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Jamie Joseph names nine debutants in Japan team to face Uruguay
Jamie Joseph has named nine debutants in his Brave Blossoms side to take on Uruguay this weekend ahead of Japan’s test series against France next month.
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In what will be Japan’s first test of the year, Joseph has included a raft of newbies and inexperienced figures in his match day squad, many of whom featured for the Emerging Blossoms in a charity match against a Tonga Samurai XV last weekend.
Among those who featured in that exhibition clash include veteran first-five Yu Tamura, who will captain Japan for the first time in his career.
The 68-test playmaker is joined by 17 players who also played for the Emerging Blossoms in their 31-12 win over the Tonga Samurai XV, eight of whom will be making their test debuts.
Those nine debutants include props Shunsuke Asaoka, Koka Kaishi and Shuhei Takeuchi, wings Koga Nezuka and Koki Takeyama, loose forwards Koji Iino and Sione Lavemai, lock Daichi Akiyama and fullback Taira Main.
Tamura is joined by veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa as by far the most experienced players in the Brave Blossoms side, with a collective total of 123 tests between the pair.
The match will be Tatekawa’s first test for Japan in four years, with the 32-year-old one of numerous players who have earned test recalls for this fixture after years without action for the Brave Blossoms.
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Other notable selections in the starting lineup include 2019 World Cup squad members lock Wimpie van der Walt and midfielder Timothy Lafaele, while halfback Kaito Shigeno has been picked on the bench.
“I’m excited by the match against Uruguay. It’s a great opportunity to develop our depth and give players experience in a test match arena,” Joseph said of his side via a statement.
“We saw some great performances against the Tonga Samurai XV and so we’re happy to give many of these players another opportunity at the highest level.
“It will be a massive challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing these players rise to the occasion.”
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Saturday’s test between Japan and Uruguay at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo will be the fourth meeting between the two nations.
After dispatching Uruguay 24-18 in their first-ever clash in Montevideo 17 years ago, Japan clinched back-to-back wins in their most recent two-test series in 2015.
This weekend’s clash will be followed by another test in Kitakyushu next Saturday before Japan go on to host France in two-test series next month.
Kick-off for Saturday’s match is scheduled for 3pm local time.
Japan team to play Uruguay in Tokyo
1. Shogo Miura (Toyota Verblitz)
2. Kosuke Horikoshi (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
3. Shunsuke Asaoka (Toyota Verblitz)*
4. Wimpie van der Walt (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes Osaka)
5. Yuya Odo (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
6. Koji Iino (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)*
7. Hiroki Yamamoto (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)
8. Tevita Tatafu (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
9. Takahiro Ogawa (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)
10. Yu Tamura (Yokohama Canon Eagles, captain)
11. Koga Nezuka (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)*
12. Timothy Lafaele (Kobelco Kobe Steelers)
13. Shane Gates (NTT Communications Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu)
14. Koki Takeyama (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights)*
15. Seiya Ozaki (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
Reserves
16. Takeshi Hino (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
17. Kota Kaishi (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)*
18. Shuhei Takeuchi (NTT Communications Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu)*
19. Daichi Akiyama (Toyota Verblitz)*
20. Sione Lavemai (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)*
21. Kaito Shigeno (Toyota Verblitz)
22. Harumichi Tatekawa (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)
23. Taira Main (Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo)*
* – denotes new cap
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments