Japan player ratings vs Australia | Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025

Japan player ratings: The Brave Blossoms were gutsy but fell just short 19-15 in Tokyo, pushing an experimental Wallabies side all the way before running out of time.

Eddie Jones’ men showed heart and defiance in awful conditions, with standout performances in defeat.

Here’s how we rated the Japan players:

15. Yoshitaka Yazaki – 7
Lively and dangerous whenever he countered. Beat defenders, tested the Wallabies’ kick-chase and handled the greasy ball well. One of Japan’s best attacking sparks in the back three.

14. Kippei Ishida – 8
Electrifying footwork and balance at times, gave Australia’s defence headaches every time he got a glimpse of space. Took the initiative late on when Japan chased the game.

13. Dylan Riley – 5
An off day for the normally excellent Riley. Missed tackles, lost shape in defence and offered little in attack. At fault along with Tomoki Osada for Australia’s second try.

12. Shogo Nakano – 6
Early exit for an HIA and never really settled once he returned. Some solid defensive reads but guilty of coughing up possession too easily.

11. Tomoki Osada – 5
His misread in defence cost Japan a try, and he never quite recovered his confidence. Offered little in attack.

10. Seungsin Lee – 6
Kicked his goals and managed territory decently, but his game management wavered when Japan had momentum.

9. Shinobu Fujiwara – 7.5
Set the tempo and created Takeuchi’s try with quick thinking around the ruck. Crisp service throughout and relentless energy, but his kicking from base was inconsistent.

8. Michael Leitch – 6.5
Led by example again but far from perfect. Tireless in contact and at the breakdown, and the ageing warrior’s leadership in the wet was immense. Against that, a few too many turnovers blotted his copybook.

7. Kanji Shimokawa – 6
Worked hard without much reward. Tackled all day but struggled to impose himself against Australia’s heavy carriers.

6. Ben Gunter – 8.5
Outstanding. Scored Japan’s second try and was everywhere defensively. His work rate and commitment summed up the side’s spirit. One of the few Japanese forwards to consistently win collisions.

5. Warner Dearns – 6
There’s rightly been a lot of hype around the Hurricanes-bound Dearns. He was solid enough here but was one of a number of Japan players who coughed up too much ball.

4. Jack Cornelsen – 6
Industrious as ever but part of a pack that struggled for clean set-piece ball.

3. Shuhei Takeuchi – 8
From villain to hero after his yellow card. Came back strong, powering over for Japan’s first try and scrummaged well thereafter.

2. Hayate Era – 8.5
Superb shift. His tackling was ferocious and he turned over multiple Wallaby rucks. Exactly the sort of mongrel Japan needed in the rain.

1. Kenta Kobayashi – 6
Put in a grafting 70 minutes but faded late. Discipline occasionally let him down.

Replacements – 5
Barely had time to make a difference, with most entering after the 70-minute mark. Jones’ reluctance to use his bench earlier left fresh legs wasted.