Sport: Cricket Country: Italy Category: Scores & Results

Ireland secures 36-20 victory over Japan in Nations Championship

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 11, 2026, 12:58 PM

Last updated Jul 11, 2026

Ireland secures 36-20 victory over Japan in Nations Championship

Summary

Ireland achieved a 36-20 win against Japan in Newcastle on Saturday, marking their second consecutive victory in the Nations Championship. After initially falling behind 7-0, Ireland responded with strong performances from players like Nick Timoney and Tom O'Toole, taking a 19-13 lead into halftime. Ireland’s No. 8 Sean Jansen also scored on his test debut. Japan showed resilience, managing to close the gap at different stages, but Ireland's strong finish including a try from Tom Stewart helped seal their win. Looking ahead, Ireland prepares for a challenging match against New Zealand next week, while Japan will face France in Tokyo.

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By the Numbers

•Ireland leads with 19-13 at halftime
•Sean Jansen scores on his test debut
•Japan on the road to face France next
•Ireland will compete against New Zealand next week
•Tom Stewart seals victory with late try

Latest Updates

12:58 PMYahoo Sports — Ireland grinds out a 36-20 win over Japan in Nations Championship

What they're saying

"
Ireland secured a bonus point in a grinding 36-20 win over Japan on Saturday to make it back-to-back victories to start the Nations Championship following the come-from-behind 33-31 thriller against Australia. Next up for Ireland is a trip to New Zealand to take on the All Blacks, who are coming off a 34-32 win over France in the tournament opener and a 47-17 win over Italy on Saturday. “Very happy with two from two,” Ireland captain Tadhg Beirne said.
— Yahoo Sports

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