RUGBY UNION NEWS: Japan Faces Experienced England Side in Surprising Squad Selection
Tokyo, June 22 – Japan’s national rugby union team will take on an experienced England side on Saturday, with head coach Eddie Jones surprising many by naming a staggering eight uncapped players in the 23-man lineup.
In his first game back in charge of the Brave Blossoms, the former Wallabies and England boss has opted to go with a youthful approach, similar to his tactics with Australia. However, he has retained the services of the vastly experienced Michael Leitch, who will continue as Japan’s captain.
The starting front-row features two uncapped players in Takayoshi Mohara and Mamoru Harada, who will pack down alongside Shuhei Takeuchi, who has only three international caps to his name. The second-row pairing of Sanaila Waqa and Warner Dearns provides a bit more experience, but the entire forward pack has a combined total of just 16 caps.
“Veteran Michael Leitch will anchor the loose forward trio, joined by Faulua Makisi and debutant Tiennan Costley.”
In the backline, familiar names like Naoto Saito and Seungsin Lee will form the half-back partnership, while Tomoki Osada and Dylan Riley, both members of the 2019 Rugby World Cup squad, start at center.
The back three features the dangerous Jone Naikabula on the wing, alongside Koga Nezuka, who has one cap, and the intriguing selection of Yoshitaka Yazaki, who has been plucked from the university ranks and has no professional playing experience, although he impressed at the World Rugby U20 Championship last year.
On the bench, there are four more uncapped players, including Keijiro Tamefusa, Kai Yamamoto, Shinobu Fujiwara, and Samisoni Tua, as Jones continues to inject youth into the Brave Blossoms setup.
This matchup against a strong England outfit will be a stern test for Japan’s young and inexperienced side, but it also presents an opportunity for the team to showcase their potential and development under the guidance of the experienced Jones.
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