International

All Blacks complete clean sweep with eight-try Bulls demolition

Published

4 days ago

16th August 2026

All Blacks Josh Moorby scores a try during the All Blacks v Bulls Rugbys Greatest Rivalry Tour match, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa, 16 August 2026. (Photo by Nic Bothma / action press)

The All Blacks completed a clean sweep of the franchise fixtures on the Greatest Rivalry Tour, running in eight tries to beat the Bulls 50-19 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Leading 24-0 at half-time after a dominant opening 40 minutes, the tourists met stiffer resistance after the break but still had more than enough firepower to pull away for a commanding victory in their final hit-out before the first Test against the Springboks.

Key moments

11 mins – Bulls denied by TMO. Hooker Juann Else driven close from a rolling maul but held up short. On-field call of no try upheld after review. Bulls scrum 5m out.

12 mins – Massive All Blacks scrum. Xavier Numia and the pack blow the Bulls off the ball on their own 5m line. Penalty won, Barrett kicks to touch.

14 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Josh Moorby steps inside one defender and stretches out to score in the left corner after slick hands through Segner, Lienert-Brown, Jacomb and Barrett. Leroy Carter’s direct running created the initial momentum. Barrett’s conversion misses. (Bulls 0–5 All Blacks)

16 mins – Bulls try disallowed. Hanro Liebenberg pounces on a loose ball after Fabian Holland fumbles near his own line, but TMO rules a knock-on by Willie le Roux in the build-up.

19 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Josh Moorby scores his second after Peter Lakai’s inside pass, capping a flowing move sparked by Leroy Carter grabbing a Barrett chip kick. Barrett converts from the touchline. (Bulls 0–12 All Blacks)

25 mins – Josh Jacomb lands a 50/22 kick to give the All Blacks attacking field position. Left-footed, from a right-footed kicker.

30 mins – YELLOW CARD BULLS: Tighthead prop Francois Klopper sin-binned for persistent team offside infringements while the All Blacks were hammering the line.

32 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Codie Taylor spots a hole from a tap penalty 5m out, feinting initially to draw the defence offside before burrowing through. Jacomb’s conversion misses. (Bulls 0–17 All Blacks)

40+1 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Codie Taylor scores his second after a flowing counter-attack. Xavier Numia and Fabian Holland provide the final passes, Holland delivering a slick no-look flick to put Taylor through a hole near the posts. Jacomb converts. (Bulls 0–24 All Blacks)

Half-time: Bulls 0–24 All Blacks. A dominant first half from the tourists. The scrum was enormous, Segner outstanding at the breakdown with multiple turnovers, and the backs clinical when given space. Moorby and Taylor scored two apiece. The Bulls showed early intent with their maul and Jeandre Rudolph was immense, but could not breach the All Blacks’ defence.

42 mins – TRY BULLS: Lock Ruan Vermaak peels around the back of a lineout maul and powers low to score. Initially queried by the TMO but referee Nika Amashukeli overrules, awarding the try. Curwin Bosch converts. (Bulls 7–24 All Blacks)

44 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Leroy Carter tip-toes down the right touchline to score in the corner after Peter Lakai surged to the 5m line from a Bulls error off the restart. Jacomb’s conversion misses. (Bulls 7–29 All Blacks)

49 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Rieko Ioane strolls over out wide after Anton Lienert-Brown burst through a hole and fired a flick pass to Carter, who collected on the bounce and fed Ioane inside. Jacomb converts. (Bulls 7–36 All Blacks)

54 mins – TRY BULLS: Stravino Jacobs finishes a brilliant long-range try after Jeandre Rudolph zips off the back of a scrum down the short side and links with Curwin Bosch. Jacobs steps inside Barrett to score. Bosch’s conversion hits the upright. (Bulls 12–36 All Blacks)

67 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Leroy Carter dives over for his second after a sequence of pop passes from Barrett and Jacomb on the edge of the 22. Jacomb converts. (Bulls 12–43 All Blacks)

73 mins – TRY BULLS: Captain Marcell Coetzee burrows over from close range after sustained forward pressure. Bosch converts. (Bulls 19–43 All Blacks)

