Ireland and Japan meet for the first time at the Rugby World Cup.

A polite 32-16 introduction at Lansdowne Road; few imagined what this fixture would one day become.
The two sides met for the first time on 9 October 1991 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, during Pool 3 of the second Rugby World Cup. Ireland, co-hosts of the tournament, ran out comfortable 32-16 winners. Japan were still finding their feet in World Cup rugby, and the gulf in experience showed. It was a polite introduction to a fixture that would, decades later, produce one of the sport's greatest upsets.













