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The Wallabies have come away with a massive 33-point win over Japan at Nissan Stadium, scoring nine tries, three of them from Tevita Kuridrani and two from Samu Kerevi.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Japan 30
Wallabies 63
The Wallabies, after their win over the All Blacks, and last start experiment against the Barbarians, will be looking to make it three on the trot when they take on an unpredictable Japan in Yokohama on Saturday afternoon. Join The Roar for a live blog of the match from 4:40pm AEDT.
In what will be an excellent tune-up for the World Cup being held at the same venue in two years time, the Wallabies will be keen to keep the ball rolling and kick off the end of season tour with a strong performance.
These two sides couldn’t come into this game with different form lines. The Wallabies have lost just one of their last seven matches, and, while the Barbarians game was a bit of a nothing fixture, were super impressive in the way they took the game to the world champion All-Blacks in Bledisloe 3.
Japan, at the other end of the spectrum, fell to their own country’s ‘Barbarians’ side, and have a number of injuries heading into this fixture. Indeed, both sides are missing some key personnel, however the Japanese could be on a hiding to nothing if they don’t turn up focused and ready to tackle a Wallabies outfit that grows in confidence weekly.
Bernard Foley sits out with illness, whilst Karmichael Hunt also will watch from the sidelines with a neck complaint. Lukhan Tui is still out with a hamstring strain suffered last weekend, while Jack Dempsey will be ruing the season-ending hamstring injury suffered in the dying stages of the fixture at Allianz Stadium.
Reece Hodge comes into fly half in what will be a big test for the Rebels utility, while Ned Hanigan gets another shot with the number 6 on his back. Matt Phillip debuts off the bench.
The Japanese similarly have a ragged back line starting on Saturday. Rikiya Matsuda starts at 10, whilst he’s accompanied by two flyhalfs in the centres in the form of Harumichi Tatekawa and Timothy Lafaele. Amanaki Mafi is their best by a street, the super rugby player of the year packing down at No.8.
Where the game will be won
Mongrel!
It’s not a nothing fixture by any means, but the Wallabies need to be careful not to take this game lightly. The Japanese play an unstructured brand of rugby that can be unsettling to oppositions – just ask the Springboks. If Cheika’s men turn up with the same attitude and physicality displayed in Brisbane two weeks ago, it will be a cake walk.
Prediction
The Wallabies to start slowly but turn up the heat in the last 40 minutes to run away comfortable winners over a plucky Japanese outfit.
Wallabies by 35
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 4:40pm AEDT.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.