Les Kiss’ men fill the Rugby Championship-shaped hole with a trip to Osaka.
Watch Japan take on Australia as new Wallabies boss Les Kiss leads his side for the first time at Hanazono Rugby Stadium.
Under Kiss’ predecessor, Joe SchmidtAustralia have been one of the most unpredictable sides on the planet, almost as capable of beating the big guns as they are against the smaller sides.
But while he has won just 12 of his 31 Tests in charge, there is no doubt that the Wallabies have improved significantly under Schmidt’s tenure as he has harnessed the top talents of his players to play. Indeed, with no rugby championship this year – and the dominant Springboks and All Blacks got in the way Rugby’s biggest rival tour – this can be a case of the right match, the right moment when he meets his new team.
The Brave Blossoms have never beaten Australia in a Test, but they definitely have the ability to give the visitors a tricky night in Osaka. A win over Italy followed by defeats against Ireland and France was arguably the pair for their inauguration Nations Championship but Japan boss Eddie Jones – who quit as Wallabies head coach after a dismal 2023 World Cup campaign – will definitely have a point to prove against his former employers.
– Date: Saturday 8/8/2026
– Start time: 11.05 BST / 19.05 JST (local) / 20.05 AEST / 22.05 NZST / 12.05 CET / 12.05 SAST / 6.05 EDT / 3.05 PDT
– Live Streams: Apartment Sport (Australia), Sky Sports NZ (New Zealand)
– Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk free
You can watch Japan v Wallabies live in Australia and New Zealand, but if you’re currently away from home, you can still follow the action as it happens if you use a VPN. We’ve got all the details you need below. At the bottom of the page you will find the team composition.
Watch Japan v Wallabies in Australia
Down below? You can watch Japan vs Australia live streaming on Apartment Sport, which shows today’s match without ads. Action starts tonight at 8:05 PM ET.
The service also has the rights to a host of other rugby action, as well as football in the Premier League and the Champions League. Adding Stan Sport to your general Stan plan costs $20 per month (starting at $9.99 per month).
Next week’s return in Townsville will also be available for free 9 Now.
Stream Japan vs Australia in New Zealand
Sky Sports NZ has the New Zealand rights to Japan v Wallabies live broadcasts. The game kicks off on Saturday night at 10.05pm NZST.
You can subscribe to Sky Sports Now from $59.99 per month or $549.99 per year (equivalent to $45.83 per month). Day passes are also available for $29.99.
Can I watch Japan v Australia in the UK?
Unfortunately, there are no UK broadcasters confirmed for Saturday’s clash between Japan and Australia. The good news, however, is that next weekend’s Wallabies v Brave Blossoms second leg in Townsville will be available on Sky Sports.
And if you’re an Australian in the UK now, remember you can use a VPN to access your usual Stan Sport service as if you were back home. Find out more below…
How to watch Japan vs Wallabies from anywhere
Being away from home doesn’t have to stop you from watching Japan v Australia. A VPN bypasses geoblocking by changing your IP address, allowing you to stream the game as if you were at home.
Technological experts in TechRadar and Tom’s guide rank NordVPN as number one in the world, thanks to the low price and the unsurpassed ability to unblock streaming services.
Japan vs Australia teams and officials
Japan
Takuro Matsunaga, Kazuma Ueda, Dylan Riley, Samisoni Tua, Taira Main, Ryunosuke Ito; Naoto Saito, Takato Okabe, Hayate Era, Shuhei Takeuchi, Jack Cornelsen, Warner Dearns (captain), Ben Gunter, Kanji Shimokawa, Faulua Makisi
Replacements:
Mamoru Harada, Sojiro Otsuka, Keijiro Tamefusa, Harry Hockings, Michael Leitch, Tiennan Costley, Shunsuke Uenobo, Yoshitaka Yazaki
Australia
Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Hunter Paisami, Harry Potter, Declan Meredith, Ryan Lonergan; Aidan Ross, Josh Nasser, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Miles Amatosero, Rob Valitini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (Captain)
Replacements:
Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Taniela Tupou, Jeremy Williams, Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Isaac Henry
Ireland’s Eoghan Cross is the referee for Japan against Australia, assisted by Paul Williams (New Zealand) and Morgan White (Hong Kong China). Richard Williams (New Zealand) is the TMO.
Download the digital edition of the rugby world directly to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to have the magazine delivered to your door.
Follow Rugby World on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational use. for example:
1. Access to the service from another country (in accordance with the terms and conditions of that service).
2. Protecting your online security and enhancing your online privacy when abroad.
We do not support or condone illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Future Publishing does not endorse or condone the consumption of pirated paid content.
