Australia struggles to a 19-15 win over Japan to start a demanding northern tour

TOKYO (AP) — Nick Champion de Crespigny marked his debut as captain with a try as a misfiring Australia overcame Japan 19-15 to open its five-match Northern Hemisphere tour Saturday.

De Crespigny became Australia's 92nd test captain after only 72 minutes of test rugby but showed his potential with a physical performance and with the first of Australia's three tries after 13 minutes.

Center Josh Flook and Carlo Tizzano also scored as Australia struggled in wet conditions against Japan's tight defense.

Australia led 14-3 at halftime and was only just hanging on at times as Japan scored two tries to one in the second half. Prop Shuhei Takeuchi and Ben Gunter scored for Japan, keeping the score close, while Tizzano scored for Australia from a powerful lineout drive.

The Wallabies struggled with a malfunctioning lineout after losing locks Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Josh Canham to injuries in the first half. Handling errors and close marking by Japan prevented Australia from achieving any fluency in the backline.

“It was a very disappointing game but the scoreline was close and we should take pride in that,” Japan captain Warner Dearns said. “I thought it was a good fight.”

Australia's first test in Japan since 2017 opened a northern tour on which it will play England, Italy, Ireland and France over the next four weekends.

Head coach Joe Schmidt led the Wallabies for the first time against Eddie Jones, his predecessor and now Japan coach. During Jones' second tenure as Australia coach, the Wallabies lost seven of nine tests and were eliminated in group play at the 2023 World Cup.

Schmidt made 13 changes to the team that played New Zealand in Perth in the Wallabies' previous test match. Combinations at times looked brittle and under-developed.

Japan's defense was superb, using quick line-speed to shut down the inside channels and prevent Australia moving the ball wide.

Around the 19th minute, Japan defended its goal line against 27 phases of Australian attack while conceding several penalties and the first of two yellow cards. Japan's backline became more dangerous in the second half after critical handling errors by scrumhalf Shinobu Fujiwara before halftime.

De Crespigny's opening try came after Fujiwara lost the ball and Australia quickly recovered possession. A kick behind the defensive line put Japan under pressure near its goal line for the first time and resulted in a penalty to Australia.

The Wallabies took a quick tap and after several pick-and-go attempts, de Crespigny crashed over. Tane Edmed converted.

Australia battered the Japan line first through 17 phases in the middle of the first half then, after a penalty, for 10 more phases before Japan's Michael Leitch won a turnover. Japan center Charlie Lawrence was shown a yellow card after repeated team offending.

Japan flyhalf Seungsin Lee kicked a penalty to make the score 7-3 and two minutes later Australia finally managed to crack open the defense. From a scrum, Edmed looped Hunter Paisami at first receiver and linked with Andrew Kellaway, who sent Flook on a 30-meter dash to the line.

Takeuchi scored after a neat interchange at the back of Japan's lineout in the 53rd minute. Fujiwara passed to Leitch, then held the ball up to Takeuchi who pierced the defense.

Tizzano's try from a lineout drive gave Australia a 19-8 lead before Gunter's try, converted by Seungsin Lee cut the lead to four points and set up a tense last 10 minutes.

Prop Aidan Ross took the field in the 58th minute to become the fifth player to play test rugby for both Australia and New Zealand after playing for the All Blacks in 2021.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Japan's Michael Leitch, left, passes the ball as Australia's Harry Wilson attempts a tackle during a rugby test between the Wallabies and Japan in Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Japan's Shuhei Takeuchi runs through the tackle of Australia's Jeremy Williams and Tame Edmed, right, to score a try during a rugby test between the Wallabies and Japan in Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Australia's captain Nick Champion de Crespigny, left, stands with teammates Angus Bell and Andrew Kellaway, right, ahead of the rugby test between the Wallabies and Japan in Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Australia's Josh Flook runs to scores a try during a rugby test between the Wallabies and Japan in Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

Australia's Josh Flook scores a try during a rugby test between the Wallabies and Japan in Tokyo, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)

One U.S. service member was rescued and at least one was missing after two U.S. military planes went down in separate incidents including the first shoot-down since the war began nearly five weeks ago.

It was the first time U.S. aircraft have been downed in the conflict and came just two days after President Donald Trump said in a national address that the U.S. has “beaten and completely decimated Iran.”

One fighter jet was shot down in Iran, officials said. A U.S. crew member from that plane was rescued, but a second was missing, and a U.S. military search-and-rescue operation was underway.

Separately, Iranian state media said a U.S. A-10 attack aircraft crashed in the Persian Gulf after being struck by Iranian defense forces. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military situation, said it was not clear if the aircraft crashed or was shot down.

The war now entering its sixth week is destabilizing economies around the world as Iran responds to the U.S. and Israeli attacks by targeting the Gulf region's energy infrastructure and tightening its grip on oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Here is the latest:

Authorities in Dubai said the facades of two buildings were damaged by debris from intercepted drones, including one belonging to U.S. tech firm Oracle. No injuries were reported.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has threatened to attack Oracle and 17 other U.S. companies after accusing them of being involved in “terrorist espionage” operations in Iran.

Previous Iranian drone strikes caused damage to three Amazon Web Services facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

As of Friday, 247 of the wounded were Army soldiers, 63 were Navy sailors, 19 were Marines and 36 were Air Force airmen, according to Pentagon data available online.

It is unclear if the data includes any of the service members involved in the downing of two combat aircraft reported Friday.

Most of the wounded — 200 — were also mid to senior enlisted troops, 85 were officers and 80 were junior enlisted service members.

The current death toll remains at 13 service members killed in combat.

Palestinian Muslims attend Friday prayers outside Jerusalem's Old City due to restrictions linked to the Iran war, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Tamara and her sister Amal color pictures on the floor as their parents, Sara and Ahmed, who fled their village of Khiyam in southern Lebanon due to Israeli bombardment, sit inside a tent used as a shelter in Beirut, Lebanon, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Mohammad Qubaisi, 53, with burn wounds from an Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon undergoes surgery by Dr. Mohammed Ziara, left, and his team, at the Sidon Government Hospital in Sidon, Lebanon, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A bridge struck by U.S. airstrikes on Thursday is seen in the town of Karaj, west of Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - An F-15E Strike Eagle turns toward the Panamint range over Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Feb. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)