Brave Blossoms Side Named for Second Wales Test
The Brave Blossoms will be chasing history this weekend when they look to record their first-ever back-to-back win over a tier-one opponent when they take on Wales in the second match of the two-test, Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 series. Kicking off at 14:50 local time at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, the match follows Japan’s 24-19 victory over the Welsh last weekend in Kitakyushu.
Head Coach Eddie Jones has named a side closely resembling the team that fought back bravely from a 7-19 halftime deficit against Wales in the opening match, with only four new players coming into the matchday 23.
This includes two uncapped players in utility back and reserve playmaker Sam Greene and winger, Kazuma Ueda. Both were prominent in the four pre-season fixtures with the JAPAN XV, with Ueda scoring twice against the Māori All Blacks two weeks ago in Tokyo. They are joined by Faulua Makisi who comes into the side at number-eight and France-based Naoto Saito at halfback.
Determined to bring through Japan’s next generation of test talent, Jones has kept his faith in four debutants from last week who will earn their second test caps on Saturday. This includes Yota Kamimori at loosehead, Kippei Ishida on the right wing and Ichigo Nakakusa at fullback. They are joined by Halatoa Vailea on the left wing who scored last weekend’s match winning try.
Furthermore, with last week’s starting front-row playing the full 80 minutes, reserve hooker Hayate Era and reserve prop Sena Kimura, both of whom remain uncapped, are once again named on the bench and are in line for their first Japan caps.
Like Kitakyushu, conditions in Kobe are expected to be hot and humid. Once again, the team that can handle these conditions best will stand the best chance of winning the match.
Commenting on the team selection, Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones said:
“Japan have never beaten a top-tier team back-to-back, so we have a chance to create some history. But the more important thing is that we know we can play better. We played well in the first match, but we’re going to have to play with more intensity and effort, and execute our plays better. It’s important we keep growing as a team and keep improving. Every match is a chance to get better, and we see this match as a massive opportunity for us.”
The match will be broadcast live in Japan on NTV and via live streaming on Hulu from 14:30. It will also be available live on J Sports 3 from 14:20 and streamed live and via catch-up on J Sports On-Demand.
| No. | Name | Club Team | Graduate | Height cm | Weight kg | DOB | Cap |
| 1 | Yota KAMIMORI | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Kindai Univ. | 172 | 105 | 1999/4/26 | 1 |
| 2 | Mamoru HARADA | ― | Keio Univ. | 175 | 101 | 1999/4/15 | 11 |
| 3 | Keijiro TAMEFUSA | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Meiji Univ. | 180 | 108 | 2001/9/3 | 10 |
| 4 | Epineri ULUIVITI | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars | Ratu Kadavulevu School | 196 | 122 | 1996/7/7 | 7 |
| 5 | Warner DEARNS | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | Ryutsu Keizai Univ. KASHIWA HS. | 201 | 117 | 2002/4/11 | 22 |
| 6 | Michael LEITCH (C) | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | Tokai Univ. | 189 | 113 | 1988/10/7 | 88 |
| 7 | Jack CORNELSEN | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | Univ. of Queensland | 195 | 110 | 1994/10/13 | 21 |
| 8 | Faulua MAKISI | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Tenri Univ. | 187 | 112 | 1997/1/20 | 15 |
| 9 | Naoto SAITO | Stade Toulousain | Waseda Univ. | 165 | 73 | 1997/8/26 | 24 |
| 10 | Seungsin LEE | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS | Osaka Korean HS. | 176 | 86 | 2001/1/13 | 19 |
| 11 | Halatoa VAILEA | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Nippon Sport Science Univ. | 185 | 104 | 1999/2/14 | 1 |
| 12 | Shogo NAKANO | TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH | Waseda Univ. | 186 | 100 | 1997/6/11 | 8 |
| 13 | Dylan RILEY | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | Bond Univ. | 187 | 102 | 1997/5/2 | 29 |
| 14 | Kippei ISHIDA | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES | Meiji Univ. | 167 | 75 | 2000/4/28 | 1 |
| 15 | Ichigo NAKAKUSU | RICOH BlackRams Tokyo | Keio Univ. | 174 | 84 | 2000/6/1 | 1 |
| 16 | Hayate ERA | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Teikyo Univ. | 172 | 106 | 2001/9/18 | 0 |
| 17 | Sena KIMURA | TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO | Tokai Univ. | 175 | 105 | 1999/6/24 | 0 |
| 18 | Shuhei TAKEUCHI | ― | Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ. | 183 | 115 | 1997/12/9 | 14 |
| 19 | Waisake RARATUBUA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS | Tokai Univ. | 193 | 120 | 1998/3/17 | 1 |
| 20 | Ben GUNTER | SAITAMA Panasonic WILD KNIGHTS | Brisbane Boys’ College | 195 | 120 | 1997/10/24 | 10 |
| 21 | Shinobu FUJIWARA | Kubota Spears Funabashi TOKYO-BAY | Tenri Univ. | 171 | 76 | 1999/2/8 | 11 |
| 22 | Sam GREENE | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Brisbane Grammar HS. | 178 | 85 | 1994/8/16 | 0 |
| 23 | Kazuma UEDA | KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS | Kindai Univ. | 177 | 87 | 2002/12/4 | 0 |
*(C) Captain
Japan v Wales Historic Match Results
15 matches, 2 wins and 13 losses
5 July 2025: 24-19 (W) Kitakyushu
19 November 2016: 33-30 (L) Cardiff, Wales
15 June 2013: 23-8 (W) Tokyo
8 June 2013: 18-22 (L) Osaka
20 September 2007: 72-18 (L) Cardiff, Wales
26 November 2004: 98-0 (L) Cardiff, Wales
17 June 2001: 30-53 (L) Tokyo
10 June 2001: 10-64 (L) Osaka
Brave Blossoms 2025 Match Schedule
Saturday 5 July
Japan vs Wales
24-19 (W)
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025
Mikuni World Stadium, Kitakyushu
Saturday 12 July
Japan vs Wales
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025
Noevir Stadium, Kobe
Saturday 30 August
Japan vs Canada
Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (Pool B)
Yurtec Stadium, Sendai
Saturday 6 September
USA vs Japan
Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (Pool B)
Heart Health Park, Sacramento
Saturday 25 October
Japan vs Australia
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025
National Stadium, Tokyo
Lipovitan D Tour 2025.
Saturday 8 November
Ireland vs Japan
Autumn Nations Series
Dublin
Saturday 15 November
Wales vs Japan
Autumn Nations Series
Cardiff
Saturday 22 November
Georgia vs Japan
Venue TBC