Strong Japan XV Team Announced to Play Australia A
Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph has today announced a near test match strength Japan XV to take on Australia A this Saturday, October 1 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo, in the first of three un-capped matches in the Asahi Super Dry Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022.
Led by Brave Blossoms Captain Atsushi Sakate at hooker, the Japan XV brings together a powerful and exciting mix of experience and up and coming talent, including two uncapped players named in the starting fifteen. Promising blindside flanker Kanji Shimokawa from Suntory Sungoliath and emerging number ten Hayata Nakano from Toshiba Brave Lupus will be looking to impress the national selectors ahead of the Brave Blossoms’ upcoming test matches against the All Blacks, England, and France.
Veteran backrower and Brave Blossoms talisman, Michael Leitch will anchor the scrum at number eight, while fans will welcome the return of Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne at number seven, following a long layoff through injury. Also returning from injury via the reserves bench are Rugby World Cup 2019 heroes, backrower Kazuki Himeno and outside-back Kotaro Matsushima.
Aside from the uncapped Nakano at number ten, the Japan VX sees the same Brave Blossoms backline used in the two tests against France over the summer. The hard running, hard tackling centre pairing of Shogo Nakano and Dylan Riley make up the midfield at inside and outside centre, while Siosaia Fifita and Gerhard van den Heever cover the left and right wings respectively, with the ever-reliable Ryohei Yamanaka named at fullback.
Commenting on the Japan VX team selection, Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph said:
“We’re approaching this game exactly as if it was a test match. Although the guys don’t get caps, mentality wise, it’s very much a test match for us. Having only played ten games in the last three years, since the last World Cup, we’re running out of time in terms of getting ready for the next World Cup, so we’re approaching these games with a test match mentality.”
“In terms of our selections, first and foremost, we want to preform very well and our priority is to win. If we can do that while also giving some new players and players returning from injury an opportunity to show some form, then that would be a reason why we would select them. But we’re not going into the series thinking it’s an opportunity to give everybody a run.”
In addition to Saturday’s match, the Japan XV will play a further two un-capped matches in the Asahi Super Dry Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022 against Australia A. The two sides will meet on Saturday, October 8, at Best Denki Stadium in Fukuoka, with the third and final match taking place on Friday, October 14, at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Osaka.
The match kicks off at 19:00 JST and will be telecast in Japan via JSports One from 18:30 JST and on BS NTV from 19:00 JST. The match will also be shown live and via catch-up on JSports On-demand.
TEAM LIST
| No | Name | Club Team | Height | Weight | DOB | CAP |
| 1 | Craig MILLAR | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | 186 | 116 | 1990/10/29 | 6 |
| 2 | Atsushi SAKATE | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | 180 | 104 | 1993/6/21 | 30 |
| 3 | Yusuke KIZU | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | 178 | 112 | 1995/12/2 | 5 |
| 4 | Jack CORNELSEN | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | 195 | 110 | 1994/10/13 | 9 |
| 5 | Sanaila WAQA | HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS | 202 | 120 | 1995/7/17 | 2 |
| 6 | Kanji SHIMOKAWA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 188 | 105 | 1999/1/17 | 0 |
| 7 | Pieter LABUSCHAGNE | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | 189 | 106 | 1989/1/11 | 13 |
| 8 | Michael LEITCH | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | 189 | 113 | 1988/10/7 | 75 |
| 9 | Naoto SAITO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 165 | 73 | 1997/8/26 | 8 |
| 10 | Hayata NAKAO | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | 176 | 86 | 1995/1/20 | 0 |
| 11 | Siosaia FIFITA | HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS | 187 | 105 | 1998/12/20 | 9 |
| 12 | Shogo NAKANO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 186 | 98 | 1997/6/11 | 5 |
| 13 | Dylan RILEY | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | 187 | 102 | 1997/5/2 | 7 |
| 14 | Gerhard Van Den HEEVER | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | 192 | 102 | 1989/4/13 | 3 |
| 15 | Ryohei YAMANAKA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS | 188 | 98 | 1988/6/22 | 24 |
| 16 | Kosuke HORIKOSHI | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 175 | 100 | 1995/6/2 | 5 |
| 17 | Shogo MIURA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | 180 | 113 | 1995/6/8 | 9 |
| 18 | Shuhei TAKEUCHI | URAYASU D-Rocks | 183 | 115 | 1997/12/9 | 1 |
| 19 | Warner DEARNS | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | 201 | 117 | 2002/4/11 | 4 |
| 20 | Kazuki HIMENO | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | 187 | 108 | 1994/7/27 | 22 |
| 21 | Yutaka NAGARE | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 166 | 75 | 1992/9/4 | 27 |
| 22 | Kotaro MATSUSHIMA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | 178 | 87 | 1993/2/26 | 44 |
| 23 | Ryuji NOGUCHI | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | 177 | 83 | 1995/7/15 | 14 |
Japan XV vs Australia A Past Results:
June 5, 2003 (L) 5-63 Osaka
June 8, 2003 (L) 15-66 Tokyo
June 9, 2007 (L) 10-71 Townsville
June 8, 2008 (L) 21-42 Fukuoka