Bennetts named in squad for PNC opener
TOKYO (July 17) – Tim Bennetts is set to win his first cap for Japan off the bench after he was named in the Brave Blossoms’ 23-man squad for their Pacific Nations Cup opener against Canada on Saturday.
The 24-year-old center is the only uncapped player in the squad, which will be led by Ayumu Goromaru.
“He has been training very hard and really improved over the last three months so I am looking forward to giving him the opportunity to win his first cap,” Japan coach Eddie Jones said of Bennetts.
While the bench contains a number of relatively inexperienced test-match players, the run-on XV contains some experienced campaigners.
Japan’s most capped player of all time, Hitoshi Ono, will win his 88th cap while his partner in the second row, Luke Thompson, will win his 54th.
The two veterans pack down behind an experienced front row that sees Shota Horie pack down between Hisateru Hirashima and Hiroshi Yamashita.
Michael Broadhurst returns to test duty for the first time since November 2013 and forms a physical back row alongside Hayden Hopgood and Justin Ives.
In the backs, Atsushi Hiwasa starts at scrumhalf alongside Harumichi Tatekawa, with Yu Tamura and Kotaro Matsushima in the centers, Kenki Fukuoka and Yoshikazu Fujita on the wings and Goromaru at fullback.
“In terms of selection we have picked the guys at the moment who are fit and ready to play,” Jones said. “This is our first proper test match since November so we are looking forward to playing against another step up the ladder for the World Cup.”
Joining Bennetts on the bench are Keita Inagaki, Takeshi Kizu and Shinnosuke Kakinaga, who provide the front row cover.
Kazuhiko Usami and Tsuyoshi Murata are the two other reserve forwards, Keisuke Uchida is the back-up scrumhalf while Toshiaki Hirose can cover flyhalf and wing.
“As I have said all along we want to win every game at the PNC but we are preparing to win at the World Cup,” Jones said. “This is a great opportunity for players to put forward their best effort to win selection for the World Cup.”
Japan National Team Squad Members Named for Pacific Nations Cup
No |
Name |
Club Team |
Graduate |
cm |
kg |
D/O/B |
Caps |
1 |
Hisateru HIRASHIMA |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Fukuoka Univ. |
180 | 110 | 1983/1/15 | 38 |
2 |
Shota HORIE |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Teikyo Univ. |
180 | 105 | 1986/1/21 | 32 |
3 |
Hiroshi YAMASHITA |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
183 | 122 | 1986/1/1 | 39 |
4 | Hitoshi ONO | TOSHIBA Brave Lupus | Nihon Univ. | 192 | 106 | 1978/5/6 | 87 |
5 |
Luke THOMPSON |
KINTETSU Liners |
Lincoln Univ. |
196 | 108 | 1981/4/16 | 53 |
6 |
Justin IVES |
CANON Eagles |
Taieri College |
196 | 105 | 1984/5/24 | 27 |
7 |
Michael BROADHURST |
RICOH BlackRams |
Campion College |
196 | 111 | 1986/10/30 | 16 |
8 |
Hayden HOPGOOD |
– |
Shirley Boys HS |
190 | 105 | 1980/7/30 | 7 |
9 | Atsushi HIWASA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Hosei Univ. | 166 | 72 | 1987/5/22 | 41 |
10 |
Harumichi TATEKAWA |
KUBOTA Spears |
Tenri Univ. |
181 | 94 | 1989/12/2 | 32 |
11 |
Kenki FUKUOKA |
Univ.of Tsukuba |
Fukuoka HS |
175 | 83 | 1992/9/7 | 13 |
12 |
Yu TAMURA |
NEC Green Rockets |
Meiji Univ. |
181 | 92 | 1989/1/9 | 30 |
13 |
Kotaro MATSUSHIMA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Toin Gakuen HS |
175 | 88 | 1993/2/26 | 6 |
14 |
Yoshikazu FUJITA |
Waseda Univ. |
Higashi Fukuoka HS |
184 | 90 | 1993/9/8 | 22 |
15 | *
Ayumu GOROMARU |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Waseda Univ. |
185 | 99 | 1986/3/1 | 47 |
*Captain
16 |
Keita INAGAKI |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Kanto Gakuin Univ. |
183 | 115 | 1990/6/2 | 2 |
17 |
Takeshi KIZU |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Tokai Univ. |
183 | 114 | 1988/7/15 | 33 |
18 |
Shinnosuke KAKINAGA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Waseda Univ. |
180 | 114 | 1991/12/19 | 3 |
19 |
Kazuhiko USAMI |
CANON Eagles |
Ritsumeikan Univ. |
197 | 111 | 1992/3/17 | 3 |
20 |
Tsuyoshi MURATA |
NEC Green Rockets |
Keio Univ. |
185 | 103 | 1988/12/15 | 3 |
21 |
Keisuke UCHIDA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Univ. of Tsukuba |
177 | 85 | 1992/2/22 | 10 |
22 |
Toshiaki HIROSE |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Keio Univ. |
173 | 82 | 1981/10/17 | 26 |
23 |
Tim BENNETTS |
CANON Eagles |
Pennant Hills HS |
185 | 90 | 1990/8/1 | – |
|