77 mins – TRY ALL BLACKS: Wallace Sititi powers through soft tackles from the base of a ruck to score under the posts. Kyle Preston and Timoci Tavatavanawai provided the momentum with powerful carries. Jacomb converts. (Bulls 19–50 All Blacks)

Full-time: Bulls 19–50 All Blacks

Thirty years on from clinching their first series success on South African soil, the All Blacks returned to Loftus Versfeld and delivered their most complete performance of the tour. Playing at 1,350 metres above sea level on a clear Pretoria evening, they bossed the gainline, dominated the breakdown and ran the Bulls ragged to complete a three-from-three sweep of the franchise fixtures before the business end of the Greatest Rivalry Tour begins.

The scoreline flattered neither side. The All Blacks were irresistible in the first half, running for a staggering 248 post-contact metres before the break and forcing the Bulls into 24 missed tackles across the opening 40 minutes. But as head coach Dave Rennie noted afterwards, the tourists left plenty of points on the park through inaccurate finishing and loose kicking in general play.

“We just lacked a bit of finish,” Rennie told Sky Sport. “It was a bit sloppy tonight, so we left a lot of points out there. I just felt we kicked too much ball out early which gave them too much set piece. We want to put up contestables so we can at least force them to play back. So we will tidy that up.”

For all those caveats, there was much to admire. The scrum, a source of concern against the Stormers ten days ago, was a weapon. Xavier Numia produced a statement performance at loosehead on his first tour appearance, and one enormous shove on the All Blacks’ own 5m line in the 12th minute — which blew the Bulls backwards and won a penalty — set the tone for the evening. Tyrel Lomax’s return at tighthead, in his first match since arriving in South Africa with an infected cut, was equally encouraging. Rennie credited scrum coach Jason Ryan for the improvement.

But it was openside flanker Anton Segner who was the standout performer, earning a deserved man-of-the-match award. The German-born loose forward topped the tackle count with 13, made 12 carries, and secured multiple breakdown turnovers to ensure a consistent supply of quality ball. His intervention to hold up Bulls lock Ruan Vermaak over the line in the second half was another pivotal moment. Segner has made a compelling case for the Test 23.

“Credit to the Bulls, I don’t think the scoreboard reflects how hard of a game it was, especially in the second half when they really came out firing and put us under pressure,” Segner said. “There’s some big boys there and they only came one way, which was straight down the middle.”

The All Blacks had to absorb early pressure before breaking the deadlock. The Bulls launched several driving mauls from inside the 22, with hooker Else held up centimetres short in the 11th minute after their pack had built a serious head of steam. But after that statement scrum, the All Blacks cleared their lines and quickly transitioned into attack. A flowing move through multiple hands ended with Josh Moorby stepping inside one defender and stretching out to score in the left corner in the 14th minute. Barrett’s conversion drifted wide.

The Bulls were then denied by the TMO when Liebenberg pounced on a loose ball and appeared to score after Holland fumbled near his own line — a moment the lock will want to forget — but a knock-on by le Roux in the initial build-up was spotted on review. The All Blacks made the hosts pay minutes later. Barrett launched a chip to the right that was brilliantly taken on the full by Leroy Carter, who linked with Rieko Ioane before the ball was worked wide for Peter Lakai to feed Moorby inside for his second. Barrett converted from the touchline.

Josh Jacomb, starting at first five-eighth for the first time, produced a moment of quality with a 50/22 kick — left-footed, from a natural right-footer — that gave the All Blacks attacking field position. They hammered away at the Bulls’ line under sustained pressure until prop Klopper was sin-binned for persistent team infringements. Captain Codie Taylor, marking his return from a calf injury and his first appearance of the tour, drove over from a tap penalty to make it 17-0.

Taylor scored again on the stroke of half-time in a try that encapsulated the All Blacks’ collective effort. Holland, who had been outstanding despite the earlier fumble, powered a counter-ruck to win turnover ball. When it was worked towards the line, it was Holland again — standing off a ruck — who delivered a slick no-look flick pass to put Taylor through a hole near the posts. Jacomb converted for a 24-0 lead.

