Japan vs Wallabies: Dearns and Canham World XV locks, Gordon should start

The Wallabies are off to a winning start under new coach Les Kiss, overcoming a Miles Amatosero 20-minute red card in a tense 35-32 win over Japan in Osaka.

It’s the first time in 12 months that the Wallabies have successfully gone back-to-back with wins, following a 47-point triumph over Italy last month. They will chase more drought-breaking history next weekend, having not won three Tests in a row since the July internationals in 2024.

Next up for the Wallabies is another clash with the Brave Blossoms, with Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium hosting the fixture, 14 months out from Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 on home soil.

Here are some takeaways from the win over Japan.

Wallabies rewrite the script

If you’ve watched a Wallabies game over the last two years, let alone support the men in gold, then you’ll be familiar with the second-half story we’ve watched far too many times. The Wallabies have been competitive against some of the world’s best, but have fallen away after the break.

We saw that during the July Nations Championship Tests, with the Wallabies failing to hold onto leads against Six Nations juggernauts Ireland and France. Ill-discipline and execution has been a talking point, but the Wallabies flipped that script against Japan.

It was 14-all at half-time and the Wallabies had just gone down a man after Miles Amatosero was shown a 20-minute red card. The second half couldn’t have started much better for the visitors, with Max Jorgensen scoring immediately after the break, but Japan hit back right away.

The Brave Blossoms finished with a slight advantage in both the territory and possession stats by full-time, including almost 70 per cent possession in the final 10 minutes. But the Wallabies found a way to win, in scorching conditions it should be noted.

There was a level of composure about a disciplined second-half performance. Replacement prop Angus Bell set the tone in the 47^th minute by winning a pilfer penalty, leading to a Fraser McReight try soon after.

Taniela Tupou crashed over for a crucial score inside the final 10 minutes, with the successful conversion making it a 10-point ballgame. Japan struck back through Warner Dearns, but the Wallabies remained composed.

14 months out from a home Rugby World Cup, the way they won is perhaps more important than the result itself. Rugby is a results-driven business, sure, but the Wallabies are perhaps bearing the fruit of their two-year evolution under Joe Schmidt and now Les Kiss.

Shoutout to two in-form locks

Japan captain Warner Dearns and Australia enforcer Josh Canham would both be in the mix for Dream Team honours if the world’s best were recognised today, going strictly off recent form for both club and country.

Dearns was a shock omission from the Super Rugby Pacific Team of the Year, going on to help the Hurricanes claim a drought-breaking title. The towering second-rower was a menace at defensive lineouts and a set-piece general in attack, and has carried that back into the Test arena.

The Brave Blossoms trailed by 10 points with time rapidly running out, as they made their way upfield and into a point-scoring position. They needed a hero, someone to step up in a pivotal moment, and it was Dearns who answered that call with a five-pointer.

It wasn’t to be for Brave Blossoms, who are still searching for a maiden win over the Wallabies, but Dearns’ efforts in general play and at the set-piece didn’t go unnoticed. RugbyPass’ Francisco Isaac recognised Dearns with a 9.5/10.

2026 has been a breakout season for Canham, who was plagued by injury for some of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign, before taking things to an all-new level in Wallaby gold. Canham became the first Wallabies lock ever to score a hat-trick in the 47-point win over Italy last month.

Canham stole a lineout on Japan’s throw during the match on Saturday, and was recognised with a 7.5 rating that so easily could’ve been an 8. With Jeremy Williams shifting to the bench and Miles Amatosero receiving a red card, the USA-born talent needed to step up and did exactly that.

More questions than answers at fly-half

New Wallabies coach Les Kiss is one match into the top job, but already the boss has some big selection calls to consider. Wallabies great Tim Horan has called on Kiss to make two key changes after the win over Japan, believing Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is “wasted” at outside centre.

But Kiss told reporters at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium last month that he would initially be pursuing Suaalii as an outside centre, which is where Rugby Australia’s star man played for more than 12 months under Joe Schmidt.

Instead, the big selection decision that Wallabies selectors need to mull over is what to do at fly-half, which has been a big talking point for quite some time now. Nine Wallabies have slotted in at fly-half in the last 13 months, but it’s a position that still seems a bit uncertain.

Declan Meredith debuted for the Wallabies last month and has made another two appearances in the run-on side. But Meredith made a few errors against the Brave Blossoms, leading Horan to call for Carter Gordon’s selection moving forward.

14 months out from Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, it’s perhaps more important than ever to pick and stick at fly-half. Meredith has genuine potential, and that’s exciting, but Gordon appears more Test-ready and should start if available to face Japan on August 15 in Townsville.

Wallaby seizes rare chance to start

If the Wallabies ever did decide to move Suaalii away from the centres and into the outside backs, then the next-best midfield pairing perhaps picks itself. Len Ikitau is the reigning Wallabies Player of the Year and is a reliable option at both 12 and 13.

But Ikitau has played a lot of rugby at outside centre, and is arguably better suited to that role, so shifting Suaalii to the wing would accommodate for that switch. At inside centre, Hunter Paisami shapes up as a leading candidate.

Paisami took a rare opportunity to start with both hands on Saturday, standing out as one of the top tacklers on the night. Paisami was also up there with the very best on the night for total carries, which included an important break before Harry Potter’s try.

“Joseph Suaalii is wasted at number 13. We’re just not seeing enough of him. A lot of people have been talking about, put him on the wing where he can use his height, we’ve seen what he did in the NRL,” Wallabies great Tim Horan said on Wide World of Sports.

“Get him involved in the game. He’s just being wasted at number 13.”

Bring on Townsville

Before Townsville hosts games at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, rugby fans in North Queensland will get to see some world-class rugby in just a matter of days. The Wallabies and Brave Blossoms have established a fierce rivalry, and they’re set to go head-to-head again next weekend.

Australia held on for a tense four-point win over Japan last October, and another thriller ensued when the sides met in Osaka. It was a three-point ball game, with the Brave Blossoms falling agonisingly short of victory.

If the recent history between the sides suggests anything, it’s that next weekend has the makings of another classic. Japan will be eager to bounce back, while the Aussies chase a 2-0 start under the new coaching group.