Brave Blossoms’ Squad Announced for Lipovitan D Tour 2021 to Europe
The Japan Rugby Football Union has today announced the Brave Blossoms’ squad for the Lipovitan D Tour 2021 to Europe. Captained by Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne, the 39-player squad comprises 23 forwards and 16 backs. The tour will see the Brave Blossom take on Ireland in Dublin on November 6, Portugal in Coimbra on November 13 and Scotland in Edinburgh on November 20.
Looking ahead to Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, five uncapped players have been named in the squad, with Shunsuke Asaoka, Shota Fukui, Taichi Takahashi, Jone Nakibula and Shogo Nakano potentially in line for their first test caps. France based Kotaro Matsushima is set to join up with the group in Europe.
The Brave Blossoms will depart Japan for Ireland on October 29 ahead of their first test match of the tour against Ireland in Dublin.
Further details will be announced once it is available.
| Position | Name | Team |
| PR | Shunsuke ASAOKA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| PR | Keita INAGAKI | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| PR | Asaeli Ai VALU | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| PR | Shinnosuke KAKINAGA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| PR | Jiwon GU | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| PR | Isileli NAKAJIMA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| PR | Craig MILLAR | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| HO | Atsushi SAKATE | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| HO | Yusuke NIWAI | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES |
| HO | Kosuke HORIKOSHI | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| LO | Daichi AKIYAMA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| LO | Yuya ODO | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs |
| LO | James MOORE | NTTCommunications ShiningArcs TOKYO-BAY URAYASU |
| FL | Naoki OZAWA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| FL | Ben GUNTER | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| FL | Jack CORNELSEN | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| FL | Yoshitaka TOKUNAGA | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| FL | Pieter LABUSCHAGNE | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY |
| FL | Michael LEITCH | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| No.8 | Tevita TATAFU | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| No.8 | Kazuki HIMENO | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| No.8 | Faulua MAKISI | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY |
| FL/No.8 | Shota FUKUI | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| SH | Naoto SAITO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| SH | Kaito SHIGENO | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| SH | Yutaka NAGARE | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| SO | Yu TAMURA | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES |
| SO | Rikiya MATSUDA | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| WTB | Taichi TAKAHASHI | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| WTB | Jone NAIKABULA | BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| WTB | Shogo NAKANO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| WTB | Siosaia FIFITA | HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS |
| WTB | Lomano Lava LEMEKI | NEC GREEN ROCKETS TOKATSU |
| WTB/FB | Kotaro MATSUSHIMA | ASM Clermont Auvergne |
| CTB | Ryoto NAKAMURA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| CTB | Timothy LAFAELE | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| CTB | Dylan RILEY | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| FB | Ryohei YAMANAKA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| FB | Ryuji NOGUCHI | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
