Rugby World Cup 2025: Ireland v Japan – Key talking points

Ireland got their World Cup campaign off to a thunderous start with a six-try demolition of a gutsy Japanese side at a bouncing Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton.

Eve Higgins’ 53rd-minute try was the pivotal moment in a match in which Ireland were, at times, pushed by a hard-working, innovative Japan side. After taking a bow, they were roundly applauded at the end of the match, as a mellifluous rendition of Fields of Athenry rang out.

Ireland will have appreciated the intensity of the game, with the Black Ferns deciding the game of the Pool before the quarter-final knockouts.

Here are the game’s main talking points…

Control the territory and possession, and you win the game

The recent investment in the Irish set-piece was clear for all to see. They dominated the play early on, only narrowly failing to score with only a spill over the line by Aoibheann Riley. The IRFU pushed the boat out and brought Denis Fogarty (brother of Lions coach, John) into the set-up, alongside the hugely experienced Alex Codling, and there have been tangible results. The power in the Irish engine room was clear for all to see. The lineout and scrum functioned extremely well, the rolling maul rumbled on menacingly, and they used the power of Linda Djougang and Niamh O’Dowd to soften up the defence at close quarters. The experienced Djougang, in particular, gobbled up post-contact metres and smashed ball-carriers. As a return on investment, it is paying dividends, but with New Zealand to come on September 7, they know tougher battles await.

Ireland’s balanced midfield is their secret weapon

While the celebrated back three of Beibhinn Parsons, Amee-Lee Costigan, and Stacey Flood garner most attention, it is the hard-carrying duo of Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton who allow the speedsters to find space. Higgins, in particular, caught the eye in Northampton, with a sumptuous break to set up backrow Fiona Tuite to score, before what was the match-defining try. With Japan camped on Ireland’s try-line early in the second-half, at 28-14, a converted try could have pulled them within a converted score, but Higgins picked out a loose ball and cantered off upfield for a lung-busting 90m score, showing her Sevens athleticism. She finished with a classy dive under the sticks in front of adoring Irish fans. Higgins racked up an astounding 150m in all, and with Dalton also impressing, Ireland must keep the duo fit if they are to progress into the depths of the tournament.

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Women's Rugby World Cup

Ireland Women

42 - 14

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Japan Women

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Beibhinn Parsons will take some stopping

Some players just stand out, and Ireland’s rocket-fuelled right wing, Beibhinn Parsons, is one such player. An Olympian in 2024, and Ireland’s youngest ever debutant at 16, every involvement the 23-year-old wing made was explosive. In the first half, a tackle on Yuna Sato cut her in two, drawing gasps from the crowd. Her power unsettled Japanese defenders, and her raw pace was on full display on 24 minutes, when Costigan switched play to find space out right. Parsons timed her run perfectly to put on the after-burners to scorch over the try-line. Parsons carried for 74 metres, and it will be the first of many ‘meat pies’ if O’Brien can use her cultured left boot to bring her into the game. She is the ultimate strike weapon.

Ireland’s vociferous support is priceless

The Irish travelling support made themselves heard at Franklin’s Gardens. It felt like a home game for Northampton Saints, as the ground was bedecked in green, with every kick, pass and try celebrated with gusto, and the bars around the ground doing a healthy trade. Milling amongst them was a sun-kissed IRFU Chief Executive David Humphreys, chewing the fat with fans, but notably former player and now head of Women’s Strategy Lynne Cantwell. His presence shows a renewed focus on the Women’s game, and Humphreys will gladly accept that there is a huge opportunity for growth if they can maintain their renewed momentum.

Japan struggle to match Ireland’s power game

Japan were starved of ball early on in the first quarter. Indeed, their first meaningful possession came after 15 minutes, but they showed they could play with some inventive phase play, pushing and probing the Irish defence, with fly-half Ayasa Otsuka prominent. They showed enormous heart in the second half to keep Ireland’s defence honest, but those early skirmishes set the tone of the game – Ireland made 440 post-contact metres, compared to Japan’s 198 – and they were never able to exert any physical dominance, despite showing their full repertoire of handling skills throughout the game. Ireland’s size and set-piece control was just too much on the day.