Coach Les Kiss' tenure as Wallabies coach has started with a 35-32 win over Japan in Osaka.
The Australians were pushed all the way, forced to dig deep after a red card to Miles Amatosero in the first half.
Watch every second of the Wallabies' Tests against Japan live and on demand via Stan Sport.
In the end, the quality of the bench proved the difference, as they survived the heat and a fierce Japanese comeback.
The temperature stayed close to 30 degrees throughout the game as the fresh legs of Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou powered them home.
“We’re really happy with the win,” said skipper Harry Wilson,
“We’re really happy with that, there’s plenty to work on, I thought we hurt ourselves way too much, but when we held on to the ball and went through them, I thought we looked good too.”
The visitors were left to scramble after Amatosero was red-carded in the 32nd minute for a dangerous cleanout.
With the Aussies on the attack, Amatosero was initially yellow-carded for collecting Warner Dearns in the head with his shoulder as he looked to clean him out right on Japan’s goal-line
It was upgraded right before the break, both teams entering half-time locked at 14-all.
Japan’s counter-attacks were deadly, with flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito’s nice individual effort delivering the first points.
The Wallabies attack eventually found its feet after Harry Potter produced an excellent break for the response. Hunter Paisami created the chance after picking a loose pass, the visitors spreading to the other wing for the Waratah to cut back inside for the try.
Sharp hands from the Australians put Tom Wright into space, burning his opposition number for the 14-7 lead after a great set play left Japan short for numbers.
Their attempts to extend their advantage were thwarted by Amatosero’s departure, with the hosts striking via number eight Faulua Makisi to level the scores.
The Wallabies rallied in the second half down a player, finding the line through Fraser McReight and Max Jorgensen for a nine-pointer lead.
Japan kept eating into the Australian advantage, Takuro Matsunaga slotting two penalties to reduce it to just three.
But the Wallabies bench's timely inclusion was the difference in the contest.
It allowed the visitors to control the tempo and the territory in the final 20 minutes, keeping the pressure on the Japanese defence.
The vital blow came with ten minutes to go via Taniela Tupou, crashing over from close for a 10 point lead.
It proved critical, Japan scoring late to set up the grandstand finish through their skipper Warner Dearns.
With Japan given one last chance to attack, Tupou helped dislodge the ball, allowing the Aussies to come away victorious.
"The coaching team were very calm and collected, didn't let our emotions run. Made sure we managed our energy with 14 men, which was crucial," Kiss said. "
"We had to find a way ... to repel them. Very proud of the effort in those conditions because we've seen what the Japanese team can do."
Wallabies 35 (Tries: Potter, Wright, Jorgensen, McReight, Tupou; Cons: Lonergan 4/4, Donaldson 1/1) def Japan 32 (Tries: Ito, Makisi, Ueda, Dearns; Cons: Matsunaga 3/4; Pens: Matsunaga 2/2)
