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Eddie Jones senses Japan are on the cusp of finally winning a Test against Australia, with the wily coach confident his team can "make new history" when they meet in Townsville on Saturday.Despite eight straight defeats since they first played each other in 1975, Japan are a team growing in confidence, losing their last two games against the Wallabies by just four points and three points respectively.That included last week's narrow 35-32 loss in steamy Osaka.With Australia resting some of their big guns and making a raft of changes, Jones believes the time could be right to finally snap the drought."We haven't achieved what we want to achieve yet, which is victory over Australia," the Australian said of a team he used to coach."Just looking at the history in front of me, we've played eight games against Australia as a country. The first five games was an average loss of 33 points, and the last two games our average loss was three-and-a-half points."So we're moving in the right direction... this is an opportunity for us to create new history for Japan and this group of players."Jones has made five changes to his starting line-up, with Tiennan Costley coming in as flanker and Harry Hockings returning at lock.He will have two university students among the backs - Yoshitaka Yazaki on the right wing and Ryunosuke Ito at fly-half - while Shunsuke Uenobo starts at inside centre and Haruto Kida on the left wing."We've had an excellent preparation. Couldn't have asked for more from the players, so we're ready to go," said Jones, adding that they have been working on their shortcomings."We let ourselves down with our execution in the last game. We created good opportunities. Really focused on that in training this week." 'Savvy Jones' Australia coach Les Kiss, whose team won in Osaka in his first match in charge despite a 20-minute red card, is attempting to steer the Wallabies to three consecutive victories for the first time in two years.While his side got the job done, the fluency shown in their previous Test, a 57-10 romp over Italy, was missing with playmaker Declan Meredith underwhelming and dropped.Carter Gordon returns from a calf injury to replace him among eight changes.Only Josh Nasser and Harry Wilson have been retained in the forward pack, with heavyweights including Rob Valetini and Allan Alaalatoa rested."This is an important Test match for us, we've won two in a row now, but it'll take more this week to get over Japan," said Kiss."They were very good last week, and we know that Eddie's a very savvy coach. So we're going to have to be very good and improve in certain areas."While Kiss is looking to put together a string of good results in the lead-up to a home World Cup next year, he is seeking more than just victories.The former Australian rugby league player wants his side to play with passion, telling them to "fight for anything" but also "have a bit of fun along the way".It is the first match between the two nations on Australian soil in 39 years. 

Ireland forwards coach Paul O'Connell said the team was in "good shape and good form" on Saturday after their long trek to Australia for the start of the Nations Championship.Andy Farrell's men kick off the inaugural tournament against the Wallabies in Sydney on July 4 and have been getting in some solid training since their arrival during the week.Former captain O'Connell, regarded as one of the greatest locks the game has seen, said he was impressed by how they had hit the ground running."From my impression of the lads, since they've come in, the eagerness to work, the eagerness to train, has been great," he said."It's always a change when you come abroad on tour and you're in a different hotel and a different city. So yeah, I think they're in good shape and good form."Ireland are looking to build on positive performances during the Six Nations this year, where they finished runners-up to France.They are in Australia boosted by head coach Farrell signing a contract extension this month that will take him through to the end of the 2031 Rugby World Cup. DORIS, O'BRIEN RULED OUTBut in a setback, captain Caelan Doris and wing Tommy O'Brien have been ruled out of the Australia clash and Tests the following two weekends against Japan in Newcastle and New Zealand in Auckland.They are replaced by uncapped Ulster brothers Bryn Ward and Zac Ward, with Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan taking over as skipper for the three-match tour.O'Connell said the squad, which includes uncapped Connacht trio Billy Bohan, Sam Illo and Sean Janse, was gelling quickly."We trained our first time yesterday. Sometimes you can judge how things are in the afternoon with big numbers of boys sitting together around laptops, watching training together, getting realigned," he said."So yeah, enthusiasm is great, and I think they're excited to be away."I think you learn a lot about each other as a group (on tour), you develop a little bit more on tour, because you're not going home at the weekend, you're not catching up with your family, you're together all the time."So we tend to get an awful lot of work done when we're on tours. We tend to take big strides as a team in terms of trying to improve and evolve."  

Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson said Friday the hot and humid weather will play a big part in their crunch clash against Argentina, with a battle of the fittest on the cards.The Rugby Championship showdown today is being played in tropical Townsville, and in the afternoon, making for a challenging environment.“You’re going to see a lot of boys from both teams who are going to be struggling at points in the game,” said Wilson, who is back in the saddle after a knee injury kept him out of their last Test.“But that’s why we do our pre-seasons, that’s why we work so hard on the training paddock, to be ready for it. “That’s the beauty of taking footy up here. You get different, unique challenges, and it’s probably different to playing in Sydney. We’re ready for that challenge, and we can’t wait for it.”With all four teams in the Rugby Championship so far winning one and losing one, the game is a must-win for Australia and the Pumas ahead of a return leg in Sydney a week later.Both are in good touch with the Wallabies stunning world champions South Africa in Johannesburg last month, before a narrow defeat in Cape Town.Argentina lost their round one clash against New Zealand but bounced back emphatically to topple the All Blacks for the first time on home soil.Under coach Joe Schmidt, Australia have come a long way from being crushed 67-27 by Argentina in Santa Fe last year and Pumas skipper Julian Montoya is expecting a tough encounter.“That game (in Santa Fe) was a year ago, even more,” he told reporters. “And you see the path they’re on now - an amazing series against the (British and Irish) Lions, beat the Springboks at Ellis Park and almost beat them again in the last game.“It’s a world-class team and we’re expecting the best of them, a proper Test match.”Both sides have made three changes, with Argentina bringing in prop Joel Sclavi, flanker Marcos Kremer and fly-half Santiago Carreras.Australia welcome back Wilson, while Andrew Kellaway takes over from injured wing Tom Wright and Tom Lynagh is preferred as playmaker over veteran James O’Connor.