Japan XV Team Announced For Final Australia A Clash
Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph has today announced the Japan XV team to take on Australia A this Friday, October 14 at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Osaka, in the third and final fixture of the three un-capped matches making up the Asahi Super Dry Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2022. The Japan XV will be looking to bounce back after going down to the Australians in the first two matches, including last weekend’s one point loss, following a last gasp try by Australia and subsequent conversion after the siren.
This week’s line-up sees a number of changes, with fan favourite and Rugby World Cup hero, Keita Inagaki returning to the team at loosehead prop. He joins Brave Blossoms Captain Atsushi Sakate at hooker, with Shinnosuke Kakinaga retaining his position at tighthead for a second week.
The second row sees the same pairing as last week with the towering Warner Dearns packing down in the engine room alongside Jack Cornelsen. The backrow has been reshaped, with the impressive Kanji Shimokawa moving from the blindside to number seven, in his third start of the series, and 124-kilogram wrecking ball, Tevita Tatafu starts this week at number eight, with Michael Leitch moving back to the blindside, following his peerless performance last weekend in Fukuoka.
In the halves, there is a direct swap from Fukuoka, with the experienced Yutake Nagare moving from the bench to starting scrumhalf, while Naoto Saito moves to the bench as reserve scrumhalf. At flyhalf, the exciting playmaker Seungsin Lee will once again direct the team at number ten, after another solid performance last weekend in Fukuoka.
The starting backline is the same as last week, with Ryoto Nakamura and Dylan Riley continuing their strong centre pairing at inside and outside centre respectively, while the potent try scoring combination of Siosaia Fifita and Kotaro Matsushima cover the left and right wings. The ever-reliable Ryohei Yamanaka slots in once again at fullback
On the reserves bench, Takeshi Hino has been named in the Japan XV for the first time as replacement hooker, while Shogo Miura in named as reserve prop for the third match of the series. He is joined by prop Shuhei Takeuchi who returns to the team after having played off the bench in the first match in Tokyo.
Wimpie van der Walt returns to the national team as replacement second row for the first time since the first test against France in Toyota, back in early July, and Faulua Makisi rounds off the reserve forwards after being named as backrow replacement.
The backline reserves consist of Naoto Saito at scrumhalf, while the impressive Takuya Yamasawa gets another opportunity at the national team level, and the hard-running, hard-tackling Shogo Nakano rounds off the matchday 23.
Commenting on the Japan VX team selection, Japan Head Coach Jamie Joseph said:
“We performed well in the first two matches, but not for the full 80 minutes. We’ve shown our intent and how we want to play the game, and the players are very connected and excited about playing. But we’ve also seen we’re a little rusty and we’re having some key players making mistakes at crucial times. That’s not normal, but its normal for a team that hasn’t played for three or four months. I’m expecting the players to keep on improving, but these three games were always about having an opportunity to get our team back into some form in preparation for our upcoming big three test matches, and I think we’re achieving that.”
Friday’s match kicks off at 18:30 JST and will be telecast in Japan via J Sports One from 18:15 JST. The match will also be shown live and via catch-up on J Sports On-demand.
TEAM LIST
| No. | Name | Club Team |
| 1 | Keita INAGAKI | 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 | Michael LEITCH | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO |
| 7 | Kanji SHIMOKAWA | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 8 | Tevita TATAFU | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 9 | Yutaka NAGARE | 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 | Takeshi HINO | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs |
| 17 | Shogo MIURA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ |
| 18 | Shuhei TAKEUCHI | URAYASU D-Rocks |
| 19 | Wimpie VANDERWALT | URAYASU D-Rocks |
| 20 | Faulua MAKISI | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY |
| 21 | Naoto SAITO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
| 22 | Takuya YAMASAWA | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS |
| 23 | Shogo NAKANO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH |
Japan XV vs Australia A Past Results:
October 9, 2022 (L) 21-22 Fukuoka
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