Reports emerged as early as last Monday of Ireland booking in a neutral Nations Championship match in the coastal New South Wales regional centre, without any word of an opponent or official confirmation.
Rugby Australia have called a press conference with Japan head coach Eddie Jones at McDonald Jones Stadium for 8:30am AEST on Thursday morning, all but confirming that the July 11 clash between Japan and Ireland will take place in Newcastle.
Newcastle have beaten Melbourne and the Gold Coast to host what is sure to be a widely attended fixture by locals, expatriates and tourists alike.
It will be a Round 2 match for the 'southern circuit' of the inaugural Nations Championship, which will see Ireland play Australia in Sydney on July 4 and the All Blacks in Auckland on July 18.
Newcastle last hosted international rugby in July 2025 when Australia defeated Fiji 21-18
A reason has not yet been publicly given for Japan, who are hosting Italy and France in Tokyo on July 4 and 18, shifting their home game to Australia.
A financial windfall is a possible catalyst, with Irish rugby supporter groups already advertising all-inclusion tours of Australia and New Zealand that initially had Gold Coast's Cbus Super Stadium as the venue for the Round 2 match.