Ireland defeated Japan 31-24 in Galway to recover from their disappointing loss to the USA in the opening WXV Global Series match. Beibhinn Parsons became Ireland’s all-time leading Test try scorer, while the victory showed a stronger response after surrendering a 19-point lead the previous weekend.

Brittany Hogan scored twice, Parsons also crossed twice and Aoife Dalton added another try, with Dannah O’Brien converting three. Japan replied through two tries from Moe Nagaoka, plus scores from Nijiho Nagata and Nami Asari, but Ireland held firm despite difficult wind and a late Japanese revival.