Australia made it three straight Test wins for the first time in two years, blowing Japan away 56-17 in Townsville. A ruthless 42-point unanswered blitz—driven by an unstoppable front row that crossed for five tries—capped off a dominant afternoon at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Here is how the Wallabies rated.
Starting XV
1. Angus Bell – 8/10
Back in the starting side and instantly dominant. Worked tirelessly in open play, racked up tackles, crashed over for a second-half try, and anchored a dominant scrum.
2. Josh Nasser – 8/10
Flawless at lineout time (5/5) and bagged an early five-pointer with a trademark burrow from close range.
3. Taniela Tupou – 9/10 (Player of the Match)
An absolute wrecking ball. Set the defensive tone with a massive early hit, led the team in tackles in the opening ten minutes, and crossed for a double. Wallaby dominance started right here.
4. Lachlan Shaw – 7/10
Stepped up to call the lineouts on his starting debut and even nabbed a clean steal on Japan’s throw. Solid in the set-piece, though quiet in open field.
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – 7.5/10
Brought violent intent back to the lock position. Carried hard, beat defenders, and punished Japanese runners during his 50-minute shift.
6. Charlie Cale – 8/10
A welcome return to the starting XV. High-volume tackling and exceptional at the set-piece, stealing two Japanese throw-ins.
7. Carlo Tizzano – 8.5/10
An absolute menace. Plundered three breakdown turnovers, racked up double-digit tackles, and delivered a tireless 80-minute performance that continues to push his case for the permanent No. 7 shirt.
8. Harry Wilson (c) – 7.5/10
Led by example. Stuffed the stat sheet with heavy defensive work, hard carries, and a well-deserved late try.
9. Ryan Lonergan – 6/10
Kicked beautifully off the tee, but erratic in general play. Had a box-kick charged down for Japan’s opening try and missed another kick off the full. A rough afternoon out of his hands.
10. Carter Gordon – 8/10
Plays like the long-term solution at flyhalf. Took the ball right to the line with supreme confidence, regularly threatening the defensive line and offloading with class.
11. Harry Potter – 6.5/10
Brought plenty of work rate and energy, but found no space down his flank. Held to under 20 metres.
12. Hunter Paisami – 7.5/10
Maintained his sizzling form. Carried forcefully, distributed well, and established an immediate midfield spark with his new center partner.
13. Isaac Henry – 9/10
Outstanding. Filling in for the injured Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Henry beat six defenders in the first half alone, topped the backs with 60+ metres, and looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.
14. Max Jorgensen – 8/10
Fired from the opening whistle with a brilliant early break that set up Nasser’s try. Finished a top-shelf try of his own before halftime and didn’t shirk his defensive duties.
15. Tom Wright – 7/10
A quieter afternoon than usual by his high standards, but he showed flashes of brilliance with a clever 50/22 attempt and sharp counter-attacking lines.
Replacements – 8.5/10
The Wallabies’ bench energy was elite. Jeremy Williams and Fraser McReight won breakdown penalties almost instantly upon entering the field. The feel-good highlight of the night, however, went to debutant Massimo De Lutiis (Wallaby #1000), who barged over for a debut try to cap off a historic front-row performance.
