Japan squad for RWC 2015 announced
TOKYO (Aug. 31) The 31-man squad to represent Japan at Rugby World Cup 2015 was named by coach Eddie Jones on Monday.
Michael Leitch will lead a squad containing 17 forwards and 14 backs that Jones says is a good balance of youth and experience.
“When we started this project four years ago we aimed to build a squad with international experience with the starting members having around 600 caps,” Jones said. “We are going to be short on that but we do have experience in the team.”
“The 31 players have worked very hard for selection and they understand the responsibility they carry. Most have worked hard for the last four years to change Japanese rugby and now the ultimate test is in front of us.”
Jones paid tribute to the players who did not make the squad but said that most of the 13 named back-up players would be in contention for a spot at Rugby World Cup 2019.
Just four props and two scrumhalves were named in the side with Hisateru Hirashima and Keisuke Uchida eventually missing the cut as Jones looked for players with versatility.
“We have tried to cover as many possibilities as we can,” he said.
Kosei Ono (who can cover scrumhalf) and former captain Toshiaki Hirose were both named in the backs and Justin Ives in the forwards with Jones saying their versatility proved a big factor.
“No one is guaranteed a game. We are going to pick our strongest team every week and every game so some players may just be there to support the team.”
Jones said his side’s goal remained the same.
“We want to make the final eight at the World Cup and be remembered as the team of the tournament. We will leave tomorrow with our heads held high and aim to return with our heads held high.”
Thirteen players were named as standby players with Takayuki Watanabe set to travel with the squad for the first week so he can sit on the bench for the final warm-up game against Georgia in Gloucester on Sept. 5.
Japan open their Rugby World Cup campaign against South Africa on Sept. 19 in Brighton, before they take on Scotland, Samoa and the United States.
FW：17 Members
| Name | Club Team | Graduate | cm | kg | D/O/B | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Justin IVES |
CANON Eagles |
Taieri College |
196 | 105 | 1984/5/24 | 30 |
|
Shoji ITO |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
191 | 100 | 1980/12/2 | 35 |
|
Keita INAGAKI |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Kanto Gakuin Univ. |
183 | 115 | 1990/6/2 | 6 |
| Hitoshi ONO | TOSHIBA Brave Lupus | Nihon Univ. | 192 | 106 | 1978/5/6 | 92 |
|
Takeshi KIZU |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Tokai Univ. |
183 | 114 | 1988/7/15 | 35 |
|
Hendrik TUI |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Teikyo Univ. |
189 | 107 | 1987/12/13 | 30 |
|
Luke THOMPSON |
KINTETSU Liners |
Lincoln Univ. |
196 | 108 | 1981/4/16 | 57 |
|
Kensuke HATAKEYAMA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Waseda Univ. |
178 | 115 | 1985/8/2 | 66 |
|
Michael BROADHURST |
RICOH BlackRams |
Campion College |
196 | 111 | 1986/10/30 | 20 |
|
Ryu Koliniasi HOLANI |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Saitama Institute of Technology Univ. |
188 | 112 | 1981/10/25 | 41 |
|
Shota HORIE |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Teikyo Univ. |
180 | 105 | 1986/1/21 | 36 |
|
Shinya MAKABE |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Chuo Univ. |
