Tupou's two-try haul powers Wallabies to 56-17 rout as Jones quips about free pizza

Taniela Tupou bulldozed over for two first-half tries as Australia ran in eight unanswered second-half scores to beat Japan 56-17 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, completing a comprehensive Flight Centre Series victory.

Tupou’s brace — his first in back-to-back games since April 2021 with the Queensland Reds — prompted a wry response from Japan coach Eddie Jones in the post-match press conference. “Tupou, he must have thought there was a free pizza every time he scored a try today,” Jones told reporters. “I’ll have to go see him after the game. I might take him a pizza in.”

The game was anything but comfortable in the first half. Japan hit back through tries to Harry Hockings, Naoto Saito and Dylan Riley to keep it a four-point contest at the break, with Tupou’s second score — just before half-time — giving Australia a 21-17 lead. From that point, the Wallabies outscored their opponents 35-0, with Japan missing more than 50 tackles and the hosts finishing with 57 per cent possession, including 93 per cent of the ball in the final ten minutes.

Josh Nasser opened the scoring before Tupou crashed over for his first, and Angus Bell added a third try in the 50th minute to ensure all three starting front-rowers had scored — only the second occasion in Wallabies history that feat has been achieved.

Jones, whose Japan side are still searching for their first-ever win over Australia, acknowledged where the match was lost. “We’re not a team that can win a game of rugby with 43 per cent of possession. We need 50-plus possession to win and then we become a really dangerous team. We weren’t able to do that today. The weight of possession went against us and then we were defending for long periods.”

Despite the heavy defeat, Jones drew some encouragement from his side’s overall series performance. Japan produced competitive rugby across three of the four halves played against Australia, and the coach noted the inexperience in his squad — ten players with fewer than ten caps featured on Saturday.

Japan now shift focus to the Pacific Nations Cup on home soil, opening their campaign against the USA before a title decider in Osaka on 19 September.