The stage is set for a compelling rugby union encounter this Saturday as Ireland host Japan in Dublin for the first of five autumn internationals. This match marks the first meeting between the two sides in four years, arriving on the back of Ireland's recent fixture against New Zealand in Chicago.
Historical Context and Past Grudges
While Ireland delivered a commanding 60-5 victory in their last encounter, the history between these teams is forever marked by one of rugby's greatest World Cup shocks: Japan's historic victory over Ireland on home soil during the 2019 tournament.
Ahead of that fateful game six years ago, a tactical tension emerged that still resonates. Japanese tighthead prop Yusuke Kizu publicly accused Ireland's veteran loosehead, Cian Healy, of employing illegal scrummaging techniques.
Kizu claimed that Healy angled inwards during scrums, a move that breaches the regulations requiring props to drive straight forward. Any lateral movement in the scrum significantly increases the risk of a collapse.
"Their loosehead prop steps out, so they try to attack from the side, that's my impression of their scrum," Kizu stated at the time, adding, "Ireland's forwards really attack close to the rucks so we need to have double collisions to stop their momentum."
Contrasting Views from the Japanese Camp
In a fascinating contrast to his player's accusations, Japan's then scrum coach, Shin Hasegawa, expressed admiration for the Irish set-piece. He acknowledged the challenge his team faced in neutralising Ireland's power.
"We need to nullify their strong loosehead and tighthead, so we don't let them scrum at 100 per cent," Hasegawa said. "I've loved their scrum for a long time, so we really need to think about how we counter them."
He confirmed his team's confidence, stating it was a matter of fine-tuning and determination ahead of the clash with what he described as a "very strong" and "quality side."
Ireland's Focus on Improvement
Looking ahead to the upcoming fixture, Ireland legend Johnny Sexton has spoken about the pressing need for improvement following the team's loss to New Zealand.
"We feel we probably prepared really well over the last two weeks and we didn't get it out there on Saturday, which is the most disappointing thing," Sexton admitted. "The players have been pretty open and honest and coaches too... we’ve got to take the learnings from it and make sure that it doesn't happen again."
As both teams finalise their preparations, the historical subplot of scrum tactics adds an intriguing layer to what promises to be a massive autumn international in Dublin.
