With so many big games on deck this weekend it’s best to split the previews into two parts. Here’s the heads up on the first four matches worth checking out.
JAPAN vs WALES
Saturday, June 8, 05:00 GMT, Osaka
Stand-in coach Robin McBryde has handed debut caps to 18 year old winger Dafydd Howells, as well as centre Owen Williams, hooker Emyr Phillips, and flanker James King. Five more uncapped players are on the bench with only Bradley Davies, Lloyd Williams and Dan Bigger having any significant test experience amongst the squad.
Japan have lost influential flanker Michael Leitch to injury but have added Super Rugby players Shota Horie and Fumiaki Tanaka in two of seven changes from the side that lost to Fiji. Former Australian rugby league representative Craig Wing comes into the centres, forming a formidable midfield with Male Sa’u. Equally impressive Harumichi Tatekawa slides into the flyhalf position, and blazing speedsters Yoshikazu Fujita and Kenki Fukuoka threaten from the wide out spaces.
If ever there was a time for Japan to take a home nations scalp, this is surely it. While their two Pacific Nations Cup performances have been less than inspiring, the addition of Horie and especially Tanaka is a big boost to the side who will be fired up. Wales have a competent lineup but will depend almost entirely on their set piece and halfbacks to control the game. Expect that first phase dominance to be the difference, Wales take a difficult one by 6.
JAPAN
Ayumu Goromaru; Yoshikazu Fujita, Male Sa’u, Craig Wing, Kenki Fukuoka, Harumichi Tatekawa, Fumiaki Tanaka; Masataka Mikami, Shota Horie, Hiroshi Yamashita; Hitoshi Ono, Shoji Ito; Hendrik Tui, Michael Broadhurst, Takashi Kikutani (capt.). RES: Takeshi Kizu, Yusuke Nagae, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Toshizumi Kitagawa, Ryuta Yasui, Atsushi Hiwasa, Yu Tamura, Hirotoki Onozawa.
WALES
Liam Williams; Harry Robinson, Owen Williams, Jonathan Spratt, Dafydd Howells; Dan Biggar, Lloyd Williams; Ryan Bevington, Emyr Phillips, Scott Andrews; Bradley Davies (capt.), Lou Reed; Andrew Coombs, James King, Rob McCusker. RES: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Gill, Rhodri Jones, Andries Pretorius, Dan Baker, Tavis Knoyle, Rhys Patchell, Tom Prydie.
NEW ZEALAND vs FRANCE
Saturday, June 8, 07:35 GMT, Auckland
France head back to Eden Park to avenge their World Cup final defeat but only two players remain from the first XV that took the field that day. First caps to Perpignan winger Adrien Plante and crucially flyhalf Camille Lopez of Bordeaux are the story, with the left boot of Lopez sure to play a part if Les Bleus have any chance of victory. Clermont tighthead Daniel Kotze and Parisian lighthouse Alexandre Flanquart will hope to make their debuts from the bench.
The All Blacks have handed a first test start to hooker Dane Coles, and have opted to rest Dan Carter, with Chiefs conductor Aaron Cruden handed the no10 jersey instead. Injury to Cory Jane sees Ben Smith fill in on the wing, while Wyatt Crockett is picked at loosehead over out of form Tony Woodcock. Kieran Read captains in Richie McCaw’s continued sabbatical.
There should be plenty of entertaining rugby on display, though you never know quite what to expect from the French. Players like Fofana and Picamoles should make things interesting, but it’s hard to see anything but a New Zealand victory in this one, even without Carter and McCaw. The All Blacks win their first test of the season by 15 points.
NEW ZEALAND
Israel Dagg; Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles, Owen Franks; Luke Romano, Brodie Retallick; Liam Messam, Sam Cane, Kieran Read (capt.). RES: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Ben Afeaki, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Rene Ranger.
FRANCE
Yoann Huget; Adrien Plante, Florian Fritz, Wesley Fofana, Maxime Medard; Camille Lopez, Maxime Machenaud; Thomas Domingo, Dimitri Swarzewski, Luc Ducalcon; Sebastien Vaha’amahina, Yoann Maestri; Thierry Dusautoir (capt.), Fulgence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles. RES: Guilhem Guirado, Vincent Debaty, Daniel Kotze, Alexandre Flanquart, Yannick Nyanga, Jean-Marc Doussain, Frederic Michalak, Maxime Mermoz.
