line when they were threatening for their own score.
52 MINS: Ireland 33 Japan 14
Two changes for Japan as Ireland throw in to the lineout.
Ireland manage the lineout by knock on during the resulting play so Japan get the put in to the scrum.
50 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 14
Ireland overpower Japan at the breakdown and draw the penalty.
Brittany Hogan and Niamh O’Dowd combine at the counter ruck and Linda Djougang springs in to action to earn Ireland the penalty.
48 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 14
Japan turn Ireland over well inside their own half and a kick clearance from Haruka Hirotsu pins Ireland back.
They’re fired up after the break, Ireland need to come to pace quickly.
46 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 14
Try for Japan.
They send a well-set maul from a five-meter lineout and keep chipping away at the line until Masami Kawamura finds a gap to get over.
Ayasa Otsuka converts.
43 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 14
Misaki Matsumura kicks things off for Japan to start the second half.
41 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 7
One area Ireland will really need to address after the break is the lineout.
They lost four of their own lineouts in the opening half and it gave Japan a good platform in some dangerous areas.
Nearly ready to get back under way at Franklin’s Gardens.
HALF-TIME: Ireland 28 Japan 7
A lineout for Ireland and it’s played to Dannah O’Brien who kicks the ball out of play for half-time.
By no means perfect but a very strong start from Scott Bemand’s team.
HALF-TIME: Ireland 28 Japan 7
TRY FOR IRELAND!
Eve Higgins makes something out of nothing, weaving a run through Japan’s line to get within five meters of the line.
She lays off to the oncoming Fiona Tuite who dots down the bonus-point try and Dannah O’Brien claims the conversion.
38 MINS: Ireland 28 Japan 7
Really solid scrum from Ireland in their own half and Béibhinn Parsons gets away.
After a few phases on the midway the referee deems no advantage was accruing for Ireland so brings it back for an Ireland kick.
Dannah O’Brien’s kick gives Ireland a lineout on the halfway line. They play it in to Japan’s 22 but Komachi Imakugi kicks to clear.
35 MINS: Ireland 21 Japan 7
Try for Japan.
They build through the phases and their patience is rewarded as Harua Hirotsu powers over. Ayasa Otsuka adds the conversion.
All off the back of another poor lineout from Ireland.
29 MINS: Ireland 21 Japan 7
TRY FOR IRELAND!
From the back of a scrum, Eve Higgins gets the pass and plays it to Amee-Leigh Costigan who sells Japan the dummy.
Béibhinn Parsons is on the run and manages to hold Costigan’s pass and runs it over for the try.
Dannah O’Brien adds the extras.
24 MINS: Ireland 21 Japan 0
Ireland spill the ball at the back of the lineout and they’re in danger.
Sachiko Kato gets to it and charges towards the line but a great choke tackle from Niamh O’Dowd stops Japan in their tracks.
Dannah O’Brien’s kick clears Ireland’s lines and they’ve a lineout at the halfway line.
21 MINS: Ireland 14 Japan 0
Japan use the scrum to launch their first real challenge on Ireland’s line.
Ireland’s line is well set and they soon have Japan back outside the 22.
Box kick from Moe Tsukui goes out for a lineout.
Ireland need to sort the lineout or Japan will take advantage.
20 MINS: Ireland 14 Japan 0
Great kick from Japan catches Ireland and sends them back inside their own 22.
Lineout for Ireland but again the throw from Neve Jones isn’t straight. Scrum for Japan.
17 MINS: Ireland 14 Japan 0
Japan forcing things in Ireland’s half and their accuracy pays the price.
A pass goes astray and the ball is out for an Ireland lineout.
Throw wasn’t straight so Japan get the put in to the scrum.
15 MINS: Ireland 14 Japan 0
Again Dannah O’Brien nails the conversion. Not a both to her.
10 MINS: Ireland 14 Japan 0
Ireland showing their intent. A penalty in a kickable position and they opt for the corner.
Ireland set their maul and get the push on.
TRY IRELAND! Neve Jones dots down from the back of the maul.
9 MINS: Ireland 12 Japan 0
O’Brien with a great kick to pin Japan back in their own half. Ireland contest the lineout but they’re pulled for an infringement.
7 MINS: Ireland 7 Japan 0
Dannah O’Brien adds the extras from the kicking tee to put Ireland seven ahead.
5 MINS: Ireland 7 Japan 0
TRY FOR IRELAND!
Amee-Leigh Costigan gives Ireland the fast start they had been hoping for.
