Andy Farrell had demanded a response after Ireland’s fitful showing in Chicago but this wasn’t the response that he was looking for. A victory by six tries to one suggests a comfortable win and yet until the rush of points that came in the final quarter, this made often uncomfortable viewing for the Ireland coach as Japan, 13th in the world rankings, played far more cohesive and constructive rugby.
To compound matters, Farrell has a problem at full back given that Jamie Osborne has effectively been ruled out of the Tests against Australia and South Africa with a shoulder injury. Jimmy O’Brien is probably the next cab off the rank, although Jacob Stockdale and Mack Hansen — returning from injury — will also be in the mix.
Yesterday’s result wasn’t in any real doubt once Andrew Porter lunged over the line to make it 22-10 in the 48th minute as Japan failed to cash in a one-man advantage with Stockdale in the bin. From there, Ireland achieved something approaching rhythm.
But their next opponents will be encouraged by what they saw in the first half. Ireland wanted dominance up front and crisp, sharp attack to match the beautiful autumn conditions. They got neither.
Some of this was down to Japan’s speed off the line, their urgency and aggression at the breakdown. But Ireland were also hampered by their own failings in the lineout, which misfired yet again, with four possessions being squandered — individual errors, according to Farrell, who expressed his continued faith in Paul O’Connell.
The good news was the performance of the bench. The McCarthys — Gus and Paddy — brought plenty of punch. The Prendergasts were good, too. Cian made the most of his opportunity with 30 minutes of all-out energy while Sam’s deft handling and punting made a difference. He may well have done enough to start against Australia.
Farrell praised the quality of Ireland’s defence, which restricted Japan to a solitary try despite the threat that they posed out wide, where Yoshitaka Yazaki and Tomoki Osada were fiendishly difficult to pin down.
Farrell and Jones met on the field before the game
CHARLES MCQUILLAN/GETTY IMAGES
But that try should be embarrassing for the Irish pack, as they were mauled backwards over their own tryline for Kenji Sato to get the touchdown. In general, Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan were outplayed by their opposite numbers, Warner Deans and Epineri Uluiviti — for directness, for skill and for impact.
Japan trailed 10-17 at half-time but had all the momentum at that point. They will have two big regrets from that 40 minutes, two moments where they’d like a second take.
The first of those came on 17 minutes, when Charlie Lawrence tip-tackled Tom Farrell just outside the Japanese 22 and earned himself a yellow card in the process.
It was an incident that had more to do with physics than intent — Lawrence stands 5ft 7ins, seven inches shorter than Farrell. But once again the optics were bad and Lawrence had to go. He was missed.
The attack that led to Crowley’s try wasn’t particularly threatening and rather meandered through several phases until Thomas Clarkson suddenly found himself trundling through a gaping hole in the Japanese 22 — the precise hole where Lawrence would normally have been defending.
At least from that bust, Ireland’s execution was accurate, as Craig Casey fed Caelan Doris and Crowley came looping around to receive the scoring pass. Crowley’s conversion, combined with an earlier penalty earned on the back of a dominant scrum, gave Ireland a 10-0 lead that was not deserved.
The other moment the Brave Blossoms will regret was their momentary switch-off for Nick Timoney’s try. It was a score from the Under 14Bs. When Ireland’s attack lost its way outside Japan’s 22, Beirne popped it to the stationary Ryan, who dropped it backwards. Everyone then appeared to stop — except for Timoney who scooped the ball and sped past statuesque defenders on a 20-metre diagonal line to the left corner. Such a soft score, enhanced by Crowley’s excellent conversion.
Sam Prendergast, left, and his brother Cian both impressed for Ireland
BRENDAN MORAN/SPORTSFILE
Japan would have responded sooner had Eluiviti not thrown a Hail Mary off-load after making a line-break, or had Robbie Henshaw not made a superb read and tackle on Kippei Ishida, also in the Ireland 22.
But Japan’s maul then secured the reward that their performance had so deserved and then, with Stockdale in the bin for a high shot on Ishida, Seungsin Lee narrowed Ireland’s lead to 17-10.
At that point, just seven points adrift with a one-man advantage for the next ten minutes, Japan must have believed they had a chance. At the same time Ireland were surely in for a roasting at the break, and you anticipated a response. It duly came.
Even while they had been reduced to throwing lineout ball to the front, their launch was accurate enough to put Doris into space. Failing to connect with Stockdale was an error but Ireland were patient and eventually, they worked enough space for Porter to drive over.
O’Brien scored his fifth try in four international appearances
SPORTSFILE
It felt like a big moment and even though it took another 18 minutes for Ireland to stretch further away, you sensed that Japan might gradually be running out of steam.
Or maybe it was just the energy that was brought by the Irish bench — Cian Prendergast stripping an opponent of possession with his first touch, Jack Conan making heavy direct carries.
Even the lineout began to function and so too the maul. When Gus McCarthy was driven over, the mood at the Aviva lifted. It improved further still when Paddy McCarthy burrowed over from short range and then went into celebratory mode when Tommy O’Brien touched down — just reward for all his industry.
Farrell was suitably down-beat afterwards, though, and took care not to read too much into the late points spree. “We need to get over ourselves a little bit and start knuckling down for what’s coming ahead because obviously the opposition gets bigger and stronger,” Farrell said.
No kidding.
Star man Tommy O’Brien (Ireland)
Scorers: Ireland: Tries Crowley 20, Timoney 30, Porter 48, G McCarthy 66, P McCarthy 72, T O’Brien 76. Cons Crowley 21, 31, S Prendergast 73, 77. Pen Crowley 6. Japan: Tries Sato 37 Cons Lee 38. Pens Lee 40+1
Ireland J Osborne (J O’Brien 65); T O’Brien, T Farrell, R Henshaw, J Stockdale (yellow card 40+1); J Crowley, C Casey (C Blade 62); A Porter (P McCarthy 67), R Kelleher (G McCarthy 58), T Clarkson (F Bealham 58), J Ryan (J Conan 52), T Beirne, R Baird, N Timoney (C Prendergast 52), C Doris (capt).
Japan Y Yazaki; K Ishida, D Riley, C Lawrence (yellow card 17) (Y Hirose 67), T Osada; S Lee (S Komura 58), N Saito (S Fujiawara 58); K Kobayashi, K Sato (S Hirao 67), S Takeuchi (K Tamefusa 58), E Uluiviti (J Cornelsen 55) , W Deans (capt), B Gunter (M Leitch 49), K Shimokawa, F Makisi (Gunter 60).
Referee G Gnecchi (Italy).
Attendance 50,060.
AloJapan.com