Joseph Makes Just 1 Change to Starting XV
PARIS (Nov. 24) – Japan coach Jamie Joseph has made just one change to his starting XV from the team that beat Tonga last week ahead of Saturday’s test match with France at U Arena.
Yutaka Nagare comes in at scrumhalf with Fumiaki Tanaka dropping to the bench, which sees one further change with flanker Yoshitaka Tokunaga coming in for the injured Shunsuke Nunomaki.
“It was a difficult team to select because the team performed so well against Tonga,” Joseph said.
“The main reason we have made a change with Nagare for Fumi is we always intended to give Nagare a start in a test match on this tour and it’s just panned out that way.”
Nagare partners Yu Tamura and assistant coach Tony Brown said he was happy with the way the Brave Blossoms’ playmaker and his teammates were implementing the team’s game plan in attack.
“The kicks are starting to get better and our chase pressure is getting a lot better as well. I think we are slowly getting the balance right between kicking and keeping the ball in hand,” he said.
Harumichi Tatekawa and Timothy Lafaele line up in the centers with Kenki Fukuoka, Lomano Lava Lemeki and Kotaro Matsushima making up the back three.
“France have a lot of good players in their backs and a lot of big players. If they get space they are very good. So our challenge is to shut that space down and put their backs under pressure,” Brown said.
In the unchanged pack, Koo Ji Won packs down alongside Keita Inagaki and hooker Shota Horie in the front row with Shinya Makabe and Wimpie van der Walt in the second row.
Michael Leitch once again leads the side from 7, with Kazuki Himeno at blindside flanker and Amanaki Lelei Mafi at No. 8.
On the replacement bench, Atsushi Sakate and props Asaeli Ai Valu and Shintaro Ishihara cover the front row with Tokunaga and Fetuani Lautaimi the two other replacement forwards.
Sione Teaupa and Yoshikazu Fujita are the reserve backs alongside Tanaka.
“We understand the French team is also under a lot of pressure from the public so maybe we can use that to our advantage,” Leitch said of Guy Noves’ side, which has lost its last five games.
“But I am sure France will come out and hope to put in a good performance for their fans.”