Ireland v Japan, Sunday, 12.00pm, BBC2

[Which Tyler]

Ref: Clara Munarini
TJs: Precious Pazani, Amelia Luciano
TMO: Matteo Liperini

Ireland team to face Japan:
01. Niamh O'Dowd
02. Neve Jones
03. Linda Djougang
04. Ruth Campbell
05. Sam Monaghan (c)
16. Fiona Tuite
07. Edel McMahon (c)
08. Brittany Hogan

09. Aoibheann Reilly
10. Dannah O'Brien
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan
12. Eve Higgins
13. Aoife Dalton
14. Béibhinn Parsons
15. Stacey Flood

16. Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, 17. Ellena Perry, 18. Sadhbh McGrath, 19. Eimear Corri-Fallon, 20. Grace Moore
21. Emily Lane, 22. Enya Breen, 23. Anna McGann


Japan team to face Ireland:
1. Sachiko Kato
2. Asuka Kuge
3. Wako Kitano
4. Yuna Sato
5. Otoka Yoshimura
6. Masami Kawamura
7. Iroha Nagata (c)
8. Seina Saito

09. Moe Tsukui
10. Ayasa Otsuka
11. Komachi Imakugi
12. Haruka Hirotsu
13. Mana Furuta
14. Misaki Matsumara
15. Sora Nishimura

16. Kotomi Taniguchi, 17. Manami Mine, 18. Nijiho Nagata, 19. Ayana Sakurai, 20. Kyoko Hosokawa
21. Megumi Abe, 22. Minori Yamamoto, 23. Sakurako Hatada

 

[Which Tyler]

Ireland without Aoife Wafer are a different proposition, but they really ought to be just too good for Japan. Whilst they're 2 and 3 in their pool, it's the pool with the biggest difference in mid-table there. I don't know much about this team, but looking at their recent results... Japan shouldn't be able to hurt Ireland - expect Ireland to win by 25-30ish points.

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

Don't Ireland normally play under the IRFU flag?

 

[Which Tyler]

Don't Ireland normally play under the IRFU flag?

Yes.
Are they not today?

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

Yes.
Are they not today?

Tricolour and the provincial flag of Ulster ( not NI).

 

[Which Tyler]

Anthems? Can't say I've ever noticed actually, never watch them.
They're certainly overseen by the IRFU, so I'd assume they're treated the same as men's team in that regard

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

so Ireland finally wins a quarterfinal?

 

[ShropshireAllBlack]

so Ireland finally wins a quarterfinal?

The women were semifinalists in 2014, but don't let facts get in the way…

 

[Saintjay]

The women were semifinalists in 2014, but don't let facts get in the way…

So it would be a good idea for the IRFU to channel all the money into Leinster and the womens game.

As they are clearly out performing the men.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

The women were semifinalists in 2014, but don't let facts get in the way…

but they didn't win a quarterfinal . . . but don't let facts get in the way . . .

 

[Saintjay]

Double header at The Gardens, few beers and summer sun. Looks like this would have been a decent day out for a bank holiday weekend.

 

[Which Tyler]

so Ireland finally wins a quarterfinal?

Likely against France?
Not impossible, but don't bank on it

 

[Which Tyler]

Japan shouldn't be able to hurt Ireland - expect Ireland to win by 25-30ish points.

Not a bad prediction...

Well done both teams, Ireland got the job done, Japan did themselves proud.

No, New Zealand will not have seen anything to concern them

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Ireland definitely has talent but their focus and discipline dropped at the end. A well drilled team would have been able to keep running it in.

 

[9215.]

I thought Japan stood up pretty well, it would have been interesting to see how the match would have developed if they'd scored rather than giving away that intercept.