Australia v Japan: Nations Championship rugby union international – live

Key eventsnowTRY! Australia 7-5 Japan (Hockings, 11)5m agoCONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-0 Japan (Nasser, 7)14m agoKick-off!51m agoJapan XV51m agoAustralia XV1h agoPreambleTRY! Australia 7-5 Japan (Hockings, 11)Japan get some time on the ball that ends with Kida chipping and chasing down the right wing, forcing Wright to concede a line drop-out that Gordon smashes miles downfield before Gunter returns it with his mighty bulk. Japan go for the early kick again, turning the gold defence on its heels, but Lonergan does well to recover. The ruck is slow, both teams set for the clearing box kick, but Hockings is up in a flash, Lonergan takes a couple of unnecessary steps, and the ball is smothered off the boot, bouncing kindly for the Japanese Queenslander and he has the simple task of putting downward pressure on the ball to complete the immediate reply!Saito will be disappointed with a poor conversion attempt.9 mins: The Wallabies’ best is very very good. Attacking behind set-pieces has become a trademark, especially the interplay between forwards and backs, creating space in wide areas. If they can match that with some savvy game management they’ll be a decent side.CONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-0 Japan (Nasser, 7)Finally Lonergan gets to feed the ball into the scrum and milk a penalty advantage. Jorgensen accepts the first pass, crossing the gainline at speed before inviting Henry to do the same. Play stalls on halfway but Wright and Tizzano find some more momentum on the left. That opens space on the right where the ball is flung crisply through hands to Jorgensen. The flyer scorches down the touchline until he’s hauled down just before the stripe. From there it’s classic pick-and-go from Nasser to burrow his way the few final required inches. Terrific start for the Wallabies!Lonergan strikes a beautiful touchline conversion to honour the superb early try.6 mins: … twice.5 mins: Of course, the scrum is reset.4 mins: Japan are patient but unable to secure the quick ball they are renowned for. Eventually Jorgensen flies out of the line, rushing up on Uenobo, forcing an error. The Wallabies with the first scrum feed of the afternoon.3 mins: The Wallabies secure lineout ball and Lonergan box kicks to halfway. Japan win the aerial contest and get into the neat phase play they demonstrated to good effect last week. Ito kicks inside the 22 but Gordon marks it and dashes into the line with intent. Wright shanks his attempted bomb allowing Japan to regather and mount another multiphase attack.2 mins: Carter Gordon kicks the match into life, lofting the kick-off into Japan’s 22. The visitors deal with the danger and kick clear, benefiting from a fortunate bounce near the touchline, send the clearance deep into Australian territory.Kick-off!The second Test of the Les Kiss era is under way…The low key atmosphere isn’t helped by two of the less upbeat national anthems and the sky becoming blanketed in cloud. Hopefully the players can spark the occasion into life.And here come the two sides out into the Townsville afternoon. It’s all a bit muted in a stadium far from full.Both teams are wearing the same uniforms they performed in last week. That means Australia in gold and green, Japan in red and white hoops with white trim.Today’s referee is New Zealander Paul Williams.It is a beautiful dry mostly sunny day in north Queensland with temperatures in the low 20s. An easterly breeze may make life awkward for goal kickers.Eddie Jones keeping up with his Radio Taiso prematch. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty ImagesJapan XVJust the five changes from Eddie Jones after his team’s promising display last weekend. Among the quintet coming into the starting lineup is Harry Hockings, born a couple of hours along the Bruce Highway in Prosperpine.1 Takato Okabe, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 4 Harry Hockings, 5 Warner Dearns (c), 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Tiennan Costley, 8 Faulua Makisi, 9 Naoto Saitō, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 11 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 12 Dylan Riley, 13 Shunsuke Uenobo, 14 Haruto Kida, 15 Takuro Matsunaga.Reserves: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Sojiro Otsuka, 18 Izi Sword, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Michael Leitch, 21 Itsuki Kamimura, 22 Samisoni Tua, 23 Kazuma Ueda.Australia XVThe Wallabies have made eight changes to their starting XV, including an almost brand new pack. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii misses out with injury, joining centre partner Len Ikitau on the sidelines. Isaac Henry comes in for his first start after debuting off the bench in Higashiōsaka. Another debutant, Massimo de Lutiis, is in line to become Wallaby cap number 1,000.1. Angus Bell, 2. Josh Nasser, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Lachlan Shaw, 5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 6. Charlie Cale, 7. Carlo Tizzano, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Carter Gordon, 11. Harry Potter, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Isaac Henry, 14. Max Jorgensen, 15. Tom Wright.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.Wallabies head coach Les Kiss continues to experiment with his lineup during the Test against Japan in Townsville. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP/APJack Snape double quotation markOf the No 10s tried by the Wallabies in the past two years, injuries, form, age or commitments overseas have prevented any from securing the jersey. That dynamic was highlighted when Rugby Australia paid the Gold Coast Titans – Carter’s club during his flirtation with rugby league – what was described by a “comprehensive financial settlement” to trigger a release from the final year of his NRL contract. But just as his NRL career was impeded by injury, so too has the resumption of his one in union. Injuries, or “small niggles” as Carter described them, sidelined the 25-year-old from Nambour immediately after the two Tests he has played for the Wallabies since his return. Angus Fontaine double quotation markIn his first Test as new Wallabies coach and World Cup saviour, Les Kiss stepped up. Despite only two weeks with the team, he showed enough coaching nous to outlast his rivals on their home range. The Wallabies started slow, lost a man to a red card and played like a hot mess at times. But they kept climbing and found a way to win. PreambleJonathan HowcroftHello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Japan in the second and final Test of this bilateral series. Kick-off at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville is scheduled for 3.15pm.The Wallabies snuck home in the series opener last Saturday to kick off the Les Kiss era with a morale boosting win. But in a highly entertaining contest it was 21-year-old flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito who stole the show, leading the Brave Blossoms around the field with boundless creativity.Ito’s brilliance contrasted with yet another underwhelming performance from an Australian five-eighth, this time Declan Meredith. In the past two years the Wallabies have auditioned seven No 10s in a so-far forlorn search for a consistent playmaker. Kiss continues that quest, replacing Meredith with Carter Gordon, who is fit to start following a calf strain.Gordon is one of eight changes to the XV that started the hot and humid first Test as Kiss explores his options with precious little preparation time ahead of next year’s World Cup.I’ll be back with final team lists and more shortly. Please send me your emails and keep me company throughout the evening. The address is jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.