CONFIRMED: Ireland to face Japan for Nations Championship Test in Newcastle

The match will be the first neutral Test hosted in Australia since the Covid-19 pandemic and the second rugby international played at McDonald Jones Stadium in as many years after a record rugby crowd of 28,132 watched the Wallabies secure a hard-fought 21-18 victory over Fiji to open the 2025 season.

The Japan-Ireland Test in Newcastle will kick-off at 8pm AEST, immediately following the Wallabies’ Nations Championship showdown with France at Suncorp Stadium (5.30pm AEST) on July 11.

The Brave Blossoms' rivalry with Ireland dates back to the 1991 Rugby World Cup and spans 11 Tests, 10 of which have been won by Ireland with Japan’s sole triumph coming at the 2019 Rugby World Cup at Shizuoka Stadium. Ireland won the most recent Test match against Japan 41-10 at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium in November.

The inaugural Nations Championship pits the top 12 nations from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres in a six-round battle for global supremacy. The tournament will culminate in an innovative Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium Twickenham in November.