Five Ireland starters who flopped against Japan - and who should replace them

After last week’s loss to New Zealand, the victory represents a first win of the autumn for Ireland and, after his British & Irish Lions sabbatical, a first with Andy Farrell at the helm since November 2024.

It did, however, come courtesy of a far‑from convincing first‑half performance with Ireland scoring three tries in the final 13 minutes to put a gloss on the scoreline.

Head coach Andy Farrell looked visibly p***ed off during the match. Below, we look at five players who failed to perform — and who may be dropped next weekend.

Ratings: SportsJOE 5.5/10 | Rugby Pass 5/10 | FloRugby 5/10

Summary: A quiet day at the office for the talismanic figure. Beirne’s lineout struggled early, and although Ireland simplified their plan later, he rarely made a definitive impact. Work rate was present, but the game lacked his usual momentum-shifting influence.

SportsJOE: "Needs to put his head together with Paul O’Connell and the other locks and somehow sort out the set-piece before next week."

Rugby Pass: "A less than ideal week for Beirne off the pitch — his disciplinary hearing and six stitches to the face care of an accidental Jack Conan elbow in training — translated into a pretty flat display."

FloRugby: "Front and centre in a lineout that spluttered early before improving once Ireland simplified their plan. Worked tirelessly but rarely shifted momentum with a definitive moment. Busy without being impactful."

Replacement: Probably keeps his place but must improve significantly next week.

Rating: Rugby Pass 5.5/10

Summary: Stockdale had flashes of quality but defensive vulnerabilities and a yellow card overshadowed his performance. His second-half runs were promising but ultimately ineffective, highlighting decision-making and positional issues.

"Got a fine roar from the Aviva Stadium crowd on his first proper carry. His tackling — long his Achilles’ heel — was once again exposed brutally when getting bounced by 74kg Kippei Ishida. If the ignominy of that were not enough, he was yellow-carded for it. Looked to have pounced on a loose ball to score only to be found to be offside by referee Gianluca Gnecchi upon review. Had two rumbles upfield in the second half, which came to nothing." (Rugby Pass)

Replacement: James Low

Ratings: Rugby Pass 5.5/10 | SportsJOE 6/10

Summary: On his debut, Farrell looked eager but struggled to make an impact. The backline lacked continuity, and he was unable to influence key moments, resulting in a solid but unremarkable performance.

Rugby Pass: "The 32-year-old was clearly super eager to make an impression on his long-awaited debut — but things didn’t quite click for him. Not helped by a backline that struggled for continuity."

SportsJOE: "Not the first cap he would have hoped for, with a lot of Ireland’s best play passing him by. Solid, but far from spectacular."

Replacement: Bundee Aki — more reliable in both attack and defence, offering stability in midfield.

Rating: Rugby Pass 5/10

Summary: Osborne struggled to find rhythm in attack and made a critical error, booting the ball out on the full from inside his 22. His lack of composure under minimal pressure stood out in an otherwise subdued performance.

Quote: "A disappointing display from Osborne, who struggled to find his rhythm in attack and unforgivably booted the ball out on the full after stepping out of his 22 under no pressure from Japan in the 34th minute." (Rugby Pass)

Replacement: Hugo Keenan — experienced, calm under pressure, and able to bring consistency to the back three.

Ratings: Rugby Pass 5/10 | FloRugby 3/10

Summary: Kelleher struggled with his core role in the lineout, starting with an overthrow that reflected broader systemic problems in the set-piece. Execution failures meant he was unable to provide the foundation Ireland needed.

FloRugby: "Struggled with his core role at the set piece as Ireland’s lineout continued to malfunction. The problem is systemic, but execution is now an unavoidable concern. A difficult outing at a pivotal moment for depth chart clarity."

Rugby Pass: "An overthrow on his first lineout, which was uncontested by the Japanese, wasn’t exactly the finest start and it set the tone for Ireland’s set-piece. He’s by no means completely to blame, as the lineout continues to be a problem, with no obvious fix in sight for Paul O’Connell and co."

Replacement: Dan Sheehan — a more dynamic hooker with strong set-piece and open-play capabilities.

Think you know your rugby legends? You have 5 minutes to name all 56 players on the list of the world’s most-capped international rugby players. No cheating! Can you recall every single name, from Alun Wyn Jones to Courtney Lawes?

Tip: Focus on the stars from Wales, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and other top rugby nations – but don’t forget the surprise entries!