Brave Blossoms Team Named Ahead of Twickenham Clash
Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph has today announced the Brave Blossoms team to take on England this Saturday, November 12 in their Lipovitan D Tour 2022 clash at Twickenham, the home of English rugby. Kicking off at 15:15 UK local time (00:15 Japan Standard Time on Sunday, November 13), the Brave Blossoms will be looking to make a positive start to their two-match tour, before taking on France next weekend in Toulouse.
1 Keita INAGAKI
2 Atsushi SAKATE
3 Jiwon GU
4 Warner DEARNS
5 Jack CORNELSEN
6 Michael LEITCH
7 Kazuki HIMENO
8 Tevita TATAFU
9 Yutaka NAGARE
10 Takuya YAMASAWA
11 Gerhard Van Den HEEVER
12 Ryoto NAKAMURA
13 Dylan RILEY
14 Kotaro MATSUSHIMA
15 Ryohei YAMANAKA
16 Kosuke HORIKOSHI
17 Craig MILLAR
18 Yusuke KIZU
19 Wimpie Van Der WALT
20 Pieter LABUSCHAGNE
21 Naoto SAITO
22 Seungsin LEE
23 Siosaia FIFITA
Saturday’s fixture will be the 10th test match between the two sides, since their first meeting in Osaka, back in 1971. While there have been some close results over the years, including Japan’s 19-21 loss in Osaka in 1979, the Brave Blossoms have yet to taste victory against the English, who are currently ranked 5th in the world. Having shown their capability in pushing the All Blacks all the way in Tokyo two weeks ago, Japan will be looking to challenge an English side brimming with motivation following their narrow, one-point loss to Argentina a week ago.
Japan will field a near identical starting side to the one that took the field against the All Blacks in Tokyo, with the only change being a direct swap on the left wing that sees Gerhard van den Heever move into the starting side, while Siosaia Fifita moves to the reserves bench.
Captain Atsushi Sakate will once again lead the team at hooker and is joined in the front row by the experienced Keita Inagaki at loosehead and Jiwon Gu at tighthead. The second row sees the continuation of the emerging locking combination of the towering Warner Dearns alongside Jack Cornelsen, while an established backrow comprises the dynamic Kazuki Himeno at openside, the talismanic Michael Leith at blindside and 124-kilogram wrecking ball, Tevita Tatafu at number eight.
In the halves, the experienced, Yutake Nagare slots in once again at halfback alongside the young and impressive playmaker, Takuya Yamasawa who earns his 6th test cap at flyhalf. With van den Heever on the left wing, crowd favourite and Rugby World Cup hero, Kotaro Matsushima covers the right wing, while the hard running, hard tackling centre pairing of Ryoto Nakamura and Dylan Riley slot in at inside and outside centre respectively. The back three is rounded off by the ever-reliable, Ryohei Yamanaka at fullback.
On the bench, Craig Millar retains his position as replacement prop and is joined by hooker Kosuke Horikoshi and prop Yusuke Kizu as the other front row reserves. Second row reserve, Wimpie van der Walt and backrow reserve, Pieter ‘Lappies’ Labuschagne both return to the side after having played a game each for the Japan XV in their recent three-match series against Australia A.
With Siosaia Fifita starting this weekend’s match from the pine, the two remaining backline reserves are the same as selected against the All Blacks, with livewire scrumhalf Naoto Saito and emerging flyhalf, Seungsin Lee rounding off the matchday 23.
Commenting on the Brave Blossoms team selection, Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph said:
“As a team we’re very excited about playing at Twickenham. It’s a very unique environment, a real cauldron and one of rugby’s biggest challenges. We will be 23 men representing Japan in front of eighty-thousand English fans, a dynamic that creates real excitement for us.
“We’ve had a big transition in players since the last World Cup and so we’re certainly looking forward to next year, and part of that transition is giving our guys some big games of rugby. We missed out on a lot of rugby over the last three years, so these test matches are our vehicle to build our experience. In our recent matches against Australia A and the All Blacks, the guys are getting more familiar, building combinations, and getting used to this level and pace of rugby.
“We’re coming up against a formidable England side which is compounded when they play at their home ground. We’re expecting a big match on Saturday, but we play rugby differently and we know we will have to deal with the pressure and physicality England will bring. If we can do that, then we can play our own brand of rugby and create pressure for them.”
Saturday’s match kicks off at 15:15 UK local time (00:15 JST on Sunday, November 13). It will be telecast live in Japan via NHK General from 24:00 JST and live and via catch-up on WOWOW from 23:50 JST.
Following their match against England, the Brave Blossoms will take on France in Toulouse on Sunday, November 20.
Japan vs England Past Results:
November 18, 2018 (L) 15-35 London
July 6, 2003 (L) 20-55 Tokyo
July 3, 2003 (L) 10-37 Tokyo
May 30, 1987 (L) 7-60 Sydney (RWC 1987)
October 11, 1986 (L) 12-39 London
May 20, 1979 (L) 18-38 Tokyo
May 13, 1979 (L) 19-21 Osaka
September 28, 1971 (L) 3-6 Tokyo
September 24, 1971 (L) 19-27 Osaka