The Bulls roared back within two minutes of the restart. Lock Vermaak peeled around the back of a lineout maul and charged low towards the line, stretching out to ground the ball. In a rare and welcome moment of common sense, referee Amashukeli overruled TMO Eric Gauzins, who argued there was no conclusive evidence of grounding, and awarded the try. Bosch converted and the crowd of 30,930 roared.

The All Blacks’ response was instant. From the restart, Segner forced an error with a powerful tackle, and from the resulting turnover the ball was shifted wide right for Carter to tip-toe his way down the touchline and score in the corner. Three minutes later, Lienert-Brown burst through a hole and fired a flick pass to Carter, who collected on the bounce and fed Ioane inside for the centre to stroll over. At 36-7, the contest was effectively over.

The Bulls produced the try of the match in the 54th minute. Number eight Jeandre Rudolph, who had been immense throughout, set sail down the blindside from a scrum, linked with Curwin Bosch, and the fly-half drew two defenders before releasing Stravino Jacobs down the touchline. Jacobs stepped inside Barrett’s tackle attempt and crashed over for a try that will live long in his memory. Bosch’s conversion struck the upright.

Carter completed his double in the 67th minute, finishing off a move that featured pop passes from Barrett and Jacomb on the edge of the 22. Coetzee burrowed over for the Bulls’ third with seven minutes remaining after sustained forward pressure, before Wallace Sititi had the final say, powering through under the posts after Timoci Tavatavanawai had softened the defence with a trademark steamrolling carry.

Taylor, captaining the All Blacks for the first time in his 110th match, was replaced at half-time as a precaution but was delighted with the display. “Another tough game for us. The Bulls turned up in patches and it was a physical game,” he said. “No disrespect to the Bulls, but the Springboks will lift the tempo and the physicality and that is what Test match footy is all about. It’s an exciting week ahead.”

Rennie confirmed that Richie Mo’unga, who arrived in Johannesburg on Friday, would not be considered for the first Test. “Richie arrived late last night. He is excited and jumping out of his skin,” Rennie said. “He will spend the next week getting his head around things and he will not be considered for the first Test. We will hopefully see him play in the game against the Lions.”

On the fitness of his walking wounded, Rennie said he expected Cam Roigard and Will Jordan to be available for the first Test, but conceded he was “sweating on” Damian McKenzie’s ankle. “We are confident that Cam Roigard and Will Jordan will come right. Damian McKenzie, maybe we’re sweating on a tad, but we still think he will come right.”

The All Blacks now head to Johannesburg for the first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park next Saturday. Three wins from three against heavily depleted franchise sides have provided useful preparation, but as Taylor acknowledged, the Boks will represent an altogether different level of intensity. The phony war is over. The real test begins now.

Teams

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Thaakir Abrahams, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Juann Else, 1 Alu Tshakweni.
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Reinhardt Ludwig, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Katlego Letebele, 23 Hakeem Kunene.

All Blacks: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Josh Moorby, 10 Josh Jacomb, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Simon Parker, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Fabian Holland, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor (c), 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 George Bower, 18 Siale Lauaki, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 23 Emoni Narawa.

Match details

Bulls 19 (Tries: Vermaak, Jacobs, Coetzee; Conversions: Bosch 2/3)
All Blacks 50 (Tries: Moorby 2, Taylor 2, Carter 2, Ioane, Sititi; Conversions: Barrett 1/2, Jacomb 4/6)
Half-time: 0–24

Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (1,350m above sea level)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Attendance: 30,930
Man of the match: Anton Segner (All Blacks)

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International

Ollie Norris out of tour as Hotham called up to All Blacks squad

Published

3 days ago

17th August 2026

rugbyisthegame

Ollie Norris out of tour as Hotham called up to All Blacks squad

All Blacks Ollie Norris during the All Blacks v Sharks, Rugbys Greatest Rivalry Tour, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban, South Africa, 11 August 2026. (Photo by Gerhard Duraan / action press)

Ollie Norris has become the fourth All Black to be sent home from the Greatest Rivalry Tour after sustaining a cartilage injury in his knee. The Chiefs prop is expected to be sidelined for approximately six weeks, with a replacement front-rower to be announced in due course.

