The Japan starting XV to take on the British and Irish Lions at Murrayfield on Saturday is near full-strength with Michael Leitch captaining, Clermont's Kotaro Matsushima, former Bath back-row Amanaki Mafi and superb centre Timothy Lafaele starting. Kazuki Himeno begins on the bench.
Thursday 24 June 2021 15:31, UK
Michael Leitch will captain Japan vs the British and Irish Lions at Murrayfield on Saturday, while Clermont's Kotaro Matsushima and ex-Bath back-row Amanaki Mafi both start.
The Brave Blossoms' superb No 8 Kazuki Himeno, who won Super Rugby Aoteoroa's Rookie of the Year in New Zealand playing for the Highlanders in 2021, begins among the replacements.
The team includes four uncapped players in Siosaia Fifita, Craig Millar, Jack Cornelsen, and Naoto Saito, while 17 members of the team were part of Japan's squad at Rugby World Cup 2019.
"This is a strong Japanese team combining a solid foundation of experience, with some exciting new players who have earned the right to represent Japan at test match level," Japan head coach Jamie Joseph said on Thursday.
"We will field a strong, competitive team on Saturday while also taking the opportunity to blood new players as we look ahead to Rugby World Cup.
"Six Nations teams play around a strong set piece, and this is where the Lions will look to pressure us. We have picked a team with this in mind and which is capable of putting pressure back onto the opposition and taking our opportunities to score points when they come."
"There is a great spirit among the team and a collective excitement ahead of Saturday's match. Playing the Lions for the first time holds huge significance for Japanese rugby and as a team, we're looking forward to once again be playing on the world stage and to be taking on a team with the unique strength and history of the Lions."
Japan: 15 Ryohei Yamanaka, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Siosaia Fifita, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Kaito Shigeno; 1 Keita Inagaki, 2 Atsushi Sakate, 3 Jiwon Koo, 4 Wimpie Van der Walt, 5 James Moore, 6 Michael Leitch, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 8 Amanaki Mafi.
Replacements: 16 Kosuke Horikoshi, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 Jack Cornelsen, 20 Kazuki Himeno, 21 Tevita Tatafu, 22 Naoto Saito, 23 Rikiya Matsuda.
