Japan XV Team Announced Ahead of Second Australia A Match
Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph has today announced the Japan XV team to take on Australia A this Saturday, October 8 at Best Denki Stadium in Fukuoka, in the second of three un-capped matches making up the Asahi Super Dry Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022.
The coaching team have made a number of changes to the side that went down 22-34 to Australia A in the first match, last Saturday at a sold-out Chichibunomiya Stadium in Tokyo. In the front row, Brave Blossoms Captain Atsushi Sakate starts the match again at hooker, alongside Craig Millar at loosehead, while Yusuke Kizu moves to the bench and is replaced by Shinnosuke Kakinaga at tighthead prop. Hooker Kosuke Horikoshi and prop Shogo Miura once again start the match from the reserves bench.
In the second row, the towering Warner Dearns moves into the starting lock position, alongside Jack Cornelsen, with Naohiro Kotaki named as the replacement second row on reserves bench.
A powerful backrow sees the talismanic Michael Leitch anchoring the scrum for second week at number eight. Kazuki Himeno moves from the bench to start at openside flanker, while emerging backrower Kanji Shimokawa gets another opportunity after his impressive performance last weekend on the blindside flank. The barnstorming Tevita Tatafu is set to add his significant physical presence later in the match after being named on the bench as backrow reserve.
As per last week, Naoto Saito starts at scrumhalf, with Yutaka Nagare named on the bench. At five-eight, Seungsin Lee, the exciting young playmaker who emerged onto the international scene during the summer, has been named at number ten. At inside centre Shogo Nakano will move from the run-on side to the bench, to make way for 30 test veteran Ryoto Nakamura, who comes into the team for the first time this series after an extended break on the side lines through injury.
Gerhard van den Heever will move to the bench, as Kotaro Matsushima start on the right wing, while the remainder of the backline remains the same as last week, with try-scoring machine Siosaia Fifita on the left wing, the hard running, hard tackling Dylan Riley at outside centre and the ever-reliable Ryohei Yamanaka named at fullback.
Commenting on the Japan VX team selection, Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph said:
“There wasn’t a lack of effort or intent last week and I thought the team played well enough to have won the match. Yet there were crucial times when we conceded penalties or made mistakes, and in big games that’s something you can’t afford to do. We’ve worked hard as a team to better adjust and adapt to pressure, to the game and to the referee. But will learn from that, and we will improve, but it just takes a bit of time to get the guys clicking and I’m looking for a better result this weekend.”
Saturday’s match kicks off at 14:00 JST and will be telecast in Japan via JSports Two from 13:45 JST. The match will also be shown live and via catch-up on JSports On-demand.
In addition to Saturday’s match in Fukuoka, the Japan XV will play their final match in the Asahi Super Dry Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022 against Australia A on Friday, October 14, at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Osaka.
TEAM LIST
| No. | Name | Club Team |
| 1 | Craig MILLAR | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| 2 | Atsushi SAKATE | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| 3 | ShinnosukeKAKINAGA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 4 | Warner DEARNS | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| 5 | Jack CORNELSEN | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| 6 | Kanji SHIMOKAWA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 7 | Kazuki HIMENO | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| 8 | Michael LEITCH | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| 9 | Naoto SAITO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 10 | Seungsin LEE | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| 11 | Siosaia FIFITA | HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS |
| 12 | Ryoto NAKAMURA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 13 | Dylan RILEY | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| 14 | Kotaro MATSUSHIMA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 15 | Ryohei YAMANAKA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| 16 | Kosuke HORIKOSHI | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 17 | Shogo MIURA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| 18 | Yusuke KIZU | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| 19 | Naohiro KOTAKI | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS |
| 20 | Tevita TATAFU | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 21 | Yutaka NAGARE | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 22 | Shogo NAKANO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 23 | Gerhard Van Den HEEVER | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY |
Japan XV vs Australia A Past Results:
October 1, 2022 (L) 22-34 Tokyo
June 8, 2008 (L) 21-42 Fukuoka
June 9, 2007 (L) 10-71 Townsville
June 8, 2003 (L) 15-66 Tokyo
June 5, 2003 (L) 5-63 Osaka