Japan name team for A5N opener

MANILA (May 1) – Japan head coach Eddie Jones has made nine changes and one positional switch from the side that lost to Asia Pacific Dragons last weekend, as the Brave Blossoms begin their Asian 5 Nations and Rugby World Cup 2015 campaign Saturday against the Philippines.

  

“Our primary purpose is to win a berth at the Rugby World Cup next year, and as this is the first game we have chosen our best members at the moment,” Jones said.

 

Hayden Hopgood, Kotaro Matsushima and Daishi Murata are all named in a Japan starting XV for the first time, while Kyosuke Horie and Yasuki Hayashi could also win their first caps if they come off the bench.

 

The front five is completely different from the one that started last week in Osaka with Masataka Mikami and Kensuke Hatekeyama packing down either side of Hiroki Yuhara in the front row, and Justin Ives and Shoji Ito providing the power in the engine room.

 

Hopgood will play at No. 8 with Hendrik Tui and captain Michael Leitch on the flanks.

 

Behind the scrum, Atsushi Hiwasa pairs up with Yu Tamura, who takes over from Toshiaki Hirose at flyhalf. 

 

Ryoto Nakamura and Murata retain their spots in the centers, with Matsushima and Yoshikazu Fujita (who shifts from 15 to 14) on the wings and Ayumu Goromaru at fullback.

 

Yusuke Nagae, Takeshi Kizu and Hiroshi Yamashita provide the front row cover on the bench while Hitoshi Ono and Horie are the other reserve forwards. Hayashi and Hirose are joined by Keisuke Uchida as the replacement backs.

 

Japan arrive in the Philippines on Thursday evening and have delayed the start of their practise on Friday as a result of the heat.

Saturday’s game is set to kick off at the Eagles Nest in Laguna at 3.30 p.m.