In a separate development, Canterbury and Crusaders halfback Noah Hotham has been called into the squad as injury cover after Cortez Ratima suffered a knee injury during the All Blacks’ 50-19 victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Ratima’s injury is still being assessed, casting doubt over his involvement in Sunday’s first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park. Hotham is due to arrive in South Africa on Tuesday.

Norris, 26, came off the bench in the opening two tour matches against the Stormers and Sharks but missed the Bulls fixture. While he was unlikely to start the first Test, with Ethan de Groot firmly established at loosehead, his departure further thins the All Blacks’ front-row depth at a time when Tamaiti Williams is already unavailable through long-term injury. Xavier Numia, George Bower and the uncapped Siale Lauaki are the remaining loosehead options in the touring party.

Norris joins hooker George Bell (calf strain), centre Billy Proctor (fractured shoulder blade) and winger Caleb Clarke (ruptured shoulder tendon) in being ruled out of the tour. Bell and Proctor were replaced by Bradley Slater and Richie Mo’unga respectively, while no replacement was called for Clarke.

Hotham’s call-up represents a swift change of fortune for the 23-year-old, who was a surprise omission from the original 44-man touring squad when head coach Dave Rennie opted to take just three halfbacks and favoured the less-experienced Kyle Preston over the Crusaders starter. Hotham has three Test caps, all earned under previous coach Scott Robertson, and arrives match fit after playing all three of Tasman’s NPC fixtures, including Sunday’s 50-35 victory over Counties Manukau.

If Ratima is ruled out of the first Test, Preston is likely to take his place on the bench behind Cam Roigard. The first-choice halfback is yet to feature on tour after being withdrawn from the Sharks match with a calf issue, but Rennie said after the Bulls match that he expected Roigard to be available for the opening Test.

The halfback situation adds to a growing injury ward that also includes fullback Damian McKenzie (ankle) and wing Will Jordan (back), neither of whom has played on tour. Rennie said after the Bulls match he was confident Jordan would be fit but was “sweating on” McKenzie.

The All Blacks face the Springboks in the first Test at Ellis Park in Johannesburg this Sunday (3am NZT).

International

Another All Black ruled out of South Africa tour with injury

Published

5 days ago

15th August 2026

rugbyisthegame

Another All Black ruled out of South Africa tour with injury

All Blacks Caleb Clarke during the All Blacks v Sharks, Rugbys Greatest Rivalry Tour, Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban, South Africa, 11 August 2026. (Photo by Gerhard Duraan / action press)

Caleb Clarke has become the third All Black ruled out of the Greatest Rivalry Tour after scans revealed a ruptured tendon in his shoulder sustained during Tuesday’s 54-0 victory over the Sharks in Durban. The 27-year-old winger will return home to New Zealand for surgery, with a return-to-play timeframe unknown until the procedure is complete.

Clarke’s departure is a significant blow. The 35-cap back had appeared on track to start the first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park next weekend after wearing the number 11 jersey against the Sharks in a side that closely resembled the All Blacks’ likely first-choice XV. He played the full 80 minutes in Durban with no visible issues before the extent of the injury was revealed by subsequent scans.

Head coach Dave Rennie confirmed the All Blacks will not call in a replacement at this stage, satisfied with the outside back depth remaining in the touring party.

“We are comfortable with the outside backs cover we have at the moment, so will not be bringing another squad member in to replace Caleb unless further injuries necessitate it,” Rennie said. “We are all feeling for Caleb and really sorry to see his Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour come to an early end. He’s an important member of our group, both on and off-field, so we look forward to him making a full recovery.”

Clarke made no attempt to hide his disappointment. “I am gutted to be going home because I’ve loved my time here so much,” he said. “But I am staying positive and excited about what’s ahead, so will make the most of my recovery to make sure I’m at my best when I’m ready to return to rugby.”

His loss follows hooker George Bell (calf strain in training) and centre Billy Proctor (fractured shoulder blade against the Stormers), both of whom were sent home earlier in the tour. Bell was replaced by Bradley Slater, while Proctor’s departure opened the door for Richie Mo’unga’s return to the All Blacks after a three-year absence.

Clarke’s aerial prowess and powerful ball-carrying will be missed, particularly given the Springboks’ well-documented appetite for the contestable kicking game. However, the All Blacks retain considerable depth on the wing. Will Jordan, Fehi Fineanganofo — who scored twice against the Sharks — Josh Moorby, Leroy Carter and Emoni Narawa are all available, while Rieko Ioane can cover out wide if required. Jordan’s own fitness remains a watching brief, with the try-scoring record holder yet to feature on tour due to a back issue.

The All Blacks face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday evening in their final fixture before the first Test against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 23 August.

International

Props steal the show as Wallabies rout Japan in Townsville

Published

5 days ago

15th August 2026

rugbyisthegame

Props steal the show as Wallabies rout Japan in Townsville

Australia's Taniela Tupou during the 2025 Quilter Nations Series game between France and Australia in Stade de France, Paris, France, Saturday, November 22, 2025 (Photo by Andrew Conan / Inpho)

Props rarely enjoy the rugby limelight, but in Townsville they stole the show as five different front-rowers crossed the tryline in the Wallabies’ 56-17 demolition of Japan at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. All eight Australian tries came from the forwards, with Taniela Tupou’s first-half double, Massimo De Lutiis’s historic debut score as the 1,000th Wallaby, and further tries to Angus Bell, Josh Nasser and Brandon Paenga-Amosa turning the second Test of the Flight Centre Series into a front-row exhibition.

Key moments

7 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: Excellent work from the Wallabies off a dominant scrum. Jorgensen finds Henry, who bursts over halfway, before the ball is worked wide right for Jorgensen to scorch down the touchline. Nasser finishes with a dart down the short side from close range. Lonergan converts from the right sideline. (Australia 7–0 Japan)

12 mins – TRY JAPAN: Harry Hockings charges down Lonergan’s box kick on the Australian try line and dives on the loose ball to score on his return to Queensland. Matsunaga misses the conversion. (Australia 7–5 Japan)

17 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: Powerful series of carries from Salakaia-Loto, Bell and Henry takes Australia deep into the Japanese 22. Lonergan finds Tupou on the left, and the tighthead powers his way over near the posts. Lonergan converts. (Australia 14–5 Japan)

26 mins – TRY JAPAN: Saito catches the Wallabies napping after winning a ruck penalty. The scrum-half taps quickly and burrows over under the posts before Australia can react. Matsunaga converts. (Australia 14–12 Japan)

29 mins – TRY DISALLOWED AUSTRALIA: Paisami puts Henry through a hole with a short pass, Henry draws the fullback and finds Lonergan on his inside for what appears a spectacular try under the posts. The TMO rules Paisami’s pass forward. Japan scrum.

33 mins – TRY JAPAN: Japan take the lead. Dominant carrying from Makisi and Era takes the visitors deep into the Australian half before Riley muscles through weak tackling to score in the right corner. Matsunaga hits the post with the conversion. (Australia 14–17 Japan)

39 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: The Wallabies regain the lead just before the break. Shaw claims the lineout, the maul is held, but the ball is worked through the hands. Wilson and Paisami make strong carries before Lonergan finds Tupou once more, and the big prop crashes over for his second. Lonergan converts. (Australia 21–17 Japan)

Half-time: Australia 21–17 Japan. A highly competitive opening 40 minutes with Japan matching Australia blow for blow. The Wallabies’ set-piece superiority and direct carrying brought three tries through Nasser and Tupou’s double, but Japan responded with scores from Hockings, Saito and Riley to briefly lead. A disallowed Lonergan try after a forward pass from Paisami was a turning point. Tupou’s second just before the break gave Australia a four-point advantage heading into the sheds.

47 mins – MILESTONE: Massimo De Lutiis enters the field to replace Taniela Tupou, becoming the 1,000th player to represent Australia in Test rugby.

