Ireland's two-match tour of Japan next month will have added significance after the counties were drawn together in the same pool for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Today's Rugby World Cup 2019 Pool Draw took place in Kyoto, Japan and placed Ireland, one of the four top seeds, in Pool A alongside tournament hosts Japan, regular Six Nations rivals Scotland, the Europe 1 qualifiers (to be confirmed) and the Play-Off winners (to be confirmed).
That means there will be added spice to the upcoming Tests between Japan and Ireland in Shizuoka (Saturday, June 17) and Tokyo (Saturday, June 24). The nations have not played each other since Ireland's brace of tour wins back in June 2005, while there were two previous Rugby World Cup clashes and Japan also played a tour match in Dublin in November 2000.
Noel Mannion scored two tries and Ralph Keyes kicked 16 points in a 32-16 pool victory over the Brave Blossoms at Lansdowne Road during the 1991 tournament. Four years later in South Africa, Ireland outscored the Japanese by seven tries to four in a 50-28 pool success.
The countries also lined out against each other recently in an Under-19 international at Donnybrook.The game was won by Ireland on a 50-31 scoreline, at the end of the Japanese youngsters' four-match tour here as part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan.
Of course, Ireland have plenty of recent history with Scotland who handed Joe Schmidt's men a 27-22 defeat in Edinburgh at the start of this year's Six Nations. However, this will be only the second time they contest a World Cup match - the Scots topped Pool B in 1991 thanks to a 24-15 triumph over Ireland at Murrayfield.
Ireland v Japan: IRFU Stat Zone
Ireland v Scotland: IRFU Stat Zone
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 - POOL DRAW:
POOL A: IRELAND, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Play-Off Winners
POOL B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage Winners
POOL C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2
POOL D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2
Today's Rugby World Cup 2019 Pool Draw took place in Kyoto, Japan and placed Ireland, one of the four top seeds, in Pool A alongside tournament hosts Japan, regular Six Nations rivals Scotland, the Europe 1 qualifiers (to be confirmed) and the Play-Off winners (to be confirmed).
That means there will be added spice to the upcoming Tests between Japan and Ireland in Shizuoka (Saturday, June 17) and Tokyo (Saturday, June 24). The nations have not played each other since Ireland's brace of tour wins back in June 2005, while there were two previous Rugby World Cup clashes and Japan also played a tour match in Dublin in November 2000.
Noel Mannion scored two tries and Ralph Keyes kicked 16 points in a 32-16 pool victory over the Brave Blossoms at Lansdowne Road during the 1991 tournament. Four years later in South Africa, Ireland outscored the Japanese by seven tries to four in a 50-28 pool success.
The countries also lined out against each other recently in an Under-19 international at Donnybrook.The game was won by Ireland on a 50-31 scoreline, at the end of the Japanese youngsters' four-match tour here as part of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan.
Of course, Ireland have plenty of recent history with Scotland who handed Joe Schmidt's men a 27-22 defeat in Edinburgh at the start of this year's Six Nations. However, this will be only the second time they contest a World Cup match - the Scots topped Pool B in 1991 thanks to a 24-15 triumph over Ireland at Murrayfield.
Ireland v Japan: IRFU Stat Zone
Ireland v Scotland: IRFU Stat Zone
RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 - POOL DRAW:
POOL A: IRELAND, Scotland, Japan, Europe 1, Play-Off Winners
POOL B: New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, Africa 1, Repechage Winners
POOL C: England, France, Argentina, Americas 1, Oceania 2
POOL D: Australia, Wales, Georgia, Oceania 1, Americas 2