Jamie Joseph names nine debutants in Japan squad to face Uruguay
Jamie Joseph has named nine debutants in his Brave Blossoms lateral to take on Uruguay this weekend ahead of Japan’s test series against France next month. Rugby World Cup fans can buy Japan Vs Samoa Tickets from our website.
In what will be Japan’s first test of the year, Joseph has included a raft of newbies and inexperienced figures in his competition day squad, many of whom featured for the Emerging Blossoms in an aid match against a Tonga Samurai XV last weekend.
Among those who featured in that display, clash includes veteran first-five Yu Tamura, who will captain Japan for the first period in his career. The 68-test playmaker is joined by 17 players who also played for. The Emerging Blossoms in their 31-12 win over the Tonga Samurai XV, eight of whom will be creating their test debuts.
Those nine debutants comprise props Shunsuke Asaoka. Koka Kaishi, and Shuhei Takeuchi, wings Koga Nezuka and Koki Takeyama, and moveable forwards Koji Iino and Sione Lavemai. Lock Daichi Akiyama and fullback Taira Main.
Tamura is combined with veteran midfielder Harumichi Tatekawa as by far the most experienced player in the Brave Blossoms side. With a collective total of 123 tests between the pair.
The match will be Tatekawa’s first examination for Japan in four years. The 32-year-old one of numerous players who have earned test recalls for this fitting after years without action for the Brave Blossoms.
Kaito Shigeno
Other notable assortments in the starting lineup include 2019 World Cup squad members lock Wimpie van der Walt and midfielder Timothy Lafaele. While halfback Kaito Shigeno has been chosen on the bench.
“I’m excited about the match against Uruguay. It’s a great opportunity to develop our depth and give players experience in a test match arena,” Joseph said of his side via a statement.
“We saw some great performances against the Tonga Samurai XV and so we’re happy to give many of these players another opportunity at the highest level”.
“It will be a massive challenge and I’m looking forward to seeing these players rise to the occasion.”
Saturday’s test between Japan and Uruguay at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo will be the fourth meeting between the two nations. After dispatching Uruguay 24-18 in their first-ever clash in Montevideo 17 years ago. Japan settled back-to-back wins in their most recent two-test series in 2015.
This weekend’s clash will be shadowed by another test in Kitakyushu next Saturday. Before Japan go on to host France in two-test series next month.
Japan squad to play Uruguay in Tokyo
1. Shogo Miura (Toyota Verblitz)
2. Kosuke Horikoshi (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
3. Shunsuke Asaoka (Toyota Verblitz)*
4. Wimpie van der Walt (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes Osaka)
5. Yuya Odo (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
6. Koji Iino (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)*
7. Hiroki Yamamoto (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)
8. Tevita Tatafu (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
9. Takahiro Ogawa (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)
10. Yu Tamura (Yokohama Canon Eagles, captain)
11. Koga Nezuka (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)*
12. Timothy Lafaele (Kobelco Kobe Steelers)
13. Shane Gates (NTT Communications Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu)
14. Koki Takeyama (Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights)*
15. Seiya Ozaki (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath)
Reserves
16. Takeshi Hino (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
17. Kota Kaishi (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)*
18. Shuhei Takeuchi (NTT Communications Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu)*
19. Daichi Akiyama (Toyota Verblitz)*
20. Sione Lavemai (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo)*
21. Kaito Shigeno (Toyota Verblitz)
22. Harumichi Tatekawa (Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay)
23. Taira Main (Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo)*
Super Rugby boss rubrics out Japan or US teams
Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos has ruled out participation by teams from Japan or the US in Super Rugby in the near future, saying fans want consistency in the competition. The chairman of Japan’s Top Association Genichi Tamatsuka floated to AAP the idea of a cross-over tournament with Australian and New Zealand teams which would help boost the local coffers.
The proposal followed a stand-off between RA and their Kiwi counterparts, with the Australian chair. Hamish McLennan threatened to walk away at the end of the current contract in 2023 with the uneven split of transmission dollars a sticking point.
Announcing the competition draw on Sunday, the parties declared they were back at the selling table ready to nut out an agreement for the competition’s future beyond next year.
“We’re both committed to continuing to grow rugger across the Asia-Pacific region, we’re speaking all the time, and we’re attractive confident we’re going to get to a resolution pretty soon,” Marinos told reporters. Rugby World Cup fans can buy England Vs Japan Tickets from our website.
Having seen Super Rugby’s popularity diminish in the last decade with teams dropping in and out. Marinos said while involvement from Japan and the US – who will host the 2031 Rugby World – was enticing, it was time to combine the current 12-team competition.
“Growing new markets are very much part of our longer-term thinking,” Marinos said on Monday.
“But with all the dislocation we’ve had in Super Rugby – the separation from South African and Argentinians and the fact that next year will hopefully be the first year of Super Rugby Pacific not impacted by other forces (COVID-19)”.
“We really want to settle in and bed this competition model and structure down before we start looking to quickly evolve and expand”.
“That’s been a criticism… where the old Super Rugby competition continually felt needed to expand and add while the fans just wanted consistency in format and performance.”
Darren Coleman
The Waratahs were the astonishing packets of the 2021 competition making the quarter-finals under new coach Darren Coleman after deteriorating to win a match in 2020. Playing all home games at the rebuilt Allianz Arena after four years away. Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn said they were targeting a top-four spot.
“We see ourselves next year going to the next level and improving on 2021 and that’s top four,” Doorn said on Monday.
“It’s a big step up from where we finished last year but you can see that the home ground advantage in the first week of finals makes a substantial difference so that’s the goal we’ve set ourselves.”
Doorn told reporters they were in talks with Allianz bureaucrats to remove seats at one end of the ground to create a party zone on the hill. Which proved a success at their temporary home at Leichhardt Oval last season.
The proposal followed a stand-off between RA and their Kiwi counterparts, with the Australian chair. Hamish McLennan intimidating to walk away at the end of the current contract in 2023 with the uneven split of broadcast dollars a sticking point.
Announcing the rivalry draw on Sunday, the parties declared they were spinal at the negotiating table ready to nut out an agreement for the competition’s future beyond next year.
“We’re both committed to continuing to grow rugby across the Asia-Pacific region, we’re speaking all the time, and we’re pretty confident we’re going to get to a resolution pretty soon,” Marino told reporters.
After dispatching Uruguay 24-18 in their first-ever clatter in Montevideo 17 years ago, Japan clinched back-to-back wins in their most recent two-test series in 2015. This weekend’s clash will be followed by another test in Kitakyushu following Saturday before Japan go on to host France in two-test series next month. Kick-off for Saturday’s competition is scheduled for 3pm native time.
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