51 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: The lineout is superb, Gordon hits the defensive line at pace, and the forwards are unstoppable from close range. Bell crashes over under the posts to complete a hat-trick for the starting front row. Lonergan converts. (Australia 28–17 Japan)

59 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: Wallaby number 1,000 scores on debut. Wilson steamrolls into the defensive line off the lineout, Lonergan’s box kick causes chaos, Gordon produces a brilliant broken-field run, and De Lutiis barges over from close range. Lonergan converts. (Australia 35–17 Japan)

73 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: The Wallabies drive a 10-metre scrum almost unopposed through the Japanese pack. Cale scoops it up from the back and touches down. Donaldson converts. (Australia 42–17 Japan)

75 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA + YELLOW CARD JAPAN: Cale breaks the gainline twice, McDermott adds momentum, and Wilson dives over from inches after sustained pick-and-go pressure. Harada is sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements. Donaldson converts. (Australia 49–17 Japan)

80+1 mins – TRY AUSTRALIA: After the siren, De Lutiis taps a penalty, the forwards drive, and Paenga-Amosa — the fifth different front-rower to score — crashes over from close range to cap a dominant display. Donaldson converts. (Australia 56–17 Japan)

Full-time: Australia 56–17 Japan

It was only the second time in Wallabies history that every starting front-rower had scored in the same Test, last achieved 36 years ago when Ewen McKenzie, Phil Kearns and Tony Daly crossed against the United States. Even Japan coach Eddie Jones could only marvel at the damage inflicted by Tupou and company.

“He must have thought there was a free pizza every time he scored a try today,” Jones said of the Racing 92 tighthead. “I’ll have to go and see him after the game. I might take him a pizza in. They get pretty excited near the line.”

In front of 18,076 fans, the result gave Les Kiss a second consecutive win and a clean sweep of the series, extending the Wallabies’ perfect record against Japan to nine matches stretching back to 1975. It was also the first time Australia had won three Tests in a row since the start of Joe Schmidt’s tenure in 2024, providing a significant shot of momentum ahead of a demanding Rugby Championship campaign.

The final scoreline, however, flattered the hosts. The opening half was a fierce arm-wrestle, with Japan matching Australia blow for blow and briefly taking a 17-14 lead through tries from Harry Hockings, Naoto Saito and Dylan Riley. It was only Tupou’s second close-range try just before the break that sent the Wallabies into the sheds with their noses in front at 21-17.

Kiss’s half-time intervention proved decisive. “We had a chat at half-time about how we better manage our kicking game, our work on and off the ball, just a little bit of those areas where we gave them a bit of scope to be able to play their quite fast and furious game,” Kiss said. “But we were cool and calm and collected to a degree at half-time. We just made sure we got the right things right.”

Carter Gordon, returning at fly-half for his first appearance since the Ireland Test in July, showed early why many believe he is the answer to Australia’s long search for a consistent number 10. The 25-year-old took on the defensive line from his first involvement, producing chaos-ball offloads that set his outside backs into space. It was his enterprise that created the platform for the opening try in the seventh minute — a flowing backline move sparked by a dominant scrum and an Isaac Henry burst that left Japan short on numbers, Max Jorgensen scorching down the touchline before Nasser burrowed over from close range.

Japan struck back through Queensland-born Hockings, who charged down a Ryan Lonergan box kick on the Australian try line to peg the score back to 7-5, before Tupou bulldozed his way over for the first of his double to restore the lead. The Racing 92 prop, looking faster, fitter and happier after his season in France, was a constant menace close to the line — running onto the ball at pace and proving simply too powerful to stop from short range.

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The Wallabies squandered their momentum with fumbles and penalties, however, and Japan’s livewire scrum-half Saito caught the hosts napping with a quick tap to score under the posts and make it 14-12. The visitors then seized the lead for the first time when Riley muscled through passive Australian tackling to finish in the right corner. A brilliant Isaac Henry linebreak that sent Lonergan diving under the posts was cruelly ruled out after the TMO judged Hunter Paisami’s short pass forward, denying what would have been a spectacular try.

Tupou’s second just before the break proved critical, the big tighthead running onto Lonergan’s pass at pace to crash over near the posts and restore Australia’s lead at the interval.

The second half belonged entirely to the Wallabies. The hosts reduced their missed tackle count from 10 in the first half to just four after the break, and their dominance at the breakdown strangled Japan’s supply of quick ball. Openside flanker Carlo Tizzano was outstanding, winning three turnovers at the ruck in his best Test performance, while Jeremy Williams, Paenga-Amosa and the introduction of Fraser McReight from the bench only intensified the pressure. Kiss was so taken by the McReight-Tizzano combination that he coined a nickname on the spot. “McZzano,” he chuckled. “I would have liked another five minutes of that, but at least we saw it as a snapshot.”

