Japan will be seeking revenge against Scotland in Tokyo
Last Updated: 11/07/16 10:47am
Japan take on Scotland on Saturday (kick-off 11.20am BST) seeking revenge for their bruising defeat at last year's Rugby World Cup, but will be without full-back Ayumu Goromaru.
Japan were riding high at the World Cup after their stunning win over South Africa, but after a short, three-day turnaround, a 45-10 defeat to Scotland put the brakes on their campaign.
On Saturday, the Brave Blossoms will be missing poster-boy Goromaru, who is sidelined with a shoulder injury.
But captain Shota Horie said he was sure the 2019 World Cup hosts would be the ones celebrating after the game at Toyota Stadium.
"A key is how much forwards will be able to push ourselves and challenge," he said. "We will give all of our strength so that we will be laughing at the end of the match."
For Scotland, 22-year-old wing Damien Hoyland will make his first start and is one of five changes made by coach Vern Cotter after their final Six Nations game, a defeat to Ireland, in March.
Ruaridh Jackson gets his chance at fly-half, centre Matt Scott replaces the injured Alex Dunbar, hooker Stuart McInally makes his second start and lock Jonny Gray returns from a pectoral tear.
The sides will meet again at Tokyo's Ajinomoto Stadium for a second Test on June 25.
Japan: 15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Mifiposeti Paea, 13 Tim Bennetts, 12 Harumichi Tatekawa, 11 Yasutaka Sasakura, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Kaito Shigeno; 1 Keita Inagaki, 2 Shota Horie, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 5 Naohiro Kotaki, 6 Hendrik Tui, 7 Shokei Kin, 8 Amanaki Mafi.
Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Masataka Mikami, 18 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 19 Kotaro Yatabe, 20 Hiroki Yamamoto, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Kosei Ono, 23 Rikiya Matsuda
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 Willem Nel, 4 Richie Gray, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 John Barclay, 7 John Hardie, 8 Ryan Wilson.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Moray Low, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 David Denton, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Maitland