QUEENSLAND REDS vs BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Saturday, June 8, 09:30 GMT, Brisbane
Thankfully Ewen McKenzie has decided to field his best available side, with the prodigiously talented Quade Cooper captaining the side from flyhalf. Eight other Wallaby caps feature in the run-on team, with another three on the bench. Amongst them midfielders Anthony Fainga’a and Ben Tapuai promise to inject real impetus, while promising backrowers Eddie Quirk and Jake Schatz will look to impress Robbie Deans against top-flight opposition.
Lions captain Sam Warburton makes his tour bow as part of the formidable all-Wales back row. Matt Stevens starts at tighthead alongside Tom Youngs, whose brother Ben also gets a run at scrumhalf. Outside him Owen Farrell will look to put his Hong Kong misery behind him as quickly as possible, with a star-studded backline there to support him.
At last a competitive match for the Lions, one that could conceivably be very close. The Reds will be missing six starters who are with the Wallaby squad, but still have a very respectable side that will be looking for a little Cooper magic to inspire them. Despite that, the Lions are deservedly heavy favourites and should come through this one with around a 12 point win in what could be the most entertaining fixture of the weekend.
QUEENSLAND REDS
Ben Lucas; Rod Davies, Ben Tapuai, Anthony Fainga’a, Luke Morahan; Quade Cooper (capt.), Nick Frisby; Ben Daley, James Hanson, Greg Holmes; Adam Wallace-Harrison, Ed O’Donoghue; Eddie Quirk, Beau Robinson, Jake Schatz. RES: Albert Anae, Sam Denny, Jono Owen, Radike Samo, Jarrad Butler, Jono Lance, Mike Harris, Dominic Shipperley.
BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
Stuart Hogg; Alex Cuthbert, Manu Tuilagi, Jonathan Davies, Tommy Bowe; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Matt Stevens; Richie Gray, Geoff Parling; Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt.), Toby Faletau. RES: Richard Hibbard, Dan Cole, Adam Jones, Paul O’Connell, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, George North.
SAMOA vs SCOTLAND
Saturday, June 8, 12:15 GMT, Durban
A new IRB concoction sees four countries take part in a mini-tournament hosted by South Africa. Samoa and Scotland will get things underway in what should be a tasty collision between the big-hitting Islanders and the ambitious Scots.
Fullback Greig Tonks, centre Alex Dunbar, and hooker Pat MacArthur all earn their first caps in an otherwise full strength side, minus four Lions including the newest call up Ryan Grant. Bath youngster Tom Heathcote gets his first start, and will look to experienced halfback partner Greig Laidlaw for guidance when the pressure comes on. Fit-again flanker Alasdair Strokosch completes an impressive back row that will have their work cut out for them against their abrasive opponents.
The Manu have called in four Super Rugby players, including new caps Jack Lam and Alapati Leiua, to reinforce a hastily gathered side. With several leading players unavailable, including world class scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali’i, Samoa will need some different names to stand up and make a statement. Looming large on the wing is recalled behemoth Alesana Tuilagi, who will no doubt cause fear and havoc with everything he does.
This should be a fierce battle with little between the two sides. Samoa have the edge in physicality, but Scotland have more experience and better decision makers. Expect some early impact from the powerful Manu ball carriers, but the Scots tactical awareness to make the difference and earn them an ever so slight 3 point win.
SAMOA
James So’oialo; Alapati Leiua, Johnny Leota, Paul Williams (capt.), Alesana Tuilagi; Tusi Pisi, Jeremy Su’a; Logovi’i Mulipola, Ole Avei, Census Johnston; Filo Paulo, Daniel Leo; Ofisa Treviranus, Jack Lam, Taiasina Tu’ifua. RES: Manu Leiataua, Sakaria Taulafo, James Johnson, Fa’atiga Lemalu, Alafoti Fa’osiliva, Junior Poluleuligaga, Seilala Mapusua, Brando Va’aulu.
SCOTLAND
Greig Tonks; Sean Lamont, Alex Dunbar, Matt Scott, Tim Visser; Tom Heathcote, Greig Laidlaw; Alasdair Dickinson, Pat MacArthur, Euan Murray; Grant Gilchrist, Alastair Kellock; Alasdair Strokosch, Kelly Brown (capt.), Johnnie Beattie. RES: Steven Lawrie, Moray Low, Geoff Cross, Jim Hamilton, Ryan Wilson, Henry Pyrgos, Peter Horne, Duncan Taylor.
