Japan’s 27-10 win over Italy has given Eddie Jones a far stronger re-entry point before the Brave Blossoms turn toward Ireland.
The Japan Rugby Football Union’s official schedule recorded the result at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, with Japan opening their Nations Championship campaign by putting 17 points between themselves and an Italy side that had arrived in Tokyo with genuine Six Nations credibility.
Jones return now carries more weight
Jones was not the touchline figure for the opener, with forwards coach Neal Hatley filling in while the Japan head coach served the final match of a suspension reported before kick-off. That made the performance more revealing, not less: Japan still imposed enough shape and scoreboard pressure to bank a result that changes the mood around next week.
The next assignment is Ireland at McDonald Jones Stadium on 11 July, a fixture already listed in Japan’s official Nations Championship schedule. For a side trying to make “fast and furious” rugby more than a slogan, this was the type of result that gives the project hard evidence.
Italy result alters the pool picture
Italy’s defeat also sharpens the pressure on their own July block, with New Zealand and Australia still to come. For senior forwards such as Danilo Fischetti, the response now has to be immediate. Japan, meanwhile, have turned a home opener into a platform.
Read the Japan vs Italy preview for the lineups and pre-match context.
