Japan side named for 1st Maori game

KOBE (Oct. 30) – Japan coach Eddie Jones named his side Thursday for Saturday’s game against the Maori All Blacks in Kobe.

With the game not an official test and a number of players unavailable through injury, Jones has named a mix of the experienced and not so experienced for the match at Noevir Stadium.

Michael Leitch, leads the side and forms a physical back row with Hendrik Tui and Hayden Hopgood.

Luke Thompson and Shoji Ito have been named in the engine room with Masataka Mikami, Takeshi Kizu and Kensuke Hatakeyama in the front row as Jones looks to use the set piece as a platform from which to attack.

“Tightly controlling the set pieces in the forwards will prevent our opponents from attacking and give us a good chance to attack,” said Hatakeyama.

Behind the scrum Atsushi Hiwasa and Yu Tamura line up at halfback with Male Sa’u and Harumichi Tatekawa in the centres.

Japan’s all-time top points scorer Ayumu Goromaru is named at fullback, forming an exciting back three alongside speedsters Akihito Yamada and Kotaro Matsushima.

The replacements include four players yet to be capped.

Keita Inagaki and Shinnosuke Kakinaga are the back-up props, Amanaki Lelei Mafi the reserve back-row forward while Karne Hesketh will cover the outside backs.

“I’m very happy to be able to wear the national jersey for the first time and am aware of all the responsibilities it involves,” said Inagaki.

Joining the quartet on the bench are hooker Hiroki Yuhara, lock Shinya Makabe and the halfback pair of Keisuke Uchida and Kosei Ono.