Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made nine changes to the starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against Japan in Newcastle, Australia (kick-off 11.10am Irish time), with four players in line for debuts.
Connacht number eight Sean Jansen is named as the starting backrow, with his provincial team-mates Billy Bohan and Sam Illo also in line for their first Irish caps off the bench, as is Ulster’s Bryn Ward.
The Connacht-bound Ciarán Frawley, whose only previous Test start was at fullback in Ireland’s win over Wales in Cardiff last year, has been handed the number 10 jersey, lining out alongside Craig Casey in a new halfback combination.
Jacob Stockdale and Robbie Henshaw come into the backline, with Jamie Osborne shifting to left wing in one of two positional switches. The other sees Jack Conan shifting from eight to blindside. Rónan Kelleher, who will win his 50th cap for Ireland, Thomas Clarkson, Tadhg Beirne and Nick Timoney are all promoted from the bench after their positive impacts in last weekend’s 33-31 win over Australia.
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As well as the uncapped forward trio of Bohan, Illo and Ward, Tom Stewart, Cormac Izuchukwu, Nathan Doak and Harry Byrne all earn a spot on the bench. Apart from the retained Bundee Aki, the replacements have just 14 caps between them.
The only players in the 36-man travelling squad not to feature in either of the opening two games will be Darragh Murray, Zac Ward and the hamstrung Robert Baloucoune, who was a late withdrawal from the win over the Wallabies.
This is clearly a less experienced matchday squad, but still boasts 617 caps compared to the 898 caps for the side that beat Australia, but to overhaul the side to this extent is relatively unusual for Farrell.
Then again, aside from next year’s Six Nations, these Nations Championship fixtures represent the last Tests Ireland will play before the warm-up games ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
As the scope is shrinking to expose players to Test rugby before the tournament in Australia, opportunity knocks here. This most notably applies to the four prospective debutants, but also holds true for others, especially considering there are at least 10 players at home, either injured or excused from duty for these away fixtures, who are very viable contenders for the World Cup.
Farrell’s selection to face Japan is an intriguing and exciting one, with one eye on the next World Cup while perhaps also being mindful of the last one.
Back in 2023, 10 of Ireland’s frontliners played all four pool games as well as the quarter-final loss to New Zealand, while another three started all but one of those matches.
Perhaps Farrell and his assistant coaches are looking to avoid repeating that selection policy, when the opportunity to rotate more for those first two games on baking hot days was not taken.
A year out from the next World Cup, the Ireland squad looks like it should have more depth and could yet have two or three bolters. Jansen has earned this opportunity on the back of some big performances, and with his physicality on both sides of the ball, he looks well equipped for Test rugby.
The same could yet be true of Bryn Ward, whose athleticism, attitude and explosiveness is also admired by the Ireland coaches, while Irish rugby tends not to produce such powerful tightheads as Illo, who is a very interesting call-up.
There should also be room for at least one athletic and skilful lineout operator in the mould of the injured Ryan Baird or Cormac Izuchukwu come the World Cup.
This is also a long overdue chance for Frawley, now 28. Starting at outhalf for the first time since his decision to move to Connacht does look pointed. A good game here, followed by regular starts and a strong beginning to the season for Connacht, could propel him into the 10 conversation.
Given the absence of Mack Hansen, Tommy O’Brien and Baloucoune, both Jimmy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale will also know they’ll need to grab this chance.
In the short-term, Farrell is resting Dan Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Sam Prendergast, Garry Ringrose and Hugo Keenan ahead of next Saturday’s meeting with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Of course, this selection comes with a risk, as the aptly named Brave Blossoms are capable of upsetting Ireland, as they did at the 2019 World Cup. Japan come into this fixture with a couple of games under their belts, including a defeat to the Maori All Blacks and their win over Italy last weekend, and are aided by the discovery of 21-year-old outhalf, Ryunosuke Ito.
Ireland’s selection, and the game’s relocation to Newcastle, will no doubt also be used by Japan head coach Eddie Jones to further motivate his players.
IRELAND (v Japan): Jamie Osborne; Jimmy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Ciarán Frawley, Craig Casey; Tom O’Toole, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Tadhg Beirne (capt), James Ryan; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen*. Replacements: Tom Stewart, Billy Bohan*, Sam Illo*, Cormac Izuchukwu, Bryn Ward*, Nathan Doak, Harry Byrne, Bundee Aki.
*uncapped
