Japan vs Ireland Prediction: Brave Blossoms to hang in 

Ireland continue their Nations Championship campaign by facing Japan in Newcastle, Australia on Saturday (8:10pm local, 11:10am BST, ITV1/STV) as old rivals Andy Farrell and Eddie Jones lock horns.

Ireland got the better of Australia 33-31 with a last-gasp try in their Nations Championship opener and now move to the beachside town of Newcastle, north of Sydney, in round two to meet the Brave Blossoms, 27-10 winners against Italy in Tokyo last weekend. Read on for my Japan vs Ireland predictions, featuring the essential team news and match odds.

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Japan vs Ireland Odds

Ireland are long odds-on favourites at 1/16 to get the victory in Newcastle, with Japan priced at 15/2 to back up their win over Italy with the scalp of another Six Nations side.

On the two-way handicap, Ireland are 1/1 conceding 20.5 points, with Japan priced at 4/5.

Team News

Andy Farrell has made wholesale changes from Ireland's 33-31 win over the Wallabies last Saturday, with just six starters remaining. They are backs Stuart McCloskey, Jamie Osborne and Jimmy O'Brien and forwards Tom O'Toole, James Ryan and Jack Conan.

Tadhg Beirne captains the side for the first time, while Ciaran Frawley starts a Test match at No. 10 for the first time in winning his 14th cap. Craig Casey is beside him behind the scrum. McCloskey and Robbie Henshaw are the centres, with O'Brien on the right wing and Jacob Stockdale returning on the left as Osborne moves to full-back.

Ronan Kelleher will win his 50th cap at hooker, with O'Toole and Tom Clarkson alongside, while Beirne and Ryan are in the second row and Connacht's Sean Jansen is the only debutant in the starting team at No. 8.

Japan boss Eddie Jones has named university student fly-half Ryunosuke Ito at No. 10 after he impressed on Test debut against Italy. He keeps his place alongside half-back partner Naoto Saito.

Taira Main replaces Kippei Ishida on the left wing in Japan's only change for Saturday's Test.

Japan +20.5 points @ 10/11

Japan shouldn't be underestimated given they almost kept Italy to a single-digit scoreline in last week's 27-10 win on home soil.

Boss Jones doesn't tend to need any reason to have a chip on his shoulder but the fact the Brave Blossoms have ceded home advantage to play this game in Australia will surely provide it.

Ireland have won all three meetings since the seismic shock of losing a World Cup game to hosts Japan in 2019.

There was a 39-31 win in 2021 and their November 2025 clash in Dublin ended 41-10, though Ireland tagged on 14 points in the final 10 minutes.

This is a much-changed Irish XV, with Frawley getting his first Test start at outhalf and as many as four debutants likely to feature across 80 minutes, with an eye on New Zealand next weekend. Japan are unlikely to be swept away.

Stuart McCloskey to score a try @ 8/5

McCloskey is in the form of his life and the 33-year-old Ulsterman has earned plaudits as the most consistent performer in Irish rugby in 2026.

He starts at centre with Henshaw and his experience will be key for this Ireland XV. McCloskey scored July tries against Georgia and Portugal last year and can prove a solid summer scorer again now.