Japan vs Australia Predictions - Japan can get close against new-look Australia

Ralph Staniforth

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Last updated: 3 hours ago

Ralph Staniforth 3 hours ago

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Australia, favorites, face team changes, possibly affecting cohesion.
Japan aims to capitalize on recent strong form and fast-paced style.
Prediction: Japan to stay within 24.5 points of Australia.

Japan can challenge Wallabies (Getty Images)

Japan vs Australia Predictions

Australia are favourites but have made a lot of changes to their side, so they could struggle to gel. Japan will place a fast-paced game that they have become known for and while I feel Australia should hold out for the win, I am backing Japan to get within the 24.5 handicap

Japan vs Australia Predictions
Head to Head
Japan Form
Japan Injuries & Team News
Australia Form
Australia Injuries & Team News

Japan have won 4 of their last 6 matches.
Australia have lost their last 3 matches.

Head to Head

Australia hold a 5-0 record over Japan in test rugby.

Japan Form

After a few years of stagnation since their impressive 2019 Rugby World Cup, Japan are looking to once again flourish under the leadership of Eddie Jones – the man who masterminded the ‘miracle of Brighton’ back in 2015 against South Africa.

Through August and September this year, Japan featured in the Pacific Nations Cup where they reached the final. The Brave Blossoms lost out 33-27 to Fiji in the final.

On their way to the final, Japan beat Canada, USA and Tonga comfortably, scoring 47+ points in all three games. In July, Japan shared a series 1-1 with Wales after winning the first test 24-19 but lost the second 31-22.

Japan Injuries & Team News

15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Kippei Ishida, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shogo Nakano, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Lee Seung-sin, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 8 Michael Leitch, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Kenta Kobayashi

Replacements: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tyler Paul, 20 Tiennan Costley, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Charlie Lawrence, 23 Sam Greene.

Australia Form

Australian rugby is back on the rise and at the rate they are going, are already looking like serious challengers for their home 2027 Rugby World Cup. However, despite their huge improvement this year, they still haven’t managed to win when it matters most.

This European tour will give an indication of how far their improvement in 2025 has gone. Despite losing the series 2-1 to the B+I Lions, Australia were hugely competitive and could easily have snatched the series win had one or two calls gone their way.

In the Rugby Championship, the Wallabies managed to beat South Africa away from home but they shared their home games 1-1 against Argentina and lost both home and away to the All Blacks.

Australia Injuries & Team News

15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Corey Toole, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Nick Champion de Crespigny (captain), 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Jeremy Williams, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.

Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Josh Canham, 20 Harry Wilson, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Filipo Daugunu.