192 | 118 | 1987/3/26 | 29 |
|
Amanaki LELEI MAFI |
NTT COMMUNICATIONS Shining Arcs |
Hanazono Univ. |
189 | 112 | 1990/1/11 | 2 |
|
Masataka MIKAMI |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Tokai Univ. |
178 | 115 | 1988/6/4 | 27 |
|
Hiroshi YAMASHITA |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
183 | 122 | 1986/1/1 | 43 |
|
Hiroki YUHARA |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Ryutsu Keizai Univ. |
173 | 102 | 1984/1/21 | 22 |
| *
Michael LEITCH |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus | Tokai Univ. | 190 | 105 | 1988/10/7 | 41 |
BK：14 Members
| Name | Club Team | Graduate | cm | kg | D/O/B | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Craig WING |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Univ. of New South Wales |
180 | 90 | 1979/12/26 | 8 |
|
Kosei ONO |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Christchurch Boys HS |
171 | 83 | 1987/4/17 | 27 |
|
Ayumu GOROMARU |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Waseda Univ. |
185 | 99 | 1986/3/1 | 51 |
|
Male SAU |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Tangaroa College |
183 | 97 | 1987/10/13 | 21 |
|
Harumichi TATEKAWA |
KUBOTA Spears |
Tenri Univ. |
181 | 94 | 1989/12/2 | 37 |
|
Fumiaki TANAKA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
166 | 71 | 1985/1/3 | 47 |
|
Yu TAMURA |
NEC Green Rockets |
Meiji Univ. |
181 | 92 | 1989/1/9 | 33 |
|
Toshiaki HIROSE |
TOSHIBA Brave Lupus |
Keio Univ. |
173 | 82 | 1981/10/17 | 28 |
| Atsushi HIWASA | SUNTORY Sungoliath | Hosei Univ. | 166 | 72 | 1987/5/22 | 45 |
|
Kenki FUKUOKA |
Univ.of Tsukuba |
Fukuoka HS |
175 | 83 | 1992/9/7 | 15 |
|
Yoshikazu FUJITA |
Waseda Univ. |
Higashi Fukuoka HS |
184 | 90 | 1993/9/8 | 27 |
|
Karne HESKETH |
Munakata SANIX Blues |
Univ. of Otago |
178 | 98 | 1985/8/1 | 9 |
|
Kotaro MATSUSHIMA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Toin Gakuen HS |
175 | 88 | 1993/2/26 | 10 |
|
Akihito YAMADA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Keio Univ. |
181 | 90 | 1985/7/26 | 13 |
Stand-by：13 Members
| Name | Club Team | Graduate | cm | kg | D/O/B | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ryuhei ARITA |
COCA-COLA Red Sparks |
Waseda Univ. |
176 | 100 | 1989/3/21 | 9 |
|
Kazuhiko USAMI |
CANON Eagles |
Ritsumeikan Univ. |
197 | 111 | 1992/3/17 | 4 |
|
Shinnosuke KAKINAGA |
SUNTORY Sungoliath |
Waseda Univ. |
180 | 114 | 1991/12/19 | 6 |
| Yusuke NAGAE |
TOYOTA INDUSTRIES CORPORATION Shuttles |
Kyoto Sangyo Univ. |
171 | 107 | 1985/7/19 | 18 |
|
Hisateru HIRASHIMA |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Fukuoka Univ. |
180 | 110 | 1983/1/15 | 42 |
|
Hayden HOPGOOD |
– |
Shirley Boys HS |
190 | 105 | 1980/7/30 | 10 |
|
Ryu Sioapelatu HOLANI |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Saitama Institute of Technology Univ. |
187 | 115 | 1982/12/29 | – |
|
Tsuyoshi MURATA |
NEC Green Rockets |
Keio Univ. |
185 | 103 | 1988/12/15 | 5 |
|
Takayuki WATANABE |
Tokai Univ. |
Sapporo Yamanote HS |
180 | 120 | 1994/5/27 | 1 |
|
Keisuke UCHIDA |
PANASONIC Wild Knights |
Univ. of Tsukuba |
177 | 85 | 1992/2/22 | 12 |
|
Tim BENNETTS |
CANON Eagles |
Pennant Hills HS |
185 | 90 | 1990/8/1 | 2 |
|
Yuki YATOMI |
YAMAHA Jubilo |
Waseda Univ. |
176 | 82 | 1985/2/16 | 16 |
|
Ryohei YAMANAKA |
KOBE STEEL Kobelco Steelers |
Waseda Univ. |
188 | 93 | 1988/6/22 | 4 |
*Captain