Pass came from Higgins to set Costigan free up the wing to run it home.
4 MINS: Ireland 5 Japan 0
Early penalty for Ireland inside the 22 and they go to the corner.
Neve Jones goes to the back of the lineout and the maul gets going but soon stalls.
They go for the line but Ireland’s effort is ended by Aoibheann Reilly knocking on at the line.
2 MINS: Ireland 0 Japan 0
Ready to get going. Ireland outhalf Dannah O’Brien gets things under way.
O MINS: Ireland 0 Japan 0
The team’s are out for the anthems. Looks a lovely day in Northampton.
Up first is the Japanese anthem, then we’ll have Ireland’s Call.
Less than 10 minutes to go-time at Franklin’s Gardens where there looks to be a strong Irish showing in the stands.
Ireland’s head-to-head against Japan will give them confidence heading in to this fixture. Of their 10 meetings, Ireland have come out on top on eight occasions.
However, the side’s last met in August 2022, when Japan won 29-10.
Ireland will be taking no chances here, they’ll want a statement start to the tournament.
The tournament got under way on Friday with hosts England beating USA 69-7 in Sunderland in Pool A.
On Saturday, there were wins for Australia (Pool A), Scotland, Canada (both Pool B) and France (Pool D), beating Samoa, Wales, Fiji and Italy respectively.
Ireland and Japan open today’s offerings, followed by South Africa v Brazil in Pool D at 2.45pm and New Zealand v Spain at 5.30pm in Pool C.
[ Rugby World Cup: All you need to knowOpens in new window ]
“Ireland’s role in England’s summer of sport remains to be determined. You get the sense they’re exactly where they want to be, on the periphery. For now,” Nathan Johns writes.
“For the hosts, Ireland are out of sight but not out of mind. An English journalist put it to the players that they have been labelled ‘dark horses’. No player disagreed with her. Provided injuries don’t derail them, Ireland will come firmly into view in the final pool outing against the Black Ferns.
“Should New Zealand be beaten, all bets are off. Both in terms of how far they can progress and, arguably more importantly, the inevitable spike in support from back home.”
Read Nathan’s piece in full below:
[ Dark horses Ireland hope to banish shadow of 2017 at ‘biggest World Cup yet’Opens in new window ]
Half an hour out from kick-off in Northampton.
This marks Ireland’s first World Cup outing since 2017 after they missed out on qualification for the 2021 edition.
Last time around didn’t quite go to plan for Ireland, ultimately finishing eighth.
In the latest episode of the Counter Ruck, Nathan Johns is joined by former player Lindsay Peat, current assistant coach Larissa Muldoon and Ireland hooker Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald to chat about what Scott Bemand’s side can learn from eight years ago.
Have a listen below, or wherever you get your podcasts:
Ireland’s 2017 World Cup misery - what can be learned?
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made four changes to the side which lost to Canada in a warm-up fixture earlier this month.
Making her competitive 15s return is Béibhinn Parsons, who returned from injury in time to feature in both Ireland’s warm-up games, the first being against Scotland on August 2nd.
“I honestly feel like I’m only getting started now. It really does feel like the Scotland game felt like a first cap,” said Parsons of her return to action.
“It felt like the start of my career even though I have been here a while. I just want a good clean run. I feel like I just want to tear into 15s and see how far I can go.”
Read Nathan Johns’s preview of Ireland v Japan in full below:
[ Sun rises on Ireland’s World Cup adventure as Japan await in openerOpens in new window ]
Hello and welcome along to The Irish Times live blog for Ireland’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup opener against Japan at Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, home of the Northampton Saints.
We’ll be covering all the prematch need-to-knows and live updates throughout the match, followed by reaction and analysis after the final whistle.
To get us started, here’s how the sides line out:
IRELAND: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O’Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Sam Monaghan (co-capt); Fiona Tuite, Edel McMahon (co-capt), Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon, Grace Moore, Emily Lane, Enya Breen, Anna McGann.
JAPAN: Sora Nishimura; Misaki Matsumura, Mana Furuta, Haruka Hirotsu, Komachi Imakugi; Ayasa Otsuka, Moe Tsukui; Sachiko Kato, Asuka Kuge, Wako Kitano; Yuna Sato, Otoka Yoshimura; Masami Kawamura, Iroha Nagata, Seina Saito.
Replacements: Kotomi Taniguchi, Manami Mine, Nijiho Nagata, Ayano Sakurai, Kyoko Hosokawa, Megumi Abe, Minori Yamamoto, Sakurako Hatada.