Bell drove over under the posts in the 51st minute to make it 28-17, completing the starting front-row hat-trick. Then came the moment the crowd had been waiting for. De Lutiis, the 22-year-old Gold Coast junior who rejected approaches from Ireland to commit to the Reds, had entered the field in the 47th minute to become the 1,000th player to represent Australia. Eleven minutes later, Gordon produced a brilliant broken-field run to set up the position, and the prop who famously bench-pressed a record 202.5 kilograms at Ballymore powered over from close range to seal a dream debut.

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“I was over the moon,” De Lutiis said. “When Les told me, I started tearing up a bit and started crying in his lap, which is pretty embarrassing. But I was just so stoked. Player 1,000 is awesome, but just to be a Wallaby in general is just crazy to me. A dream come true.

“When I scored, I was just over the moon. Couldn’t believe it. First try ever, so pretty good debut try.”

Kiss was equally moved. “What a debut, it’s not an accident,” he said. “He’s a very coachable, unassuming type of character, but just works hard and grafts hard on his main craft, which is the set piece. I was really pleased with how he went. It was a bit of a dream debut for him, wasn’t it?”

Charlie Cale iced the contest in the 73rd minute, scooping up the ball from the back of a scrum that the Wallabies drove almost unopposed through the Japanese pack. Captain Harry Wilson added another from inches after sustained pick-and-go pressure, with Japan replacement hooker Mamoru Harada sent to the sin bin for repeated infringements. Paenga-Amosa — the fifth front-rower to score — capped a superb afternoon off the bench with the eighth and final try after the siren to take the score past 50.

Wilson was candid about the difference between the two halves. “Our spark probably wasn’t there in the first half, and we got challenged by Les at half-time,” the captain said. “A team like Japan, if you’re not up for it, they really make you pay. I was really proud of the group in that second half. We went through the front door and were physical. We had a lot more spark.”

Jones acknowledged the Wallabies’ second-half dominance with characteristic bluntness. “They won the air, they won three kicks down the right-hand side, won the breakdown, so that’s about 11 positions,” he said. “You get that weight of positions, we weren’t good enough to defend our errors. It was just a pressure of position and congratulations to Australia. They played well in the second half.”

Japan captain Warner Dearns struck a more reflective tone. “Credit to the Wallabies, they came out and gave it to us in the second half, which we obviously couldn’t keep keeping up with,” Dearns said. “We did it well in the first half, but we couldn’t keep it going in the second half.”

Henry was superb on his first start at outside centre, his direct running repeatedly buckling the Japanese defensive line and giving Kiss a genuine selection headache when Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii returns from injury. Winger Jorgensen left the field after 65 minutes with a rib complaint after taking an accidental knee from Wilson, though Kiss confirmed afterwards the injury would be monitored rather than being a major concern. Tupou is set to be available for the upcoming tour of Argentina under World Rugby’s regulation nine laws, while centre Len Ikitau has begun running again on his ankle injury.

The Wallabies now have a fortnight before heading to Argentina for two Rugby Championship Tests — in Jujuy on 30 August and Mendoza on 6 September — where the real examination of Kiss’s tenure will begin.

Teams

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Isaac Henry, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Charlie Cale, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Lachlan Shaw, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Fraser McReight, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

Japan: 15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Shunsuke Uenobo, 11 Haruto Kida, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Tiennan Costley, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 4 Harry Hockings, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Hayate Era, 1 Takato Okabe.
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Itsuki Kamimura, 22 Samisoni Tua, 23 Kazuma Ueda.

Match details

Australia 56 (Tries: Nasser, Tupou 2, Bell, De Lutiis, Cale, Wilson, Paenga-Amosa; Conversions: Lonergan 5/5, Donaldson 3/3)
Japan 17 (Tries: Hockings, Saito, Riley; Conversions: Matsunaga 1/3)
Half-time: 21–17
Attendance: 18,076

Venue: Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)