Les Kiss era begins: Wallabies survive red card and Japan rally for 35-32 win in nine-try thriller

Les Kiss's tenure as Wallabies head coach began with a nail-biting 35-32 win over Eddie Jones's Japan at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka on August 8, 2026, in a nine-try thriller played in sweltering conditions . Australia held on despite playing more than 40 minutes with 14 men after a first-half red card, and remarkably outscored Japan after the dismissal .

The red card that changed the game

Lock Miles Amatosero was red-carded in the 32nd minute for a dangerous cleanout that collected Japan captain Warner Dearns in the head with his shoulder. The incident occurred near Japan's goal-line as Australia were on the attack. Amatosero was initially shown a yellow card, which was upgraded to a 20-minute red before half-time, leaving the Wallabies a man down for the entire second half .

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Australia rallied after the break and actually scored two tries to one during the period they were a man down, showing the character that Kiss said he could build upon .

Try-scorers: how the nine tries were shared

Australia (5 tries): Harry Potter, Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Fraser McReight, and Taniela Tupou . Scrum-half Ryan Lonergan converted four of the five tries, and Ben Donaldson added one conversion, with Lonergan's perfect kicking proving vital in the final three-point margin .

Japan (4 tries): Ryunosuke Ito opened the scoring with a stunning individual try, Faulua Makisi scored just before half-time, Kazuma Ueda crossed early in the second half, and captain Warner Dearns scored in the 78th minute to set up a grandstand finish .

Decisive impact of Australia's bench

Australia's replacements made the difference in the second half. Taniela Tupou was particularly influential, scoring a crucial try in the 70th minute to push Australia's lead to 35-25, and was described as "excellent" alongside prop Angus Bell, who pilfered a ball to set up a try . The physical impact of the bench helped the Wallabies stabilise the game after Amatosero's dismissal . The Wallabies also produced a game-winning turnover in the final moments thanks to a hit from Tupou .

Player of the match: Warner Dearns

Japan captain Warner Dearns was named player of the match for a towering performance that included a late try in the 78th minute, bringing Japan within three points and creating the game's tense final moments . His try set up a frantic finish where Japan had a chance to snatch victory, but Australia held on.

Post-match comments

Les Kiss told Stan Sport: "That was tough, wasn't it? Not just the conditions. They're a good team — they play fast and hard, and at home in their backyard they're dangerous. But our boys showed a lot of heart, a lot of grit, a lot of character. We'll take the win, but there's plenty to work on." He also encouraged his players to back their skills but lamented a lack of game management, and rejected the idea the Wallabies got "sucked in" to Japan's fast tempo .

Eddie Jones said Japan "let themselves down with a few fundamental errors in the last 20 minutes, where we had an opportunity to put the game away." He noted his side missed their chance to capitalise when Australia were down a man .

The broader context

Japan have now played Australia nine times across all Tests and have never beaten the Wallabies . The second Test of this two-match series remains to be played, with Japan still seeking a first-ever victory over their trans-Tasman rivals. The win also extended Australia's winning streak to two Tests and gave Kiss a winning start in his tenure, taking over from former head coach Joe Schmidt .